Converting a bitmap to SVG

Jellby · 12-11-2011, 05:37 AM

Does anyone feel like taking the time to convert the attached image to SVG (and not just an automated tracing, but something that looks good)? Or at least find the matching fonts, since the frame is much easier.

The image is from "Les misérables", tome II (Cosette), book VIII, chapter IX (Clôture), but I couldn't find a better quality scan. More resolution, yes, but they are all quite blotchy, with the back page showing through and not good printing quality. This is practically the best I could get from of the scans.

DSpider · 12-11-2011, 01:13 PM

Looks like it's 600 px wide, which means that it should be good enough for today's e-Ink screens (600x800). And if you replace the writing with actual text (you need to make it searchable or something?), you'll lose the corroded effect, which I think works great for older stuff.

Vector Magic has an online conversion feature but I don't know if they let you keep the SVG (says it needs Flash Player and I moved away from it a few months ago). After that, you can edit it with Inkscape. Alternatively, Inkscape itself can trace. And it does a good enough job for black and white images. You can find tutorials on Youtube on how to do this: http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...bitmap+tracing

Jellby · 12-11-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSpider

if you replace the writing with actual text (you need to make it searchable or something?), you'll lose the corroded effect, which I think works great for older stuff.

I don't want to be actual search, but if I find a font that looks the same, I can easily convert it to vector, or higher resolution. As for the corroded effect, I think it's mostly due to the old printing it was scanned from, rather than intentional. I

Quote:

Alternatively, Inkscape itself can trace.

Yes, I have tried it, and it "looks" fine, but I'd like to get cleaner paths: rectangles for the frame, etc. With a lot of patience (and practice) I could manually trace it myself, but I wondered if someone else would find it entertaining

DSpider · 12-11-2011, 05:13 PM

"If you want something done right..."

12-11-2011, 05:37 AM	#1
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,544 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Converting a bitmap to SVG Does anyone feel like taking the time to convert the attached image to SVG (and not just an automated tracing, but something that looks good)? Or at least find the matching fonts, since the frame is much easier. The image is from "Les misérables", tome II (Cosette), book VIII, chapter IX (Clôture), but I couldn't find a better quality scan. More resolution, yes, but they are all quite blotchy, with the back page showing through and not good printing quality. This is practically the best I could get from of the scans. Attached Thumbnails

12-11-2011, 01:13 PM	#2
DSpider Evangelist Posts: 450 Karma: 343115 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Romania Device: PW2 2014	Looks like it's 600 px wide, which means that it should be good enough for today's e-Ink screens (600x800). And if you replace the writing with actual text (you need to make it searchable or something?), you'll lose the corroded effect, which I think works great for older stuff. Vector Magic has an online conversion feature but I don't know if they let you keep the SVG (says it needs Flash Player and I moved away from it a few months ago). After that, you can edit it with Inkscape. Alternatively, Inkscape itself can trace. And it does a good enough job for black and white images. You can find tutorials on Youtube on how to do this: http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...bitmap+tracing Last edited by DSpider; 12-11-2011 at 01:16 PM.

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12-11-2011, 05:13 PM	#4
DSpider Evangelist Posts: 450 Karma: 343115 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Romania Device: PW2 2014	"If you want something done right..."

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