On Thu, Oct 9, 2014, at 08:10 PM, Ian wrote:

Thanks all. I found a tutorial at here and followed its instructions. However, I couldn't get an ideal result when I do that with my PNG. My original PNG is this one. The result I got is this one. As you can see, the edge of the result became too smooth. I tried playing with other options in Trace Bitmap panel, but I still couldn't get the result I want. Is there a particular reason that my PNG couldn't be ideally converted?

Yes. In general it is a complex shape with a very low resolution.

With the original as https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/53704642/temp/cogs.png

and the trace as https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/53704642/temp/cogs.svg

It actually seems to have done a bit of a better job than I expected, given the 51x43 original. However a common alternative to using the trace bitmap function (and what would appear to be a good choice in this case) is to use an image and hand-trace on top of it.

To do so, import the image but then create a few layers. Lock the layer the image is in (you can name it "reference", "image", "original" or some other such helpful name). Then select a layer above it and use the pen tool to trace on top of it. Click on each of the corners of the gear, and drag to get a curve in between. You just need to get a rough shape initially, as it is easy to tweak the vector version as you go, including switching to the node tool with one of the gears selected and dragging on line/curve segments directly.

You can play with layer transparency to get a see-through effect while you are working, and then reset it once you are done.

Jon A. Cruz

jon@...204...