How to convert a bitmap to a vector with CorelDraw

Unlike vectors, bitmaps (or rasters) loose quality when you enlarge them. Sometimes you need a larger drawing of something and all you've got is a small bitmap. You want your designs to have high quality, especially when you are going to print it. That's why converting (or tracing) a bitmap to a vector is a very handy tool! I am going to use PowerTRACE - a program inside CorelDraw X4.


Import your image into CorelDraw. You can see that this is a bitmap because the edges are ragged. If your image is in colour, we must convert it to black and white first.

In the Menu bar, go to Bitmaps > Mode > Black and White.

For the conversion method choose Line Art from the drop-down menu.

Now that our image is black we can convert it to a vector. Go to Bitmaps > Outline Trace > Line Art. The PowerTRACE window will launch. The before and after images will appear. On the left is your bitmap and on the right the result of the conversion. Wait for it to convert.

Play around with the settings to get your desired outcome. I've increased the smoothing a little. Ideally you'll also want to remove the background. When you're finished, click OK.

You might not always get the results you want. Just zoom in to where you want to change things. Here I zoomed in to where the rabbit's neck is.

Select the vector and pick the Shape Tool (F10). Here I made the rabbit's neck smoother by picking the node that stood out and dragging it to where I want it.

And that's my final vector image. You can download this rabbit/hare vector for free! I've included the CorelDraw, EPS and AI formats.

Your comments are welcome.

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