Hi everyone, I would really appreciate it if someone out there can tell me how to edit a vector hand lettered script. I scanned the lettering and masked out the background in Photo Paint. No matter how I masked the script(Anti-alaising,etc.),I still had stair-stepping from the pixels on the edge so I wanted to make it a vector instead of a bitmap for clean crisp edges at any size. I got as far as importing that cpt file into Corel and tracing the bitmap using trace by outline mode. It looks great but the areas of the script that are closed are solid in my saved vector version. I would like to edit those out so I can apply a color or an outline just as I do with any font without it filling in the closed areas as well as the lettering itself. How do I get those areas out? I do hope I am explaining this enough so you understand my dilema! Thanks to all who consider helping me!
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Lori,
What is the DPI and physical size of what you are trying to trace?
Posted by Arthur Vanson (Member # 2855) on :
I may not be understanding you correctly but it sounds as if you need to 'combine' the inner and outer vector lines.
Posted by Stevo Chartrand (Member # 2094) on :
It may be grouped, then ungroup (ctrl U), select them all then combine (ctrl L).
Stevo
Posted by Lori Schory (Member # 4547) on :
I scanned the script at 300 dpi and the file size is 4 MB. Color mode is RGB. Arthur, I don't understand combining the inner and outer lines. I'm sorry.
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Lori..if it is a hand lettered script that you have scanned....
My personal favourite way is to scan at something like 600 DPI, import it into Draw. Use wireframe view and manually draw over top of the bitmap.
However you choose to do it, as Arthur says, you can "combine" all elements of the script and the inner parts of "a"s and "o"s etc. will be correct
[ January 25, 2006, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: Dave Grundy ]
Posted by Lori Schory (Member # 4547) on :
Holy Mackerel! I got it! You guys are the greatest!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hugs!!! Yeah.... Glen, Arthur and Stevo!
Posted by Lori Schory (Member # 4547) on :
Thanks to you, too, Dave...I like your trick but combining was good enough for me!
Posted by Bruce Williams (Member # 691) on :
Next time, if you're scanning handlettered script, use greyscale instead of RGB. That will make a smaller file. And then, sometimes it helps to reduce the contrast in the bitmap file before opening it in Trace.
I usually do something like Dave does. But instead of using Wireframe, I put a transparency on the imported bitmap and draw with a bright outline in Enhanced view. Seems to me that in Wireframe everything would be black. But I'll have to try that and see.
Posted by Lori Schory (Member # 4547) on :
Thanks, Bruce...that input is helpful, too. I really appreciate all of your suggestions.
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
I work in greyscale first, smooth the edges by slightly blurring, then convert to black and white- when it is traced, the jaggies are gone and I get a nice smooth vector object.
Posted by Scott Baker (Member # 12) on :
I skip the trace part, it is rarely clear anyway. Import the photoshop file into Corel and start drawing. Draw the inside letters first with middles and all, then Combine, and apply a contour, break the contour apart and group all together. Everything is then vectored. I love Corel!
Posted by Harvie Loomis (Member # 1635) on :
Hey Scott,
I have been meaning to get in touch with you. I am interested in how your procedure works. We are located no more than 25 miles apart. I will be contacting you soon for a demonstration (if you don't mind).
Thank you in advance...
Harvie Loomis
Posted by Felix Marcano (Member # 1833) on :
I do what Scott does.
Posted by Bruce Williams (Member # 691) on :
"I skip the trace part, it is rarely clear anyway. Import the photoshop file into Corel and start drawing" ------------------- Right on, Scott. And don't forget that the geometric shapes, especially ovals, can follow nice contours with a little tweaking.
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
I have great success with Trace- I have learned over the years how to tweek the original image and settings to make it do just about everything I want. If it is a crappy low-res image to start with, I do just redraw it faster than trying to trace.
Posted by BJ Carter (Member # 4679) on :
Ok forgive my ignorance, but when y'all say redraw, do you literally redraw with pen and paper, a drawing tablet, or is it a option in corel? thnx Bj
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
'Draw' in Corel refers to using the bezier tool, probably about fourth down on the left toolbar (below select tool, which is the arrow)
It's the tool that you click a node into being, then drag a line, click for another node, and so on, 'till you've made an object, in this case a line over the image that you're vectorizing. In this kind of work, best to have the last node on top of the first node, so that you've made an object of sorts, not a line with loose ends.
Next double click on the 'shape' tool, the one just below the select tool. There will be a box that appears on your draw screen. This is the node edit box. You'll have to experiment with it, I don't have the time to explain it all here. One of the features of node edit: click on a part of the line you've drawn. A black dot will appear. Go to a little box in the node edit that has a curved line between two dots, click there. That section of your drawing will now be a curved line, you can adjust it to just the right curve.
All this from version 8, other versions may differ.
Posted by Felix Marcano (Member # 1833) on :
What James said! Posted by Felix Marcano (Member # 1833) on :
Hey BJ, let me also suggest you check out cdug.com (Corel Draw Users Group) another bunch of very nice, knowlegeable people.
Posted by BJ Carter (Member # 4679) on :
![[Smile]](smile.gif)