Click to enlargeĪs you can see, the Trace Bitmap function produces results that are quite rudimentary when applying it to a more detailed image. However, if you’re using a more complex, detailed image (or a really small image) it’s likely not going to give you acceptable results. If the PNG you’re looking to trace is a very simple graphic at a high resolution and only uses a handful of colors, this method may be a viable option for you. As can be expected, there’s no way for the software to understand all of the nuances of a raster image and render them with flawless precision. The Trace Bitmap function handles simple graphics quite wellĪfter you’ve finalized your tracing and clicked OK to generate it, make sure to Ungroup it ( CTRL + SHIFT + G) several times to unlock all of the individual elements of the design. You can click the Update button to generate a preview in the preview window before finalizing your selection. It may be worth it to experiment with different numbers of scans to see what works out best. If you’re working with a really simple PNG that only uses 2 or 3 colors, set the Scans to 2 or 3. Scans are basically the number of colors that will be used in the tracing. This will bring up the interface menu depicted above (check out my Inkscape dark theme tutorial if you’d like a dark interface like mine.)Īssuming you’d like to create a complete retrace of the image and not just a monotone silhouette, choose Color from the Multiple Scans menu. To use the Trace Bitmap function, simply select the object you’d like to trace, then go to Path > Trace Bitmap. The Trace Bitmap extension scans your image and uses it as a reference to automatically generate a vector rendering of it. The first way you can trace your PNG file is by using the Trace Bitmap function in Inkscape. The PNG format in and of itself is not capable of retaining such information. The SVG is used as a reference to generate a series of static pixels that form the PNG file, and once that file is generated, the rest of the information from the SVG file (the mathematical formulas) is absent from it. As I mentioned earlier, SVG files are what’s used to generate PNG files. I assume that the reason you’re trying to use Inkscape to convert PNG to SVG format is because you’d like to take advantage of these benefits. Since these formulas are far more dynamic than a series of static boxes, vector formats (like SVG) offer many more benefits, like being fully editable with vector graphics software, and having the ability to enlarge them infinitely without quality loss. Vector graphics (unlike raster graphics) are not made of pixels they’re made of mathematical formulas that dictate all of the properties of a graphic on an X and Y axis.

The more you zoom in on them or try to enlarge them, the more visible the individual pixels become. Graphics made of pixels are static and set at a specific size. png are raster graphics, meaning they’re made entirely of individual colored boxes known as pixels.

Png into vector