Vectorize an Image in Illustrator
Apr 8, 2024 Design TipsNancy Tran
Step 1: Create a new document in Adobe Illustrator
The first step to vectorize an image in Illustrator is to create a new document. Start Adobe Illustrator, go to the ‘File’ menu in the top left corner, and select ‘New’. You can choose the size and orientation of your document to match the requirements of your project.
Step 2: Import the original raster image into Illustrator
After creating a new document, you need to import the original raster image that you want to vectorize. Go to ‘File’ > ‘Place’, then locate and select your image. After placing the image on your document, you can adjust its size and position as needed.
Step 3: Vectorize the image using the Image Trace feature in Illustrator
To vectorize the image, select it and go to the ‘Window’ menu, then choose ‘Image Trace‘. This will open the Image Trace panel. In the panel, you can choose the preset that best matches your image type and desired result.
Step 4: Adjust the Image Trace settings to achieve the desired result
In the Image Trace panel, you can adjust the settings to fine-tune the vectorization. Options include adjusting the ‘Threshold’ to control the level of detail, and the ‘Paths’, ‘Corners’, and ‘Noise’ sliders to control the complexity and smoothness of the vector shapes.
Step 5: Fine-tune the vectorized image by using various options in the Image Trace panel
After the initial vectorization, you can further fine-tune the result by using various options in the Image Trace panel. For example, you can adjust the ‘Colors’ slider to control the number of colors in the vector image, or use the ‘Ignore White’ option to remove white areas.
Step 6: Expand the Image Trace to finalize the vectorization process
Once you’re satisfied with the vectorization, click the ‘Expand’ button in the top toolbar to finalize the process. This will convert the Image Trace into actual vector shapes that you can edit individually.
Step 7: Edit the vector image by ungrouping the shapes and making individual changes
After expanding the Image Trace, you can edit the vector shapes individually. To do this, select the vector image, go to the ‘Object’ menu, choose ‘Ungroup’, and then you can select and edit each shape separately. You can change the colors, adjust the shape paths, add or remove points, and more.
Step 8: Save and export the vector file in a suitable format
Finally, after all your edits are done, you can save and export your vector image. Go to ‘File’ > ‘Save As’, and choose a suitable format. The .ai format will retain all Illustrator features, while the .svg format can be used in web design and other applications. Remember to choose the ‘Use Artboards’ option if you want to preserve the size and position of your image on the artboard.
Conclusion
Vectorizing an image in Illustrator is a valuable skill for any graphic designer. It allows you to convert raster images into scalable vector graphics that can be edited and resized without losing quality. By following these steps, you can easily vectorize any image and get the result you want. You can also see our video from Youtube for more detail. Happy designing!
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