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A program that auto traces better than CorelDraw and AI

A

Andy D

Active Member
Hey all, about 6 months ago some of you guys named a program that you preferred over CorelDraw and AI for doing auto tracing.
I downloaded the free version and liked it, but somehow deleted it and can't freaken remember what the name was.
It wasn't a well known program... any help? Thanks
 
Fred Weiss

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
Andy D said:
I don't think it was Imagaro either, they don't have a trial version do they?
Have you used it?
Click to expand...

Don't know if they do or not. I purchased a copy years ago and don't use it. But I'm not a fan of auto tracing. From what I recall, the tracing was better than most and the font recognition auto replace is a great plus when it works.

To me the basic problem is that with any auto tracing program, one uses global settings ... so some results within an art image will be correct while often others are not. The difference in quality between any auto traced vector and a hand traced one is substantial.
 
sardocs

sardocs

New Member
I recently upgraded my Corel12 version to Corel X7 and I gotta say the autotrace is 1000% improved.
 
A

Andy D

Active Member
sorry for the confusion, I assumed I deleted because it was a trial version that had expired...

It is a well know program? It's new to me, but then I stick to the programs I know
until I have to look for another one.
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
Andy D said:
It is a well know program? It's new to me, but then I stick to the programs I know
until I have to look for another one.
Click to expand...

Been around since late 90s, I believe as it started off as a native Gnome (a Linux desktop environment, I use it on my Fedora and Ubuntu systems) illustration application and then it was "forked" to it's own project and become known as Inkscape. Mid 2000s I think.

Unlike GIMP (in relation to GIMP and Ps), it's not quite there (in my opinion) as a full replacement of Ai or DRAW, but the latest version has come a long way since the previous version. I still prefer Ai over it, but I do prefer Inkscape over DRAW.
 
signbrad

signbrad

New Member
Inkscape is excellent at tracing in my opinion.

When I use it, I let it trace by colors (you determine how many) The separate color traces it produces are layered on top of one another. Simply separate them by ungrouping and choose which is best, or weld two or three together to get a good final version.

Some basic commands are shown in this video:

[video=youtube;rzmdqwFpxp8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzmdqwFpxp8[/video]

This next video is helpful but the narrator is not too fluent. If you jump to 3:00 you will skip her explanation of the difference between a vector and a bitmap.
At 16:37 she traces an "eye" image that I found helpful.

[video=youtube;07-Vde5TxLQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07-Vde5TxLQ[/video]

I especially like the "preview" feature of Inkscape's tracing program.
Inkscape is not perfect. Some I things I do not like about it at all. But it is my first choice for tracing.


Brad in Kansas City
 
decalman

decalman

New Member
I'm getting this Inkscape. I now use Corel x5, which traces good.
I usually vector draw most stuff, but I look forward to checking this out.

:thankyou:
 
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