A Signs Tips - Scanning & Tracing in Corel

A Signs Home | Tips |

Scanning & Tracing with Corel

SignTools cannot cut Bitmaps or Raster Graphics such as .bmp, .gif, .tif and .jpg files that have been imported into CorelDRAW. This also applies to any image that has been scanned. With a bitmap image you must first take it into CorelTRACE, trace the image, save the traced result, then import into CorelDRAW.

Scanning and Tracing

Below is a step-by-step for preparing bitmaps for cutting using CorelTRACE. Althougfh this step-by-step is for CorelDRAW 12, the steps are similar in all versions of Corel, from 7 to 12.

1. Open CorelTRACE.
2. Choose Acquire Image -> Acquire from the File menu. This will open your scanner program.
3. In your scanner program select Black & White and your dpi setting.

Recommended dpi settings

    300 dpi for excellent quality artwork suck as bromides or laser prints.
    200 dpi for average quality artwork.
    150 dpi for below average quality artwork.
    100 dpi for poor quality artwork.

After scanning is complete you will be returned to CorelTRACE with the scanned image on the left.

4. Click on the Trace menu and choose By Outline. Once the trace is finished you should have 2 images on your screen, the original bitmap image on the left and the traced (vector) image on the right.

5. Click on the File menu and choose Save traced result. Remember where you have saved the file.
6. Close CorelTRACE.
7. Back in CorelDRAW click on the File menu and Choose Import. The Import Dialog Box will open. Change the Look in drop down to whichever directory you save the file in. Select the file and click on the Import button.
8. Click on the area you would like the image to appear.
9. Click on the File menu and choose Ungroup.

Usually at this point you will need to clean up the artwork. For this you will need to click on the Shaping (Node Edit) tool and painstakingly edit the image until you are satisfied with the result.

Please note: If you already have a bitmap file that you wish to trace you can go to the File menu and choose Open instead of scanning the image.

For more CorelDraw Tips click here.

A Signs
Shop 10 / 10 Jubilee Avenue,
Carlton NSW 2218
Sydney Australia

Web site: www.asigns.com
Email: andrew@asigns.com
Ph: (02) 9553 8748
Fax: (02) 9587 9281
INTERNATIONAL ENQUIRIES
Ph: 612 9553 8748