Looking for assistance with tracing techniques

[Ogriv]

Greetings,


I have recently purchased CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 12, and I already own Jasc PaintShop Pro. What I want to learn how to perform is a trace from a digital picture. My camera has excellent resolution, so my pictures have plenty of detail. I have read the post by Fred regarding how to scale the vinyl by using a digital photo and a measured feature. What I am unsure of is how to modify the photo to assist in tracing a feature within the photo, and then which option in Corel I should use. I just purchased an old Ford Pickup, and I want to replace to worn decals on the tailgate, I figured this would be a great opportunity to learn a new skill. But, when I attempt to trace the picture, I get a bunch of garbage vector points, like it is vectoring every pixel it can see.

I have included part of the picture, so you can see what I am working with.


Thanks

[signage]

What I have found out is when trying to trace a digital photo that is not clean (good edges and color consistency) you are better off using the bezier tool and redraw it by tracing the original of printing the picture and hand tracing and scanning and converting to bmp and then trace auto trace. hope this helps.

[signsbydale]

What I ususally do with something like this is to try to find a font that is simlar to one I want to match. After matching it as close as I can I convert to curves and adjust the points to match.
Another way which may be easier than matching text is to use the tracing pen to outline the area you want to trace. after the trace is complete you can go back and edit the nodes.
Hope this helps.

[Cadmn]

I am probably way wrong but I use the box tool draw bow approx size then convert to curves & use edit tool to add & move nodes as needed to match the lines I'm looking for It works for me & seems fairly quick as autotrace leaves woyyy to much cleanup. as I used to tell my students watch & listen ask questions try things then do what works for you as we are all individuals & think differently therefore work differently as long as results are correct then we're ok

[Fred Weiss]

I'm pretty much with Cadmn on this. I just don't know if Corel does what Flexi does easily.
Draw a box.
Duplicate 3 times for uniformity of height.
Select all and convert to outlines.
Position each box on same baseline over each letter of "FORD".
Add or delete nodes as needed. Modify lines to curves as needed.
Use corner rounder tool to modify square corners to round uniformly.
Select all and apply same color fill then run an automatic path direction.
Check for correct preview.
Delete photo.
Save as EPS.Elapsed time = 10 to 15 minutes

[Ogriv]

OK, I'll give it a try!

[Ogriv]

Well Fred it took me more than 10 minutes (about 30 actually), But it worked out well. After scaling the outlines, I was within an 1/8 inch of the factory decals. I started with the square idea, and discovered that for the "F" it actually worked better by welding 3 rectangles together and then modifying the curves for the corners.

Many Thanks for the advice!

:thankyou::signs101::U Rock:

[learned the hard way]

For this particular job, I would probably do it with a similar font as described by signsbydale. MicrogrammaDBolExt looks pretty close. Convert text to curves, lay it on top of your picture and work with nodes till you get it right. If I didn't have a font that was already so close, the box method works well. As far as tracing goes, you'll never get a good trace without a reasonably good image to start with. I'm not talking about the quality of your camera, I'm talking about the quality of the existing letters on the truck. See the jagged edges where the paint/decal has chipped away? That's what your tracing program is trying to trace.

[Fred Weiss]

Well Fred it took me more than 10 minutes (about 30 actually), But it worked out well. After scaling the outlines, I was within an 1/8 inch of the factory decals. I started with the square idea, and discovered that for the "F" it actually worked better by welding 3 rectangles together and then modifying the curves for the corners.

Many Thanks for the advice!

:thankyou::signs101::U Rock:
Yes I would also use three rectangles for the "F" but I felt like one concept at a time was prudent. :Cool 2:

[Ogriv]

Well, it finally warmed up enough to apply the new decals to the old work truck. I made a few minor size adjustments at the last minute, but I think it turned out great. I thank everyone for there assistance. This is another lesson learned! BTW, I used 3m Scotchlite Plus Reflective Red for the job. They look real clean, now I have to was the truck to match :thumb:.


:thankyou::signs101::U Rock:

[Ogriv]

Here is one with the flash on

[Fred Weiss]

Fix
Or
Repair
Daily

Found
On
Road
Dead


I'd rather eat worms than drive a Ford. :tongue:

[Ogriv]

LOL Fred,

I only paid $250 for this truck, and my large signs fit in the back quite nicely. I'm not picky, if it runs, I'll drive it. But some of my largest RC planes will fit in there as well, and they arrive at the field in one piece, that's all that counts!

Thanks

[Jackpine]

I use the same method and SignsByDale for jobs like that. I also trace in SignLab 6 since it has great node editing tool. Give CorelTrace a shot using trace by outline and clean up image in Draw. I

[Cadmn]

fred you explained so well & Ogriv it looks good & it would take me about as long as you & I've been at it longer but that is one of my bestest tricks. some times I start with the circle & many time I end up with sooo many fifferent colors It gets crazy In corel you can change youroutline color to stand out of what ever picture your working from

[signage]

Ford backwards

Driver Returns On Foot

[maddmd]

F irst

O n

R ace

D ay

[Scott Reynolds]

F-er Only Runs Downhill

F-ing Out-Right Dangerous

F-ing Owner Real Dumb

First On Recall Day

and to be fair...

Mopar: Most Often Passed At Races

GM: General Mistake

Chevy: Cheapest Heap Ever enVisioned Yet

[Fred Weiss]

G ot

M echanic

C oming

[signage]

Fiat

Fix
it
again
tony