2D Design: Tracing Images

Carveco Maker: Tracing Around Images

In this tutorial, we’ll walk through how to trace around images using the Bitmap to Vector tool in Carveco Maker — including best practices, common pitfalls, and examples using different types of images.

Image Types for Tracing

• Black & White Images – Easy to trace and ideal for converting into vectors.
• Coloured Clipart or Logos – Still effective, but may need color reduction and grouping.
• Photographs – Not recommended; these contain too many color variations and detail.

Opening the Bitmap to Vector Tool

• With your image selected, click on the Bitmap to Vector tool icon at the top of the interface.
• The dialog shows your image’s color palette and tracing options.

Step-by-Step: Tracing a Black & White Image

1. Click Reduce Colors to simplify the palette (aim for 2 colors: black and white).
2. Use the color palette to set black as the primary (left click) and white as secondary (right click).
3. Choose to trace the Primary color.
4. Click Create Vectors to generate your outline.

💡 Tip: Use the Contrast slider to better preview your traced lines.

Alternative: Centerline Tracing

This option creates a line between two edges of a shape, but:

• It may generate extra "shoots" or lines you’ll need to clean up.
• Lines are not always connected and may need to be joined manually.

Smoothing and Speckle Size

• Smoothness – Adjust to make vectors flow better around curves (e.g. set to 75 for best results).
• Speckle Size – Filters out tiny unwanted elements. Increase the value to ignore small artifacts.

Resizing the Resulting Vectors

After vector creation, you can easily scale your result using the Transform tool. Just select all vectors and resize them as needed.

Step-by-Step: Tracing a Coloured Image

1. Open the Bitmap to Vector tool and reduce the number of colors.
2. Adjust the color count until the areas you want to trace are visible.
3. If a shape is split across multiple shades, link colors using the chain icon to merge them.
4. Select the primary color and click Create Vectors.

⚠️ Not Recommended: Tracing Photographs

Photographs contain hundreds or thousands of colors and details, making them poor candidates for auto-tracing.

• Even with color reduction, you'll lose detail or generate messy, unusable vectors.
• If you must trace a photo, draw your vectors manually using drawing tools for precision.