Can I Convert My Art to Vector on Photoshop

I've shown yous a lot of ways to digitize hand lettering, just most of these involved Photoshop, Illustrator, or a combination of the two. Simply what if you don't take admission to one of whatsoever of these programs, or even a scanner? I'd hate for technology to hold you back from your lettering and illustration goals.

Julie commented on this Illustrator Image Trace tutorial and asked for a like tutorial sans Illustrator. Well, I'g going to go one stride farther.

Let'southward digitize and vectorize your hand lettering, every bit depression-tech and inexpensively every bit possible. Pretty much for free.

Permit's try to vectorize this (anti-) Valentine's day lettering piece I did a while back: without a scanner, without Photoshop, and without Illustrator. All yous need to follow forth is a computer, a phone, your fully-inked hand lettering piece, and an net connection to download a free program (Inkscape).

You had me at beer hand lettering inked drawing in a moleskine sketchbook

Later on going through this process, I have to say how pleasantly surprised I am at how this worked. Inkscape IS a gratis programme and so it'southward buggier than Illustrator, just it sure can get the chore washed, and this is only the tip of the Inkscape iceberg.

Step 1: Have a Photograph of Your Finished Work

The iPhones, peculiarly an iPhone v or newer, accept amazing cameras. Now the native photo editing software is also crawly.

So, take a photo of your finished work. Effort to take it head-on, without shadows or glare.

Step ii: Edit Your Photo within the iPhone

Take your photo and edit it and so it'southward high contrast, much like we would do in Photoshop in step ii of this tutorial.

By adjusting the Exposure, Contrast, Black Point, and desaturating the prototype completely within the iPhone's photo editor, I've managed to do this:

Adjustments made inside iPhone photo editor

Hither are the settings I used. They'll be unlike for you and it takes some trial and fault.

iPhone photo editor settings to increase contrast exposure brightness and desaturate

Also, remember to ingather your photograph so inapplicable background stuff isn't visible. This will salvage you time later on on. Here'due south the fully edited epitome:

fully adjusted and cropped image

Step three: Transfer Your Photograph and Download Inkscape

Now, transfer your edited photograph to your estimator.

How you choose to practice this is up to y'all. If yous have a Mac, you can Airdrop it, ship it via Messages, etc. Or you tin email it to yourself. Or you can hook up your phone to your calculator the old fashioned way. You get the bespeak.

Download and install Inkscape.

I talked more virtually information technology in this Illustrator alternatives roundup. It's free, and it's available for both Mac and PC. You lot'll besides need to download XQuartz if you take a Mac.

Stride 4: Digitize in Inkscape

One time y'all take Inkscape upwardly and running, go toFile-Importto import your cartoon. Resize it and place it in the artboard.

Tutorial: Utilize the complimentary application Inkscape to trace and vectorize your illustration and hand lettering

From in that location, select and right-click on your drawing. SelectTrace Bitmap.... This volition bring up a new dialog box. Resize the dialog box and select Live Preview so yous can see your results better.

We want to work with theBrightness Cutoffmode. Play with the Effulgence Cutoff Threshold up and down arrows until you lot get it to look similar you want it to. Make sureRemove backgroundis checked. And so clickOKto execute the trace. (You'll need to shut the dialog box to continue.)

Tutorial: Use the gratis application Inkscape to trace and vectorize your illustration and paw lettering

Your new trace was created on tiptop of your original drawing. Motion the new trace then you tin see your consequence.

Tutorial: Use the complimentary awarding Inkscape to trace and vectorize your illustration and hand lettering

Step 5: Edit Your Vectorized Art

From here, if you want to separate your drawing or edit private letters, y'all need to interruption your art apart, kind of similar step 5 of this Illustrator tutorial.

In Inkscape, select your traced layer, then selectPath→Pause Apart. You lot'll find all of your lines run together and some holes will fill up in with black.

Tutorial: Use the gratuitous application Inkscape to trace and vectorize your analogy and hand lettering

Delete the parts of the fine art you don't want. I've zoomed in hither and so you can follow along for the rest.

Tutorial: Apply the free application Inkscape to trace and vectorize your illustration and manus lettering

Then, we're going to subtract out the "holes" from the messages where applicable. To do this, click on ane of the parts of the word that need to be worked on, then while property downSHIFT, click on the surrounding word. Both need to exist selected here.

Tutorial: Use the free application Inkscape to trace and vectorize your illustration and paw lettering

Now, go toPath→Difference, or hittingCTRLand-(apply CTRL even if you're on a Mac).

Tutorial: Utilise the costless application Inkscape to trace and vectorize your illustration and hand lettering

Go on until all of the holes are punched out.

Tutorial: Use the gratuitous application Inkscape to trace and vectorize your illustration and hand lettering

Now, get ahead and delete your original artwork from your canvas and consign the fully vectorized cartoon. Yous can save it as its default SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic) file type, or you can go toFile→Export PNG Prototype….

If you're going to export to PNG, I recommend selecting your art pieces, and then using the settings I accept below. You can suit the epitome width and height to the size needed, too. Information technology will automatically clip to the artwork and leave you with a transparent groundwork.

Tutorial: Employ the free application Inkscape to trace and vectorize your illustration and hand lettering

For fun, here'southward what my cartoon looks like on a mug!

Y'all had me at beer - mug

I hope this tutorial was helpful. Information technology just goes to show you that anything is possible as long as you lot do some patience and do your research. I was very skeptical in trying out this new program. While I still will proceed to use Illustrator, it's so nice to know that there's a suitable free culling out there.

Encompass photograph by Idea Itemize. Resources: More on Inkscape tracing. Mug resource by Medialoot.

Resources: More than on Inkscape tracing. Mug resource from Medialoot.

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Jenny Lee

Jenny is a content unicorn, working total fourth dimension as a Content Designer and UX writer and blogging here too. On Hullo Brio, she helps others use digital tools to feel organized and maintain a paperless life, with simplicity equally the overarching goal. Mama, minimalist, energetic INTJ. Tell her your favorite food is burritos, and she'll love you forever.

https://hellobrio.com

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