We all have done manual tracing of images in some part of our life. But, today, soft wares like adobe illustrator can do this job efficiently. Adobe illustrator is used to converting artwork into crisp vector line art. If you want to know how to trace in illustrator, then read this article till the end. We will tell you how to convert an image into a vector format by using tracing tools. Illustrator is the best software when it comes to tracing vector images. Today, we will show you how to trace and vectorize an image in adobe illustrator.
What is an Image Trace?
In adobe illustrators, we convert raster images into vectors. In this process, a picture is traced into an illustrator to make it a vector. If you want some quick option to trace images, illustrator works better than others. Do you want to know how it works? Could you read it here?
How to Use Image Trace in Illustrator?
STEP 1
The process starts with tracing an object in illustrator. Simple images of shapes and forms can be easily converted into a vector format. We can use raster images like JPG, PNG, and GIF. Please choose a simple idea with limited colors if you are using it the first time. But there is no restriction in choosing images once you become an expert.
The process starts with opening the illustrator page. Now go to the file and click open your JPG file. Start tracing the raster image into vector form here. Start with the simple raster image.
STEP 2
In step 2, we have the image open on our screen. It is the raster image, so if we try to zoom in, the picture becomes blurry. It means we cannot resize it while it is in rector form. Raster images are made of pixels and cannot stand any size changes. We can change its size by converting it into vector form. Before using image trace, all your settings must be correct. Now go to the window and find the image trace.
STEP 3
When you open the image trace, you need to select the artwork you want to trace here. Now go to your desktop and choose an image to trace it. Without choosing a picture, you’ll notice that all the options in illustrator will be greyed. After selecting the color changes and our tracing tools become active.
STEP 4
It’s time to choose colors for our vector image. You can choose many colors, but it’s good to choose fewer colors; it will keep the file size small and will be easy to do your vector artwork. It is essential to keep the color and shape of the logo accurate while using the image trace. As we are at our image trace panel, see the mode dropdown. Select the options color here.
STEP 5
You will see that there is already a default setting which seems enough for tracing your image. The color option is already set at 30, which is good at this level of image tracing. Go ahead and find the trace option on the bottom right of the window.
You can change settings according to the size of your image as it will not work for all types. To save time and effort, you should experiment with the settings of the page.
STEP 6
You have successfully traced the image using adobe illustrator. It is easy to change the size of the image as you want to do it. You will not lose the quality even after zooming on it. Adobe Illustrator is the best tool to convert raster images into a vector without affecting the quality of the picture. For using it, you do not need to be an expert as it is easy to manage. You can do it in a few steps.
Trace Images in Adobe Illustrator with More Control
Adobe Illustrator offers you to trace images with more control by using its drawing tools. It may take a lot of your time, but it provides more opportunities to be creative. If you love to do artwork, then you can choose this option. You can trace images or photos in illustrator easily. Whatever you want to trace, the illustrator is the best option for you to choose. If you’re going to use more drawing tools, learn the extensive use of pen tools in adobe, and you will create the magic with it.
After tracing the raster image into a vector, you can see the difference. Zoom both images and observe what happens next. The raster image becomes pixelated as we zoom on the picture. At the same time, the vector image remains the same. No blurring or lines appear on it.
Final Thoughts
You need to trace images because you need to increase the size of your illustrations or photos. Adobe Illustrator is the best tool for tracing mages. It is used for converting artwork like pixel-based photos or images into crispy vector art. You can use illustrator for tracing in two ways. One is using drawing tools, which is time-consuming, and you need your skills in handling the tools. The second is using the image trace feature to convert pixels-based images into vector form.
