How To Vectorize An Image In Adobe Illustrator

Vectorization in Adobe Illustrator is like magic that turns regular pictures into special pictures. These special pictures, called vector graphics. They can be made big or small without getting blurry. Vector image illustrator is very helpful, especially for logos and illustrations.

To make this magic work, you have to follow a few easy steps. First, choose a good picture. Then, tinker with some settings to make it look perfect. It’s kind of like painting or fixing photos. Here we’ll guide you how to vectorize an image in illustrator. So, let’s begin!

What is a vector image?

A vector image is like a picture made using math instead of tiny dots. It’s special because you can make it big or small. Besides, it always looks good, not blurry. This is perfect for logos, drawings, and clear designs. Vector images can be any size without getting fuzzy. Adobe Illustrator is one of the best vector image creators. People often use files like SVG, AI, or EPS for vector images.

How to vectorize an image in illustrator?

Mastering image vectorization is essential for designers and illustrators. Vector image editors transform pixels into scalable vectors. Let’s explore how to vectorize an image with Adobe Illustrator.

Step 1: Open Adobe Illustrator

Find the Illustrator icon on your desktop or in your programs.

To open Adobe Illustrator, double-click the icon with your left mouse button.

Be patient as Illustrator launches; the time it takes may vary based on your computer’s speed.

Once Illustrator is open, start your vector project.

Step 2: Insert an image you want to convert

Once Illustrator is open, go to the “File” menu at the top of the program.

Choose “Place” from the options. This tells Illustrator you’re adding an image to your workspace.

A window will appear to choose the image you want to work on. It’s where you locate the image file on your computer.

Click your chosen image and then hit “Place.” This action puts your selected image right onto the Illustrator workspace, and now you’re all set to begin the process of turning it into a vector.

1.Top of Form

Step 3: Vectorize your image with Image Trace

Now, we’ll use “Image Trace” in Adobe Illustrator to turn your picture into a vector.

First, make sure your image is selected. It’s selected when it has a box around it.

Then open “Window” at the top. It’s like a special toolbox in Illustrator. From the “Window” menu, choose “Image Trace.” This opens up a panel with various tracing options.

Step 4: Select an Image Trace Preset

Next, decide which preset option to use to create your vector image. Image Trace comes with a range of presets that do most of the work automatically. Choose an Image Trace preset that matches your image type for the best results. The preset options are discussed below:

High Fidelity Photo and Low Fidelity Photo: These produce very detailed, and slightly less detailed vector images respectively. They’re ideal for photos or complex artwork.

3 Colors, 6 Colors, and 16 Colors: These presets output vector images with three, six, or 16 colors. They’re perfect for logos or artwork with lots of flat color.

Shades of Gray: This preset produces a detailed grayscale image.

Black and White Logo: This creates a simple logo with two colors — black and white.

Sketched Art, Silhouettes, Line Art, and Technical Drawing: These are best used for specific types of images, and create black-and-white, predominantly line-based drawings.

Step 5: Modify the color complexity

In the same tracing window, you can control the color complexity of your image. This is necessary because vectorized images might not keep the original colors. You can make changes by adjusting a sliding scale within the tracing window. By doing this, you reduce the number of colors that appear in your vector. This adjustment simplifies the look of your vector image. This helps achieve a simpler and flatter look in your vector artwork.

Step 6: Adjust the pixels

When your vectorized image looks pixelated or blocky, you can make it smoother. In the “Image Trace” panel, there are two settings to help:

Path Fitting: This makes the lines follow the image edges more closely. If you want smoother lines, use lower values. Higher values keep more details but might look jagged.

Minimum Area: This decides how small details get traced. Higher values ignore small stuff, making the image simpler. Lower values keep small details but may look rough.

Step 7: Change settings to adjust the edges

Once you’ve started tracing your image, you might want to make it even better. In the “Image Trace” panel, there are advanced options that let you do this. These options are like special adjustments for your traced image. Let’s look at two of them:

Corner Angle: This setting is like choosing how sharp or round the corners in your traced image should be. Lower number makes sharper corners; higher number makes rounder corners. It helps you to shape the corners in your picture.

Path Overlap: Path overlap is like deciding how close the paths or lines in your traced image should be to each other. You can set it to make the lines overlap more or less. This can affect how detailed or smooth your image looks. If you increase path overlap, your lines will get closer together, and the image will have more details.

Step 8: View your changes

Continuously monitor the preview of your vectorized image in the workspace. This will help you evaluate how your adjustments affect the outcome. Make further changes as needed to achieve the desired vectorization quality.

Step 9: Click “Expand”

Once you’re happy with the changes and the image looks perfect, it’s time to finalize it.

In the “Image Trace” panel, there’s an “Expand” button. This button is like saying, “I’m done; let’s make this image into something we can work with.”

When you click “Expand,” it takes your traced image and turns it into something called “editable vector paths.” These are like lines and shapes that you can easily change or edit.

This step prepares your image for further changes, such as resizing or color adjustments.

Step 10: Save your image as a vector

After expanding the image trace, you can save your vectorized image by going to the “File” menu and selecting “Save As.” Choose an appropriate file format like Adobe Illustrator (.ai), EPS, or SVG to maintain the vector properties of your artwork. This allows you to edit and scale the vector image without loss of quality.

Tips and best practices for vectorize an image

Vectorization helps designers to make clean pictures. Here we have discussed some key tips and best practices on ‘how to vectorize an image’ using software like Adobe Illustrator.

Ø Image Selection: Start with clear and sharp images for better results. Low-quality pictures can make your vectors look messy. If you’re new to this, begin with pictures that have clear shapes and edges. Complex or fuzzy images can be harder to work with.

Ø Tracing Settings: Don’t hesitate to try different settings in the “Image Trace” panel. Adjust things like “Threshold,” “Paths,” and “Noise” until your picture looks just right. Illustrator has some ready-made settings you can use. These are like starting points for different types of pictures.

Ø Workspace Organization: Use layers and groups to keep your picture neat. It’s like having separate drawers for different things. Put labels or names on your layers and groups so you can easily tell what each part is.

Ø Keyboard Shortcuts: Get to know handy keyboard shortcuts in Illustrator. For example, “Ctrl+Z” (or “Command+Z” on Mac) lets you undo something you didn’t mean to do.

Ø Backup and Version Control: Always save a copy of your original picture before you start changing it. This way, you can go back to how it looked at the beginning. Save different copies versions for big changes to remember and go back if necessary. Name or number each saved version to distinguish them. It’s like naming different chapters in a book.

Conclusion

We’ve discovered how to vectorize an image in Adobe Illustrator. Vectorized images offer unique benefits, such as the ability to resize them without sacrificing quality. They keep clear lines and look good in different sizes and colors. It’s essential to practice and explore this skill. Keep in mind that for artistic, design, or creative work, you must know how to vectorize an image. So, continue to develop your skills, enjoy the process, and apply your vectorization abilities to craft remarkable creations. Remember that practice and exploration are the keys to success in vectorization.

FAQs

1. What is an image vector, and why is it important?

An image vector is scalable and editable, unlike pixel-based images. It’s vital for maintaining quality during resizing, making it ideal for logos and illustrations.

2. How can I open Adobe Illustrator on my computer?

Find the Adobe Illustrator icon on your desktop or in your programs and double-click it to open the application.

3. What’s the process for vectorizing an image in Illustrator?

Open Illustrator, place your image, adjust image trace settings, trace the image, and refine it using Illustrator’s tools.

4. What are the key settings for image trace in Adobe Illustrator?

Important image trace settings include “Threshold,” “Paths,” “Colors,” and “Presets.”

5. How do I choose the best image trace settings for my project?

Experiment with presets and manual adjustments to strike the right balance between detail and simplicity.

6. Can I vectorize any image, or are there limitations?

Many images can be vectorized, but the complexity of the original image affects the quality of vectorization. Simple, high-contrast images are easier to vectorize than complex photographs.