Quick Photoshop vectorization technique

[sPECtre]

As mflintjer asked me, I'm posting a link to an action that allows to vectorize bitmaps in Photoshop.

Some of you remember that I "discovered" a vectorization technique using only Photoshop. An article was published in Computer Arts about it. Now that the copyright period is lifted, I can post the action that Mathias Vejerslev, great action guru developped out of my original one... a full lenght tutorial will follow.

(originally Posted by Mathias Vejerslev at Adobe's User 2 User forum)

There?s pixels, and then there?s vectors.

Since Photoshop 6, Photoshop sports increasingly advanced vector tools which often eliminates or at least delays the trip to Illustrator for vectors.

We use vectors when designing logos or creating graphic artwork. In print and in applications such as Flash.

I have made a tool (Photoshop action) for easy vector conversion of any pixel content (high res Line Art scan, Pencil Drawing, photo, or even web graphic), directly in Photoshop, with options to:

Choose Blur value to simplify
Choose Threshold level
Fine tune with a Dodging and Burning layer (This is the trick with continuous tone images)
Set Path tolerance
Make a Custom Shape
Export result to Illustrator

The technique included is very powerful indeed, albeit simple in idea.

From an ugly jpeg comes this nice Vector Shape ( http://www.96ppi.net/vectorizer/turbotwins.gif )

another example ( http://www.96ppi.net/vectorizer/kate.gif )

a third example ( http://www.96ppi.net/vectorizer/fly.gif )

Ever needed to enlarge a small photo to poster size without quality loss?

Ever needed to convert a web size .gif to use as a catalog backdrop?

Ever needed a ultra fast way of cleaning up your artwork or sketches to highest quality output?

Ever needed to convert pixels to vectors?

You can download and study the technique from here: http://www.96ppi.net/ddt_vectorizer.zip (Un-zip action and load from Photoshop's action palette).

Tell us what you think about it, and add your questions, ideas or results below.

Mathias & Pierre.

[mflintjer]

Thanks for finding this -- I will give it a go and see if it is the one I am thinking of 8))


You are the MAN!! 8)) :} :} :} :} 8))

[Gaussian]

Nice little tutorial Spectre.

[sonar]

Hi there, I think you can also try the poster edge technique.

Go to Filter > Artistic > Poster Edge

Play around with the featues untill you get the quality you want.

[liopag]

Could you say how to convert to vector in Illustrator?