In this tutorial, we will explore the image trace tool in Adobe Illustrator Creative Cloud. This tool is incredibly useful if you want to convert an image into a vector object. Vector objects have several advantages, such as scalability and compatibility with various devices like cutting and itching machines. But before we dive into the tutorial, it’s essential to understand the difference between bitmap and vector images. If you’re not sure about these concepts, you can find tutorials on YouTube that explain them.
To start, let’s bring in a JPEG into our artboard by selecting File and Place. We will choose an image of an eagle and stretch it to the desired size. Since it’s a large file, Illustrator will take some time to process it. Once the image is selected, we can use the image trace tool by clicking on the toolbar across the top of the screen.
By default, Illustrator will apply random settings to trace the image. Depending on your project, this might work or not. So, we will explore the power of image trace by selecting the little arrow next to the button. This opens a menu with several options. We will choose the three-color option to get some color in our eagle. After the calculations are done, we will get a nice vector object that fits perfectly in our design.
Now, we can use the direct select tool or other Adobe tools to change the paths, anchor points, and colors. But, before that, we need to ungroup the object by right-clicking with the mouse button and selecting the ungroup option. Once we do this, we can select individual components, groups, and paths, and edit them to our liking.
In conclusion, the image trace tool is a powerful feature in Adobe Illustrator that enables us to convert images into vector objects easily. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can master this tool and create stunning designs.