Vectorizing Curves from Images

The Vectorize tool reads an image as an input, traces out contours from it and generates a set of NURBS curves which represent the traced contours.

The Vectorize tool

The generated NURBS curves can be used in various ways. For example, you can render them directly using the photo realistic rendering engine. Or, you can extrude the curves to get a 3D logo.

Let's imagine you have a photograph of a logo. You have scanned the photo to an image and now you want to create a 3D logo from it. Do this:

1. Activate the Vectorize tool. The control bar now shows you a set of tool specific options.

2. Use the 'Browse' button in the control bar to locate the image to be vectorized.

Because the selected image is not an 'outline image', set also the 'Edge filtering' option. If you have an image which already contains, say, black outlines on a white background, you do not need the 'Edge filtering' option.

If the 'Fit to NURBS' option is set, the tool runs a simplification procedure. It tries to represent the contour curves with a minimum number of control points. If this option is not set, the tool creates a point for each pixel.
 
Specify options for the Vectorize tool

3. Click 'Accept'. The tool creates a new level object, which contains the generated curves.

The 'textures\Realsoft.iff' image vectorized

Note: images can contain bright pixels which are not connected to any other pixels i.e. they form a point rather than a curve. The Vectorize tool uses 1D particles to represent these individual pixels.

The generated curves can then be rendered by resetting their 'Invisible in Photo Realistic Rendering' option. Or, the curves can be extruded by using the Extrude tool.

 
NURBS curves rendered with the 'particlefur' material on the left. Extrude tool applied to the curves on the right.