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How to Turn an Image Into a Vector

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Vector graphics are the ideal format for logos and illustrations due to their clear lines and contours. Because they are created with equations instead of pixels, vectors can be rescaled to any size without losing clarity. While most vector images are created from scratch, you can use image editing programs to "trace" JPG images and convert them to vectors. This wikiHow teaches you how to convert a JPG to a vector image in Adobe Illustrator (paid) or the tandem combination of GIMP and Inkscape (free).

  1. 1

    Open Adobe Illustrator. The simplest way to convert a JPG to a vector image is to use Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator is not free, but you can install a trial from https://www.adobe.com. If you have this application, you'll find it in the Windows Start menu or your Mac's Applications folder.

  2. 2

    Add the JPG image that you want to convert to your artboard. You can do this from the File > Open menu or by dragging the file to the workspace.

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  3. 3

    Switch to the "Tracing" workspace. You can do this by clicking the menu in the upper-right corner and selecting "Tracing." You'll see the "Image Trace" panel appear on the right side.

    • You can also open this workspace by clicking the Window menu, selecting Workspace, and then choosing Tracing.

  4. 4

    Click the JPG image to select it. The tracing options in the Image Trace panel will become active.

  5. 5

    Check the "Preview" box in the Image Trace panel. This will allow you to see what the different settings will do before applying them, but it will increase the time between making changes.

    • You can toggle the Preview option on or off at any point. If you leave the Preview enabled, the image will trace automatically after each change you make. If not, you'll have to click the Trace button to see your changes.

  6. 6

    Try one of the presets in the Image Trace panel. There are five preset buttons along the top of the panel, and more presets available in the drop-down menu. The top row of buttons include the following presets:

    • Auto Color - Creates a stylized set of colors based on the original colors.
    • High Color - Attempts to recreate all of the original colors.
    • Low Color - Creates a simplified version of the original colors.
    • Grayscale - Replaces colors with shades of gray.
    • Black and White - Reduces colors to black and white.

  7. 7

    Use the color slider to adjust color complexity. Images converted to vectors don't usually show well with all of their natural colors, so you'll get a better result by reducing the number of colors used. This will lead to a "flatter" look for the image.

  8. 8

    Expand the "Advanced" section of the Image Trace panel. You can do this by clicking the small triangle next to "Advanced." This will reveal more detailed controls for the trace.

  9. 9

    Use the "Paths" slider to adjust how close the path follows the pixels. Moving the slider to the left makes the paths looser, while sliding it to the right makes the paths tighter. A looser path will lead to smoother edges.

  10. 10

    Use the "Corners" slider to adjust how rounded your corners will be. Moving the slider to the left will make the corners rounder, which will lead to a smoother image.

  11. 11

    Use the "Noise" slider to reduce bleeds. The Noise slider determines what groupings of pixels are considered "noise" and not included in the trace. This can help straighten lines and smooth out rough spots.

  12. 12

    Click Trace to view your changes. It's at the bottom-right corner of the Image Trace panel. If you enabled the Preview option earlier, the button will be grayed out because tracing already happened automatically.

  13. 13

    Click the Expand button. It's in the toolbar that runs along the top of Illustrator. This will convert your tracing object into actual vector paths, and will replace your JPG image with the vector.

  14. 14

    Export the image as a vector file. Once you're finished with the tracing, you can export the finished image as a vector file.

    • Click the File or Illustrator menu and select "Save As."
    • Save a copy as an .ai file first. Select the Adobe Illustrator (*.AI) option, type a new name for the file, and then click Save. This will let you easily re-open the file in Illustrator and make more edits.
    • Return to File > Save As and select vector format from the "Save As Type" menu. These include SVG (for the web) and PDF (for printing).
    • Do not save the file as PNG or JPG, as these are not vector formats.
    • Click Save to save your file.

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  1. 1

    Download and install GIMP and Inkscape. These are free, open-source programs that you can use to create vector images from JPG files. GIMP is an image editor similar to Photoshop, and Inkscape is a vector graphics editor like Illustrator. Both are available for all operating systems.

    • You can download GIMP from https://www.gimp.org. Run the installer for your operating system and leave the settings at their defaults.
    • You can download Inkscape from https://www.inkscape.org. Run the installer for your operating system and leave the settings at their defaults.
    • This method is only suitable for simple images with basic colors, like logos and emblems. Converting high-detail images will take a lot of work smoothing rough edges and getting good colors.

  2. 2

    Open your JPEG in GIMP. You can do this by right-clicking the image and selecting Open With and then GIMP. Alternatively, open GIMP first and then click File > Open to insert the file.

  3. 3

    Use the Rectangle Select tool to select the part of the image that you want to convert to vector. It's the dotted rectangular icon in the toolbar running along the left side of GIMP. This creates a rough border for your image that makes it easier to recolor.

  4. 4

    Click the Image menu and select Crop to Selection . This removes everything except what you've selected.

  5. 5

    Click the Image menu again and select Autocrop . This tightens up your selection.

  6. 6

    Export the file. Once you've finished cropping the file, you can export it. Click the File menu and select Export As. Leave the settings at their default and give the file a name so that you know it's the cropped version.

  7. 7

    Open the exported file in Inkscape. You can do this by launching Inkscape, and then going to File > Open to select the file.

  8. 8

    Click the image to select it. You'll need to select the image before you can trace it in Inkscape.

  9. 9

    Click the Path menu and select Trace Bitmap . This opens the Trace Bitmap window.

  10. 10

    Select different preset vectorization methods and click Update . This displays a preview of what the image will look like with that vectorization method. Keep trying different methods until you find one you like.

    • The "Colors" option will give you the closest approximation of the original image.
    • You can adjust some settings for most of the presets. Just click Update after each settings change to see the results.

  11. 11

    Click OK when you're satisfied with the results. This traces the original image and replaces it with the vector version.

  12. 12

    Use the "Edit paths by nodes" tool to make fine adjustments. It's the cursor icon with three points on an arc near the top-left corner of the toolbar. This tool lets you select areas of the vector image and then drag nodes to adjust the size and shade. Click a part of your images and you'll see a bunch of small boxes appear. Drag these boxes to change the shapes for your selection.

  13. 13

    Use the "Break Path" tool to separate nodes that shouldn't be connected. It's above the top-left corner of the workspace—the third button to the left. During the trace, some parts of the image may have been connected when they shouldn't have been. The Break Paths tool allows you to separate these parts by removing connecting nodes.

  14. 14

    Save your image as a vector file when you're finished. Once you're satisfied with your vector image, you can save it as a vector format.

    • Click the File menu and select Save As.
    • Select a vector format from the "Save as type" menu. Common formats include SVG (for websites) and PDF (for print).
    • Save a copy as an Inkscape SVG to be able to go back and make easy edits.

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Add New Question

  • Question

    Is there a way to do this without Adobe Illustrator or GIMP?

    Community Answer

    You can use CorelDraw. Open the image with coreldraw and right click on top of it. Select outline trace.

  • Question

    Is there a way to do this without paying or downloading anything?

    Community Answer

    No. You need to at least download either Gimp and Inkscape (free) or get Adobe Illustrator (paid).

  • Question

    How do I save the vector image in CMYK?

    Community Answer

    In Illustrator, click on file in the menu bar and go down to document color and click CMYK. Then just save as an .ai file.

  • Question

    Can I create different color layers of the same image?

    Community Answer

    Yes, you can.

  • Question

    Why is my trace button grayed out?

    Community Answer

    This means your image is not selected. Make sure to select the image you are tracing.

  • Question

    How do I adjust the sizes of JPGs when converting to vector?

    Community Answer

    Scale the image first and then export it as a new jpg, or overwrite the old. Gimp will do that from the toolbar; Image>Scale Image.

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About This Article

Article SummaryX

1. Open Illustrator.
2. Switch to the Tracing workspace.
3. Add the JPEG to your artboard.
4. Select the image.
5. Check the "preview" box.
6. Adjust the settings in the Image Trace panel.
7. Click Trace.
8. Click Expand.
9. Save the file as an SVG or PDF.

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How to Turn an Image Into a Vector

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Convert-JPG-to-Vector