How to convert an image to vector. How to Convert JPEG to Vector Image

In this lesson we will talk about how to convert a raster image into vector form in Photoshop. Of course, Photoshop is primarily designed to work with raster images, and the vector in it is some addition in the form of paths with a vector layer mask that is applied to the object and creates a vector shape. In such a vector form (Shape), the outline will be vector and the fill will be raster.

In this lesson we will cover the following steps:

Creating a Document and Drawing an Object

First, create a new document of any size and a layer.

Now let's draw any image. Take the Brush tool with unblurred edges and full opacity. Let's draw some simple geometric figure, for example, as shown in the image.

Selecting a raster object

To translate a raster image, you must first select it with any Select tool. Now select the drawn object either using the Wand Tool, or click on the layer with the left mouse button while holding down the Ctrl key.

Convert a selected object to a vector path (Path)

Using any Select type tool, call the context menu. To do this, point the tool at the selected object and press the right mouse button. In the menu that appears, select “Make Work Path...”.

A window will appear where you will need to enter the tolarence parameter, which determines how many control points the vector shape will contain; the more there are, the smoother the vector object will be, but the quality of the control points will be low.

Creating a vector mask for a layer from a vector path

Go to the Paths tab, where the vector path we just created should appear.

Double click on it to give it a name.

Then from the main menu select “Layer -> New Fill Layer -> Solid Color...”. You can name the new layer something, then click “ok”. Select a color for the future shape in the color selection dialog.

Now a new layer with a vector mask should appear in the Layers tab.

How to Save a Vector Object to a Vector Shape Library in Photoshop

You will then be prompted to name the new vector object. Click "ok" and then test the new object in the library using the Custom Shapes Tool.

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Let's say we have some kind of raster image and we want to get it in vector form (or in curves). What do we need to do for this? First of all, you need Adobe Illustrator.

The version doesn't matter.

Procedure

Open our raster image in Adobe Illustrator. To do this, you can right-click on the drawing and select Open with... > Adobe Illustrator from the drop-down menu or launch Illustrator and drag the drawing onto the work area.

Original image

On the toolbar, select the tool “ Selection"(black arrow) and click on our image with this arrow. In this case, the drawing should stand out. To check this, you can try to move it a little by holding down the left mouse button while the cursor is over the picture (using the drag-and-drop principle).

Above the work area we find the button “ Fast Trace» and click on the arrow next to it. It shows all the options available for this action. We need the item " Trace Options...". When we click on it, a window with parameters opens.

On the right side of the options window, select “ View". This will help you get a better result and understand what each of the parameters is responsible for.

1) do it scientifically, that is, you will need to read in the tooltips which of the parameters affects what and set the required values;

2) experiment with the parameters yourself, using the so-called “scientific poking method”.

I prefer the second method: firstly, the Russian translation of a word does not always fully convey the meaning inherent in the original, and secondly, it is often faster and easier to remember. Change the parameter. See what it affects (visually). Combine several parameters. And so on until a more or less acceptable result is achieved.

The resulting vector image.

When the picture already looks like the truth, in the tracing parameters window, click “ Tracing" and in the menu above the work area the button " Disassemble". This way we get the original image, but in curves.

If you are not satisfied with the result obtained, you can modify it. To do this, use the " Selection» you need to select all the created curves (press the left mouse button and, holding it, circle the entire drawing). Go to the menu item “ Object» > « Transformation» > « Scaling” and resize the image so that it is large enough for easy editing. Then select the tool " Direct selection"(white arrow). Using this white arrow, we click on each node one by one and align the splines as necessary: ​​when you select a vertex, whiskers appear nearby, by pulling which you can change the curvature of the spline.

Result in grid mode

You can also get a better result if you initially take a large image of good quality. Therefore, if you don’t want to waste time fiddling with spline nodes in the future, use high-quality images as raw materials for tracing!

How often the need to perform such an action arises is well known to those who work professionally and semi-professionally with graphics. Own collections of vector images will also never interfere with those who run an Internet resource with graphic materials.

The fact is that vector images are good because they can be enlarged to almost any size (resolution) from an actual miniature, so they are extremely convenient to use when creating, for example, posters. And, by the way, the enlarged image will not lose quality. While a JPEG image only needs to be enlarged twice, and most likely the picture will already become fuzzy.
A number of paid programs can convert JPEG to vector images. However, most of them are extremely expensive in relation to the limited amount of color they can produce. But there is an amazingly simple technique that the free Inkscape program uses (it can be officially legally downloaded from the open resource inkscape.org), with a good ability to reproduce color images.

Difficulty of use: moderate.

We create our own vector images for clipart for free. Process:

1. Download Inkscape - a freely distributed free program - from the official resource. The site is mainly in Russian, right on the main page click “Download Now” - the Russian version 0.48.1 is currently available. Install the program on your computer in the usual way (it will take about 4 minutes).

2. Launch the program.

3. Select the “File” item in the menu bar, then the “Import” item in the list that opens; Import or download an image.

4. In the window that opens, find the folder containing the JPEG file that you want to convert to a vector image. Select the file and click OK.

4.a. Select “Embed” or “Link” raster in the small window that appears. In the first option, you will receive a new (final) independent (independent) vector file that you can work with freely; in the second option, you will have to carry the original JPEG file along with the final vector file associated with it, which is inconvenient. But in the first case, the file size will be larger.

5. After the image loads, if it is not already selected (depending on the version of the program used), you need to click on it - hover the cursor and left-click (i.e. select the image, select it). After clicking, the image will be surrounded by a group of arrows. If you do not select an image, its preview will not appear in the Trace Bitmap window, and you will not be able to convert JPEG or any other image format to vector.

5.a. By clicking on the image in the latest version of the program, you can also choose the format of the arrows - to enlarge the picture, or to rotate/tilt.

6. In the menu bar at the top, select “Path”, then “Trace Bitmap” from the list that opens.

7. Select the “Colors” option in the lower left corner, then increase the number of “Scans” several times and click on the button called “Update” located under the image preview . Increasing the number of scans increases the image resolution, which in turn increases the file size and the time required to generate the final, recoded image. Experiment with these settings to get the final image that suits you best for your purposes in terms of size and quality. Remember to click the "Update" button every time you change something in the settings. When you receive the desired result in the preview, click “OK”, wait until the image is re-encoded, then close the small window.

7.a. In order to change the number of scans after clicking OK in the “Vectorize Raster” window, you must! create a new file and start the whole process all over again!, and not change it in the current version, because the changes will NOT BE DISPLAYED in the final image!

8. Save the final image in one of the formats corresponding to the vector image. For most programs, complexes and applications in which you may subsequently want to use the resulting image, the EPS format is perfect.

This is the source (48.3 KB):

This is the final image with only the steps listed above (with a maximum number of scans of 256, without other settings, we get this option, a file size of 2.9 MB - it is re-encoded back to JPEG so that it can be presented here on the site as an example) :

And here is this option at 256, if you increase the image size, increase the threshold and remove anti-aliasing (7.25 MB):

That is, the program performs its functions perfectly, if you play with the settings a little!

Additions:
- To perform vector conversion, you don't need to know much about Inkscape. All functions are mostly automated. The program offers a lot of additional options that you can use to see potential changes in certain actions, but you won’t need them for the main task. In any case, if you wish, it will not be difficult to master them using the scientific method; everything is quite intuitive.

If you have Adobe Illustrator version CS2 or higher installed on your computer, use the Live Trace feature. In versions below CS2, a similar feature is called "Autotrace".

In what format should the logo be? There are a huge number of formats in which you can save it.

Each of them has its own purpose, as well as advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is very important to know the features of the most popular graphic formats in order to know the possibilities of using each of them.
But before we start talking about graphic formats, we need to make it clear that in the world of graphics files there are two main types of formats: raster and vector graphics. This is a very important point. People who have been working with graphic editors for several days know perfectly well what the difference is, and beginners need to learn this in order to know how to do it correctly.

Vector graphics

Vector images are formed from different lines and geometric shapes, the size of which is determined by mathematical equations.

Advantages vector images:
— such images always retain excellent quality when scaled and edited;
— the image size has almost no effect on the file size, so it is always small.

Flaws vector images:
- the images are not realistic;
— not many effects are available.

Vector graphics images in most cases have the extension AI, CDR, CGM, DXF. CorelDraw is the most popular graphics editor.

Examples showing the effect of vector graphics when zoomed in:

Raster graphics

The essence of raster images is that they resemble a table with many small cells. Table cells are called pixels. Pixel is a particle of a raster image. All pixels are the same in size and shape. Each pixel has its own color and coordinates. Because the pixels are very small, this mosaic appears as one piece if the image quality is good. With high resolution, our eyes do not see the “pixelation” of the image.

Advantages raster images:
— realism, they are able to convey graphics consisting of thousands of small details;
- You can apply many different effects to images;
— using raster graphics you can create almost any drawing, of any complexity, which is why it is more widespread.

Flaws raster images:
- large file size;
— loss of quality when scaling.

Raster graphics images in most cases have the extension JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG, PSD.
Let's look at what happens to a raster image when enlarged:
The most popular program for editing raster images is Photoshop.

Logo formats

Now that we have clarified for ourselves what vector and raster graphics are and why they are needed, let's move on to a review of graphic files in which you can save your logo.

Vector formats

.Ai – Adobe Illustrator

The vector file format .Ai from Adobe allows you to save the file in its original form - all logo elements, such as icons, text, are available for editing and can be edited at any time in the future. To open a logo in Ai format, you will need special programs such as Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW.

In most cases, you can change the text in this format. Opens using programs: Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW

Functions: needed to make changes to the original logo.

.EPS – Encapsulated PostScript

This file type is needed for higher quality logo printing: it allows you to scale the logo without losing quality. The advantage of a logo in EPS format is the ability to simultaneously use both raster and vector image elements. However, editing a logo in EPS format is much more difficult than, for example, in Ai format.

Open with: Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, Inkscape.

Functions: for use on printed media, scaling for printing.

.PDF – Portable Document Format

The vector format.PDF is preferred by many designers for a number of reasons. PDF is a convenient format because it displays all fonts, page layouts, vector and raster images without modification.

Opens with Adobe Reader, Foxit Reader, Preview.
Editable with programs such as Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, Inkscape.
Functions: image viewing and printing.

Raster formats

.PNG – Portable Network Graphics

PNG is a great format for logos. It is capable of “compressing” files without distortion. PNG was created to replace GIF files, which include only 256 colors.

Open with: Photoshop (convenient for editing), or any other image viewing program.

Functions: For web graphics and print (300 dpi)

.JPG / .JPEG – Joint Photographic Experts Group

JPEG is the most common image format on the web. The JPEG logo is compressed so files load faster. Also, the JPEG format can be saved at a higher quality, not very distinguishable from vector graphics images.

Open in Photoshop to edit, for viewing - in any other program.

Functions: Web graphics and printing (300 dpi).

.TIFF – Tagged Image File Format

TIFF are the big brothers of JPEG files. TIFF files are higher quality and take up more hard drive space.

Open in Photoshop – for editing, for viewing opens in any program.
What is it used for: generally for printing (300dpi).

“Minimum set” of logo formats

To use a logo for all occasions, you need to have a logo file in the following formats:
— .Ai – for the ability to edit the logo. Change color, background, scale.
— .EPS or .PDF – for printing.
— .PNG — for printing and working on the Internet (for a website, social pages). You definitely need a PNG version of the logo on a transparent background to place it in the website header, on a business card, like a watermark in a photo.

Popular questions about logo formats

We have collected the most popular questions and answers regarding graphic formats. We hope that they will finally fill in all the gaps in the matter of saving the logo:

— Which format is most suitable for a logo: png, jpg, jpeg, or maybe something else?

It is recommended to make the logo in .png. With this format there is a minimum of problems and maximum efficiency of the result. The .png file weighs less, and it is easier to implement various effects (transparency, translucency, etc.)

— What formats should I use to print my logo?

Digital printing formats:

— raster with PSD, TIFF, JPEG extension.
— vector EPS, CDR, PDF.

Optimal image quality 300 dpi; It makes no sense to enlarge images with a lower resolution to 300 dpi, since this will not improve the quality.

Silk screen printing format:

— vector Ai (Adobe Illustrator), EPS and CDR (Corel Draw)

Notes on vector files:
— EPS format contains raster and vector images, as well as their combinations. An important point: preparing and saving the file in EPS format, so that later you can use the file in other programs!
— the text needs to be converted to curves, or send a file of the font used in the layout.

— In what format should the logo be saved in Photoshop?

Experts do not recommend developing and saving a logo in Photoshop, otherwise you will have to do vectorization (translation from raster to vector format). If you do work on creating a logo in Photoshop, it is better to save in PSD, PNG and TIFF.

— If you do it in Corel, what is the best format to save it in?

It all depends on the final purpose of using the logo. If you plan to print a logo, the Korelov CDR format is also suitable. If you need a larger logo size in the future, it is better to save it in EPS - then it can be rasterized using Photoshop in the desired size.

— How to vectorize a raster logo?

You may need to vectorize not only your logo, but also other drawings, photographs and other raster images. Sometimes you need to enlarge the logo or draw it with vector lines in Photoshop to improve the original (small image). If you need to vectorize a photographed or scanned image, an online vectorizer will help you VectorMagic. The quality of its work surpasses such popular offline standalone applications as Adobe Streamline or Corel.

Haven't created a logo yet? Here's how to do it.

On the Internet, I found an image of the logo. Is it possible to convert it from raster to vector in Photoshop, and automatically? No, you can't. Alas, while vector trends in Photoshop are as follows, everything that was done in this direction remained unchanged 5 versions ago. Since then, it has not been touched, not changed, and nothing new has been added to the vector. Have you needed vector tools in Photoshop? Here they are, want more? Whatever else you forgot about Photoshop, master Illustrator. Approximately this line of thought motivated the developers who introduced the simplest vector operations into Photoshop. Now let's get down to business.

The raster is converted into a vector through selection areas. First, we create a selection, then we convert the selection lines into vector paths, then we fill the vector paths with fill layers, thus creating a vector mask. In order to understand all this not at the level of army commands - click here, click there, it is worth learning how to work with vector drawing tools, understand how vector contours can interact with each other, and learn how to create a vector mask. But don’t worry, you don’t have to sit down to read it until the weekend; you’ll already understand how to convert a raster into a vector in Photoshop if you read the article to the end.

Logo highlighting

I would especially like to note that in order for the translation into vector to be of high quality, the image itself must be large in size. This is true in the case of tracing in Illustrator, but for Photoshop it is even more important. My image is 1500 pixels wide, when we finish converting it to vector, I will show how Photoshop translates a small image and we will compare the results.

• Choose the Magic Wand Tool

• Set the Tolerance options to 20 or 30.

• There, click on the Add to Selection icon. I wrote in detail about their work in the article Add, Subtract, Intersect and Exlude in Photoshop where we talked about vector tools, but in selection these options work the same way.

To be honest, I don’t care how you select the logo, whether using a manual lasso or using the Color Range. It’s just that in this situation, specifically in this image, the easiest way to do this is with the Magic Wand Tool.

Converting the selection to a vector path

Don't switch from the Magic Wand Tool.

• Right-click on the selection area.

• From the menu that appears, select Make Work Path.

• In the window that appears, set the tolerance to 1.0. The higher the tolerance value, the smoother, stylized and imprecise our contours will be.

In the illustration below, I selected the Path Selection Tool and selected the path so that you can see it.

Saving a path in the Path palette

This operation is not required, but recommended.

Switch to the Path palette. If you can't find it, click Window > Path

Double-click on the path in the palette.

• In the window that appears, enter a name and click OK.

Creating a vector mask

The process of creating a vector mask is perfectly described in my article Vector Mask in Photoshop. We will carry out this process quickly and without details.

Make sure your kennel is selected in the Path palette

Select Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color from the menu

In the window that appears, select a color and click OK

That's it. Everything would be more accurate if it weren’t for hronofag.ru Remember I told you that the smaller the image, the worse it will translate. I bet you have some kind of dirty scan on your hands, shoved into Word, which the customer requires to be converted into a vector? Am I right? In this case, the image is compressed with JPG compression, reduced, then enlarged, then again reduced to the size of the avatar, and ketchup was also spilled on it. Is it possible to efficiently convert such a picture into a vector in Photoshop?

First, take a look at our logo. Despite the excellent resolution and clear edges, Photoshop was unable to create good and even contours. The illustrator does it 100 times better, but the article is not about the illustrator. As you can see, the contours are not smooth everywhere, even in the rectangular parts of the logo. And the circles are completely oblique.

Now I will reduce the image by 2 times, then by another 2 times and show you the result of converting it into a vector.

Here is a clear example of how the size of a raster image affects the quality of tracing. And this despite the fact that the image is of very high quality despite the size. Well, I'll reduce the quality. Let's save the image in JPG at the worst quality.

Let's convert it to a vector. Excellent result, the only thing missing is ketchup. Just right for a satisfied customer, grunge or vintage treatment!

And yet I slightly manipulate the truth. The fact is that all this is reasonable for Illustrator, who creates a vector based on a picture. Photoshop doesn't create a vector based on an image, it creates outlines based on a selection. Logically, the better and smoother the selection, the smoother the curves will be. And the Magic Wand tool, which we used to select these areas, will no longer be suitable for selecting such creepy images. Yes, you will be able to make high-quality selections, using all the selection tools, you will even be able to enlarge them and create a more or less even outline based on them, which will still not be ideal. Going this way is simply a waste of time. The only working option is to draw the logo from scratch in Photoshop.