Converting bitmapped images to paths

Microsoft Expression Design has a built-in autotrace feature that can convert bitmapped images into vector paths. To convert an image into a path:

  1. Select an image object on your page.
  2. On the Object menu, point to Image, and then click Auto Trace Image.
  3. In the Auto Trace Image dialog box, set the autotrace parameters.
    • Number of Colors  Type or select a value from the drop-down list for the number of colors Expression Design should use in the final vector artwork.
    • Pre-filtering  Select a value from the Pre-filtering drop-down list for the amount of smoothing (or blurring) that should be applied to the image before converting it to vector paths. The higher the value, the more the bitmapped image will be smoothed. If you select None, the image will not be blurred at all, and the result will often contain sharper edges.
    • Tightness of fit  Select how tight you want the vector objects to fit to the original bitmapped image (from Very loose to Very tight ). The looser the fit, the fewer nodes the resulting paths will have, and fewer details in the bitmapped image will be retained.

  1. To convert the image, click OK.

The result is a group of vector objects above the original bitmapped image. If you need to work with individual objects within the group, use the Group Select tool or click Ungroup on the Arrange menu.

The original image (left) and the autotraced image (right). Several of the vector shapes in the autotraced version have been selected.