Vector images are made of cursor-based draw operations which consist of shapes like circles, rectangles, lines and curves (or freeform), created by moving the cursor or drawing a line and curve to a point with some control, then stroking or filling them to create artwork.
However, there are times when you just want to convert a particular image into a vector image, and this is where the best software to vectorize images comes in handy.
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, software that vectorize images is better than starting from scratch because it is more precise and cleaner, unless you’re a pro at it.
What are the best tools to vectorize images?
1. Vextractor
This best software to vectorize images converts raster images such as drawings or maps, and others like photo logos and illustrations to vector format.
Dec 10, 2020 Vectr is another best free graphic design software available in web app as well as desktop app. So, you can use it online or download it for free. So, you can use it online or download it for free. You can freely and easily make good presentations, logos, cards, mockups and 2D graphics etc. With this free and easy to use graphic editor. Creating your own vector art can be a real pain, and so, so time-consuming. Luckily, the internet has a bounty of free vector images—and the collection of websites that offer free vector art is amazing. Enjoy bug fixes in Inkscape 1.0.2 and try out Inkscape 1.1 alpha. Stability and bug fixes are the main focus of the Inkscape 1.0.2 release, including a packaging update for macOS that improves performance over the last release. Vectr is one of the best free drawing software for Windows for creating cards, logos, icons, brochures, and other digital illustrations with fewer details. It is a vector-based tool with a comprehensive toolset for image editing, built-in version control, real-time collaboration and sharing of designs, and a clean interface. If you are looking for powerful and free vector graphics software, then Inkscape is an ideal choice for you. For Linux, Windows, and macOS, this app works as a professional vector graphics editor. The interface of this software is transparent, stable, and consistent.
The program saves the converted images to DXF, WMF, EMF, EPS, AI or SVG vector formats, all of which can be imported to popular vector graphics apps like Corel Draw, AutoCAD and Illustrator, among others.
It is a perfect replacement for traditional tracing and digitizing, saves you much time and is faster than tracing by hand, or using a digitizer.
It’s a simple and easy way to convert drawings from paper to CAD for further editing and usage, saving you hours of time and monotony when working.
Some of the features and tools include scaling, scrolling, color selection, TWAIN support for importing images, automatic recognition of lines and arcs or circels, conversion of color and black-and-white images for recognition, a built-in vector editor for editing vectorization results, Bezier splines for creating curves, and much more.
Professionals like the GIS ones use it for digitizing hardcopy maps, as it supports GIS formats like ArcInfo shape files and MapInfo MID/MIF, plus has georeferencing for raster images by points.
2. Inkscape
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, PDF, among so many others.
Whether you are an illustrator, designer, web designer or just need to create vector images, this is the best software to vectorize images.
It also features Bezier and Spiro curves, a powerful text tool, and broad file format compatibility.
3. WinTopo
This is a high quality software for converting image files in different formats such as JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF or TIF, and scanned images to useful vector image files suitable for CAD, GIS and CNC application.
It comes in two versions: Freeware, and Pro.
The former, WinTopo Freeware is completely free for all to use, but still delivers better results than most commercial alternatives that are pretty expensive, and has more than 10 million users globally.
On the other hand, WinTopo Pro, the professional version, comes with more processing options and finer control when converting images to vectors, or vectorizing images.
It includes pre-processing options which help deliver optimum results, plus a more advanced vectorization engine that’s been built over years of programming, engineering and image processing expertise.
Each of these versions come with one-touch vectorization, arc recognition, polyline smoothing and reduction, preview on options windows, automatic scaling, as well as different vector save formats.
The pro version has more features though, like georeferencing, batch processing, negative and brightness options, fill holes, despeckle, and prune, among others.
4. Vector Magic
This is one of the most popular image vectorizer software you can use to convert bitmaps to vectors quickly, and get your artwork ready for print, or embroider, cutting and more processes.
With this tool, you can automatically convert images to true SVG, EPS and PDF vectors online by uploading them, without having to install software, and you get instant results.
It also comes with a desktop stand-alone app to vectorize images, with support for file formats and AI or DXF output, plus it blends well with Illustrator, Corel and other programs.
The vectorization is automatic once Vector Magic detects your image, it analyzes and gives appropriate settings to vectorize with and then traces out the shapes in full color, after which you can review the result.
Other features include sub-pixel precision with which you can trace out every bit of information and slice edge pixels precisely to recreate the intention of the original image, the right number of nodes placed at excellent locations with makes work with the result easier, easy to use settings to edit the result online and on the desktop app, and image tracing to tease out the shapes and create a real vector image.
There are more services online that claim to vectorize images but in reality, they just embed pixels without tracing them to vectors leaving you with a blurry file when scaled.
Vector Magic always traces your bitmap, carefully teasing out the underlying shapes in it, and provides you with a real vector image with all of its benefits.
In contrast, there are numerous services available online that claim to convert bitmaps to vectors, but that in reality just embed the pixels without actually tracing them into vector shapes.
5. Vectorizer
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.
Vector graphics are not based on pixels but on points, lines, and curves, which are also known as primitives, represented by mathematical expressions.
Vectorizer converts these raster images without loss in quality graphics making them easily scalable and rotatable. Some examples include logos, tattoos, cliparts, decals, stickers, and t-shirt designs.
6. BoxySVG
Best Free Vector Graphics Software Mac
BoxySVG is a relatively simple tool to use. Unlike the tools listed above, this program doesn’t offer advanced features but it’s perfect for you if you’re a beginner.
Once you’ve got the hang of this tool and you learned how to create vector images, you can play with typography and geometry options. Once you’re satisfied with the results, you can export your SVGs in other formats.
You can use BoxySVG as a stand-alone tool or download the browser extension.
Have you tried any of these best software to vectorize images?
Best Free Vector Graphics Software Macsitevivid Software
If so, let us know which one and how it turned out for you, or the tool you used, by leaving a comment in the section below.
A Vector image is an image designed through a commands that place lines and shapes in a given 3D or 2D dimensional images . For our convenience as well as compatibility in other devices, a vector image is converted into a raster graphics image (PNG or JPG).
When we hear the word graphic editor, we immediately think of Photoshop. However, Photoshop is really good for raster images; but when it comes to vector images, it can only do a few basic tasks.
For creating and editing a vector image, you need a dedicated program. Here are 10 of the best free graphic editors that specialize in Vector Images.
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Best Free Vector Graphic Softwares for Windows and Mac or Linux
1. Inkscape
Inkscape is one of the best professional vector graphic editors for Windows, Mac and Linux. It’s free and open source. It is a full-fledged desktop vector editor and which is used by illustrators, designers, web designers or anyone who needs to create vector images. You can also use Inkscape for editing some raster formats, such as PNG.
2. Vectr
Vectr is a free graphics software used to create vector graphics easily and intuitively. It’s got a relatively simple interface which is ideal for beginners. You can either download it for free (Windows, Mac, Linux or Chromebook) or use it online.
3. DrawPlus Starter Edition
DrawPlus Starter Edition is basically a drawing and graphics program that helps you create vector graphics and more. It has a free license with limited features. It is a powerful yet easy to use tool. You have to register using an email address to use the program.
4. Fatpaint
Fatpaint is a web-based vector as well as a ratster image editor. It is inferior in features as compared to its desktop counterparts but it is very efficient for quick fixes and minor edits. One of its notable features is the 3-D text manipulation abilities.
5. LibreOffice Draw
LibreOffice Draw is a part of the LibreOffice Suite for Windows, Mac and Linux. It is a good desktop vector image editor and can be used to create vector images from scratch or to change existing ones. You can use this program specially for technical drawings, flow charts and diagrams.
6. RollApp
RollApp is the cloud-based online version of Inkscape. It allows features like Inkscape plus integration with Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive, and a few other cloud storage providers. However, if you work with large files and/or your Internet connection is unreliable, you might not be able to work as smoothly as on your desktop.
7. SVG-Edit
SVG, which stands for Scalable Vector Graphics, is an open format that allows you to reproduce your Vector drawings programmatically. SVG-Edit is a web-based open source program which can be used for creating and editing documents as well as downloading and modifying the code to make your own version.
8. Dia
Dia is a free program for Linux, Unix, Mac OS X and Windows. Dia is used to draw structured diagrams and supports more than 30 different diagram types like flowcharts, network diagrams, database models. It can also be used to read and write a number of raster and vector image formats.
9. Apache OpenOffice Draw
Draw is a part of the Apache OpenOffice suite, which enables us to work upon visuals and diagrams. It is a really good program for technical or general posters. You can import graphics from all common formats (including BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and WMF). Draw also has a free feature to create Flash (.swf) versions of your work.
10. Microsoft Expression Design
Microsoft Expression Design is a creative designing tool for designers and developers who want to build graphics for their application or user interfaces, the web, or any other medium. It is very useful with Microsoft Office as it supports WMF and EMF file formats. The software has an good Manual which facilitates slicing, which means that you can export parts of the drawing without exporting the entire drawing.
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I have already discussed the Top Free Vector Graphics Editors for beginners as well as experts. The programs mentioned above should be enough for performing all sort of creative editing in your vector and in some cases, raster images. Nevertheless, if you want to use certain specialized functions of some premium software, here are a few of the Top Paid Software for Vector Graphics Editing that you can download for a free trial.
1. Adobe Illustrator CC
Adobe Illustrator is the standard vector graphics tool that lets you to create icons, drawing, logos and complex illustrations for web apps, mobile, prints and video. It is a part of the Adobe Creative Cloud and works for Windows and Mac and can also work on smartphones and tablets using the Illustrator Draw companion app.
2. Sketch
Sketch is a proprietary vector graphics editor for MacOS. It is a light-weight package that provides power, flexibility and speed for its operations. It is ideal for modern graphic designers. Sketch features a flexible workflow with support for Multiple Pages and Artboards. Powerful features like Symbols and Shared Styles are there to make reusing elements quick and easy. Your data syncs up on the cloud server which you can use using other apple devices (Mac book, iPhone, iPad).
Read Also: Microsoft Paint for Mac: Free Alternative Drawing Tools To Use
Overview
These graphic editors for vector images are all efficient in their own way, but it all depends on what you need them for. A beginner looking to start working with vector images would prefer going for Vectr and a statistical analyst who has to work with a lot of graphs and charts would go for Dia because a professional graphic designer who needs extra functionality might prefer using a paid software like Adobe Illustrator CC or Sketch. My opinion is to go for Inkscape, as you can get most of the premium features present in the paid software for free.