Programs for bitmap to vector art work for vcarving

[ddeckert]

Hi Guys,
I am looking to do some detailed vcarving, I have come across Dover publications and they have a lot of nice artwork. Problem is its all bit map, I cant seem to find this type of artwork that is already in vector form. So I have been looking at various programs to convert bitmap to vectors. Dover recommends adobe illustrator with silhouette as an add on? I understand that Corel Draw X3 can do some of this. I have been looking at a lot of programs such as turbo cad V12, Design cad 2D, Bobcad 21 and Progecad smart. Well….. so now I am even more confused as what programs to use, I have never used any of these programs before so what ever I end up with , I will learn. I want to have the capability to draw some of my own art work as well. And as always Cost is a factor.

[signtist]

Just send it to vectordoctor.com
For $10 or so,they will convert it and send it back to you.

[gerald_martin]

Hello Dan: This is one question we all wish we had the "silver bullet" for. I suggest you start by downloading the free trial version of Vcarve Pro unless you already have it.

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/products/download_products.htm

Vcarve Pro/ShopBot Partworks has some bitmap to vector conversion software built in, play with that. Your results will vary with the quality of your bitmap and how much contrast it has.

My experience is, if this type of software does not clean up your bitmap, you will probably need to redraw you picture in vector format. Takes more time but the final result is rewarding.

[greolt]

Many users swear by Inkscape for bitmap tracing. Being free it certainly fits your cost factor concerns.

You mention that your motivation is to do some detailed vcarving.

With that in mind you won't beat Vcarve Pro for ease of use combined with great results.

[tkovacs]

If you are going to create your own artwork where you have control over the colors used then I have found that Vcarve Pro/ShopBot Partworks is very effective at producing vectors from the resulting bitmaps. You just need to realize that you are creating a "cartoon" where the color boundaries will become the vector paths to be vcarved.

[hh_woodworking]

I use corel x3 it is fair but does not have center line trace, so every line becomes 2 lines
Ed

[myxpykalix]

I have 4 or 5 of the books/cd's from dover and i use inkscape and its free and does a great job. I find that the dover stuff is not full of broken vectors and problems. Here is one that took about a 30 seconds to do.

8226

[andyb]

Stanford University has a free online vector converter that works great, it's called VectorMagic.
http://vectormagic.com

Andy B.

[kfitz]

VectorMagic is great, but is not free anymore. A good source of free vector artwork are True Type fonts. Just do a Google search for free dingbat truetype fonts and you will find jillions of them. Here is a simple example from the font WoodcutOrnamental. Simply type in your favorite CAD program. In TurboCAD you have to explode two times, then save it as a dxf. Personally, I have never been able to get Inkscape to vectorize anything. Guess I haven't been holding my tongue right. WinTopo is fairly good, and free: http://wintopo.com/
8227

[ddeckert]

Hi guys,
Thanks for your suggestions, yes I do have vcare pro and part wizard Im still kind of new to them but take Jacks angel for instance it doesent seem posible to draw that in these programs. I use partwizard most of the time for cutting cabinet parts but when it come to drawing complicated curves to a particular size it seems almost imposible, or maybe I just havent learned how to use it well enough yet. Jack and Keven, thats just the type of thing im looking for. I down loaded inkscape looks like i will have to learn how to use it, i would like to know how you did it so fast? kevin, i will check out vector magic, I take it that this is vector artwork ready to go?
thanks again guys, your suggestions come highly valued!

[kfitz]

Dan,

VectorMagic is an online raster-to-vector conversion program created by some grad students at Stanford. IMO it is the best of its type I have ever seen. It outputs PDF and EPS. You can get software to convert PDF to DXF, and EPS imports into TurboCAD and other programs. Apparently their project is over and/or they have graduated, so now it is turning commercial. Can't say as I blame them; it's the American way! However, I didn't know you had Vcarve Pro. You will find its raster-to-vector plugin hard to beat. The only way to achieve "perfect" results is to trace by hand. I use TurboCAD and/or Rhino for this. It is time-consuming, but depending on what you are doing, the results are worth it.

[myxpykalix]

here is the above image as an example and here are the specific steps used to create it in inkscape:

file/open select picture you want to use

after its loaded up click on the image once until it is hilited with arrows around it


go up to path/trace bitmap another selection box comes up and click on the preview button
you will then see a small representation of your image. If you don't see the whole image then go up to "image brightness" and tick the up arrow some then go back down and hit the preview button and it will make the changes.

When it looks good to you click "ok"

then go to file/save as give it a name and go down to the lower right and select the type of file you want to save it as (dxf, eps, ect.)If you need more help just let me know. You are not having to manually trace or draw any of this stuff.


8228

[kfitz]

Boy, Howdy! I reinstalled Inkscape for the fourth time (over the last year or so), and followed your tutorial. Bingo, it works! I guess the non-standard GUI was throwing me off. Thanks Jack!

[myxpykalix]

I know...i had to fumble thru it till i figured it out myself. Before that, I couldn't figure it out and got real frustrated myself.