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Image Tracing Software for PC: 7 Best to Use in 2024
Use this top software to trace images for vector graphics
10 min. read
Updated onJanuary 8, 2024
updated onJanuary 8, 2024
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Key notes
Vector images are made of cursor-based draw operations which consist of shapes like circles, rectangles, lines, and curves (or freeform).
Basically, you need to move the cursor or draw a line and curve to a point with some control, then stroke or fill to create artwork.
To utilize them or to adapt images to vectors, you’ll need to use imagevectorizersoftware.
A bitmap image already has a grid of pixels and color values, but you can draw the same image using different shapes and sequences of stroking and filling.
Depending on what you want to achieve and your skills, using software that vectorizes images is better than starting from scratch because it delivers cleaner results.
We’ve compiled a list of the best software to vectorize images currently available on the market, so keep reading.
What are the best tools to vectorize images?
Adobe Illustrator– Leading photos designs
Adobe Illustrator is one of many premium solutions offered by Adobe. To say that Adobe Illustrator is the best vector design solution would be an understatement.
If you are a professional designer, you’ll have all the tools needed in just there.
It covers all necessary solutions to design covers and make artistry, including vectorizing images, advanced typography, freeform gradients, and many more.
The software allows you to create customized fonts by redesigning already existing fonts or implementing them from other designs and sketches.
Adobe Illustrator has advanced pen options that emulate the feeling of drawing with a real, physical pencil. You get to draw freeform designs and then smooth and perfect them.
The brush settings are highly adjustable, so you don’t have to compromise. You can create your
This abundance of features might even be slightly overwhelming at first, especially if you are a novice user, but it’s easy to get a hold of it.
Let’s quickly look at itskey features:
Adobe Illustrator is a subscription-based software. You can try it for free for 7 days.
Adobe Illustrator
CorelDRAW– Professional vector illustrations
This comprehensive suite of professional graphic design tools gives you everything you need to craft design projects from vector illustration and photo editing to typography tools.
Compatible with over 100 graphics file formats, you can easily import and export a variety of assets and tweak them to perfection according to your imagination.
CorelDRAW’s state-of-the-art vector-illustration technology will help you create sophisticated artwork from scratch or vectorize any image to perfectly mirror your artistic vision.
Corel lets you create clear and complex vector illustrations. It provides all tools necessary at a very high standard. You can create curves and lines with shaping and drawing tools. You can fine-tune your drawings with blend modes, contour, fill, and more.
You can edit every detail of your object. You get advanced coloring tools that can help you generate patterns, and gradients, change the transparency, and more.
The software offers you an extensive library of clipart images, high-resolution photos, multiple font faces, and templates, as well as a fountain, vector, and bitmap fill. You can integrate them into your designs for free and generate original artwork easily.
Otherkey featuresinclude:
You can either get Corel Draw as a one-time purchase or get an annual subscription plan. You can try the software for free for 15 days.
Corel Draw
Adobe Photoshop– First pick photo editing
This industry-leading imaging and design software is widely known and most cherished for its raster image-manipulating capacities.
However, the mighty Photoshop does offer support for vector-based images as well, and you can use it toconvert, for instance, PSD files to vectorformats.
The general recommendation is to use smart objects, especially when dealing withmixed Raster-Vector-Font objects.
Photoshop provides multiple vector graphics tools. You get shape tools like rectangles, ellipses, or polygons, multiple pen tools, and freeform pen support.
You can easily retouch any freeform design with anti-aliasing/aliasing tools, resample tools, selection options, and more.
Let’s quickly look at itskey features:
Adobe Photoshop is a subscription-based software. It is integrated within the Creative Cloud along with the other Adobe products. You can try it for free for 7 days.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Capture– Multiple themes and colors
Adobe Capture is a very good choice if you are new to the vector creation world, but it doesn’t disappoint if you are more advanced.
You can use it on the go as it is a mobile app, available for free both in Android’s Google Play and in the Apple App Store.
Even though it is beginner-friendly, it doesn’t lack features. There are a lot of easy and fast options that allow the creation of simpler designs in a relatively short amount of time, but they also have more advanced options.
For example, if you are not satisfied with their standard brushes or patterns, you can create your own by photographing or uploading a picture of your desired tool and Capture will help you generate it and then use it as you please.
You can easily create vectors instantly with shapes. You can photograph your drawing directly from the app or upload it as a picture and it will transform into a high-quality vector image, with clean and crisp lines.
If you want a specific font the software can generate a list of Adobe fonts based on your pictures of different logos, magazine headlines, labels, or any form of text in general so that you can use them or similar ones in your own design
Otherkey featuresof Adobe Capture include:
The software is compatible with other Adobe Apps (Photoshop, Fresco, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, After Effects, and more) which is great for projects that require more than one tool.
Adobe Capture
Inkscape– Color spectrum
This is a free and open-source vector graphics editor tool whose features include photo or image and text editing tools, and support for most graphic formats such as SVG, PNG, WMF, and PDF, among so many others.
Whether you are an illustrator, designer, or web designer, or just need to use vector images, this is the best software to vectorize images.
Inkscape supports different types of vector creation. You can use the pencil tool to draw freehand with simple paths, use the pen tool for curves and straight lines, and create calligraphy strokes with the calligraphy tool.
You get to manipulate the objects in your picture with moving, scaling, and rotating features. You can also work with multiple layers, group objects, and align your images.
The software offers advanced node path options. You can move nodes and Bezier handles, and convert shapes and text to paths for advanced editing, path simplification, bitmap tracing, and more.
Let’s quickly look at itskey features:
Inkscape runs on Windows PCs that run the Windows 7 version or later. If you want to use the software on older versions of the OS, you can find previous versions that support Windows Vista and Windows XP PCs.
⇒Get Inkscape
Gravit Designer– Web vector image editing
Gravit Designer is a powerful app designed to meet the needs of visual creators of all kinds. It can be easily accessed on a browser from any desktop platform. It also works without an Internet connection if you decide to download the store version.
The software offers high precision in Vector creation. You get various shape tools, straight line, and curve line tools, convert text to editable vector paths, and more. You can also create freeform vector paths.
This app is easily accessible to beginners. It is easy to learn, with a minimal user interface without overwhelming menus. The Gravit Designer team offers extensive support online. You can access various guides and tutorials and learn everything you need to get started with your designs.
It’s very likely that it fits any artist’s personal preferences in terms of hardware. You can also use Gravit Designer with pen devices or touchscreen devices like tablets and laptops with touch displays.
Gravit Designer also provides preset canvas sizes for different design outcomes such as social media platforms, website dimensions, printable amazon shirts, and more.
You also get multiple premade design assets such as shapes, illustrations, icons, stickers, and frames which you can easily implement and customize into your designs.
You can easily access your projects on multiple devices via the Gravit cloud. You can save and sync your designs and start working wherever you are. You can sort your artwork into different categories, create folders, and more.
Otherkey featuresinclude:
Gravit Designer has a free version that has some limitations, but it can be a good starting point. It also has a PRO version that charges annually and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
⇒Get Gravit Designer
Vectorizer– Ideal for beginners
Vectorizer is an in-browser vector creator that allows you to create vector graphics and also convert other formats to vectors.
This image vectorizer converts raster images like PNG, BMP, and JPEG to scalable vector graphics or SVG. In order to vectorize raster images, you convert pixel color information to simple geometric objects.
To vectorize your image, just upload your image. You will get a side-by-side preview of your vectorized and original images. You can select different image modes like clipart, photo, sketch, or drawing.
You get to pick your color scheme for the vector file, remove background colors, and more. You can also work with layouts and see the layering of your image in the isometric view.
Vector graphics are not based on pixels but on points, lines, and curves, which are also known as primitives, represented by mathematical expressions.
Let’s quickly look at itskey features:
Vectorizer offers some guides and video tutorials on its website. These can help you understand which features and modes are best suited for your image type and desired outcome.
⇒Get Vectorizer
Have you tried any of these best software to vectorize images? If so, let us know which one and how it turned out for you, by leaving a comment in the section below.
More about the topics:design software,windows 10
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
