Bitmap [.jpg;.tiff; etc] vs Vector [.ai;.eps; corel] files

[Gene Uselman]

This needs to be developed as a FAQ- the differences, how to convert bitmap to vector, why to convert, what programs, etc. the post below got me thinking about expanding the post.


Post by Leo Voisine » Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:17 pm

Well I was, just going to do this in Aspire, but I figured I should ask first.
I should I go about making this a nice Laser - able thing for some fine art to make "scrimshaw"?

I have a Corel suite
I have Autodesk Sketchbook
I have Adobe in there somewhere - just can't find it right now.
I also have Vectric Aspire
I installed RDWorks

How should I start on this?

by Pete Cyr » Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:02 pm

You can use any of those.
There are some advantages to using Aspire from my perspective. You can use the vectors to create a model at some point in the future.
I create vector graphics in Aspire, export as an AI, import to Corel, and from Corel send to RDWorks. You could skip the Corel interface an import the AI directly into RDWorks.

Thread lost..........

[Ron Butler]

My thoughts are more general purpose than laser specific:
If drawing in vectors is an option, use vectors.

-Vector art can always be converted to bitmap if needed, but things don't go the other way very well.
-You never know when you'll need to modify something or reuse it at a different size, and vectors are much easier to deal with later when things need to be reworked cleanly.

(I'm in the middle of re-drawing several print designs and logos for clients because the art was done as bitmaps of varying sizes & resolutions. If the designs were vector, they could already be in production.)

[sebastien laforet]

converting bitmap to vector is a difficult problem, since you have to create a "structure" from raw data.

actually, i use inkscape for this, but the result is very dependant on the initial image. high contrast, black&white only, high definition is the best to have a good result.

there is a good tutorial here :

http://goinkscape.com/how-to-vectorize-in-inkscape/

trying the same with a million-colors photo with background is utterly useless --> maybe you will have to do some cleanup before, and this is where you have to use others tools like photoshop or gimp : they will help you removing whole sections of the image, convert to black and with, sharpen, ... to let inkscape be able to find clues on the "paths" to draw from the bitmap.

[Gene Uselman]

I forgot to mention that I think that LightBurn has a great, easy to use vectorizing function. I think it will be easy to teach a novice how to first vectorize and then node edit their output [which is almost always necessary]. I have done this thousands of times in the last 20 years and have some very expensive programs at my fingertips, but I am buying it for my granddaughter [whose mother is a graphics artist] when I go down to Austin in a few weeks.