Image tracing

In computer graphics, image tracing, raster-to-vector conversion or vectorization is the conversion of raster graphics into vector graphics.Original artwork in PNG format; 115 kB.Traced with PowerTRACE using detailed logo, smoothing 40, detail +2.5; result: 50 colors, 94 curves, 2452 nodes, 96 kB.Signature of Christopher Columbus as JPEG image (1,308 × 481 pixel), 63 kBVectorized two-color (black & white) variant of the signature of Christopher Columbus, 19 kBA photograph in JPEG format, 25 KBThe photograph at left vectorized with RaveGrid, 1.64 MBSame photograph vectorized with AutoTrace in the Delineate GUI, 677 KBSame photograph vectorized with Inkscape's 'Trace Bitmap' function, based on potrace, 1.05 MBSame photograph vectorized with Scan2CAD, 340 KBVectormagic, 12 colors, 369 KBVectormagic, all colors, 744 KBSuper Vectorizer, 12 colors, 225 KB In computer graphics, image tracing, raster-to-vector conversion or vectorization is the conversion of raster graphics into vector graphics. An image does not have any structure: it is just a collection of marks on paper, grains in film, or pixels in a bitmap. While such an image is useful, it has some limits. If the image is magnified enough, its artifacts appear. The halftone dots, film grains and pixels become apparent. Images of sharp edges become fuzzy or jagged. See, for example, pixelation. Ideally, a vector image does not have the same problem. Edges and filled areas are represented as mathematical curves or gradients, and they can be magnified arbitrarily. The task in vectorization is to convert a two-dimensional image into a two-dimensional vector representation of the image. It is not examining the image and attempting to recognize or extract a three-dimensional model which may be depicted; i.e. it is not a vision system. For most applications, vectorization also does not involve optical character recognition; characters are treated as lines, curves, or filled objects without attaching any significance to them. In vectorization the shape of the character is preserved, so artistic embellishments remain.