Inkscape >

Trace bitmap ∞

1. Open Inkscape

1. drag-and-drop your image into Inkscape

   • Image Import Type: (x) Embed
   • Image Rendering Mode: (x) Smooth (optimizeQuality)
2. Selector Tool: s (or F1)
3. left-click the image
4. File > Document Properties (or shift-control-d)
5. Find the "resize to content" button. It is under Display, underneath Orientation
6. Exit the Document Properties dialog
7. control-scrollwheel to zoom in-out
8. middle-click-drag to pan your canvas and everything on it
9. File > Save As - as an Inkscape SVG
10. left-click your image

11. Path > Trace Bitmap (shift-alt-b)

    • Play around with the settings on the right-hand side; good luck. Try various things, look at the preview, and control-z to undo. Try things like:
    • Detection mode: Color quantization
    • [_] Speckles
    • Smooth corners: 0.50
    • Optimize: 5.000
    • Or perhaps:
    • Detection mode: Brightness cutoff
    • Speckles: (try something small)
    • Threshold: 0.261
    • Smooth corners: 0.50
    • Optimize: 5.000

12. Either trace overtop of the image, or (recommended):

    • Press end to move the tracing to underneath the image
    • left-click-drag the image to the side so you can use it as a reference

Node tinkering ∞

1. Node Tool: n (or F2)
2. Tinker with the image; good luck.

3. If you intend to fill, then make sure all the nodes pass off the edge of the page, and then box them in.

Useful commands/hotkeys:

• shift-b
• shift-j
• delete

• double-click on the edge of a black/white space to make a node there.

  • If you can't, then select a node and press shift-d. Then you can drag the new node (leaving the other one in-place)
  • Try doing this twice on either side of a black thing you want to extend, then move out a single node like a tentacle. Then two nodes on either side, separate to thicken the line, etc.
• There is no way to clone the handles (circles) of a node (square) from one node to another; eyeball it.

• If you want to break off a blob / cut things, then have four nodes on either side of your black, then highlight all four. Fiddle with shift-b shift-j bunches of times, selecting various thing. I don't know how this works, and it's erratic.

  • If you do end up making a streak across the canvas, that's good! Go to where the streak leads, look at where the gap is, select those two nodes and shift-j. You should have just repaired both ends, making your join or split.

Paint Bucket ∞

1. Save your file, then save it as a second new file to work with.
2. Select all notes (ALL!)
3. Path > Union
4. Select the thing (F1)
5. Object > Fill and Stroke - Stroke style - Hairline
6. Color picker

7. Paint Bucket

   • At the top-left are your options:
   • Fill by: Visible Colors
   • Threshold: 0
   • Grow/shrink: 0.60 mm - Vary this. Making it a little large is good, you'll be shifting the layer down to correct it.
   • Close gaps: Large - also play with None
8. Use the Paint Bucket

9. Object > Lower to bottom (end)

   • if you need to:
   • Selection Tool (s)
   • `left-click what you filled

10. If you have any troubles like with slivers of white you can't select, then either

    • Use the node tool and manipulate the big splotch.
    • Or (less ideal) make a splotch of your color and send it below (end)

Last updated 2025-04-10 at 20:40:01