# How Do You Converts A Picture To A Vinyl Ready Image



## Abuma (Mar 9, 2007)

Can somebody tell me what type of SOFTWARE I will need to change or convert PICTURES (PHOTO) To vinyl ready image. ( TO BE ABLE TO CUT A PICTURE ON A VINYL CUTTER)

Thanks in Advance


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## M-BLaze (Jul 10, 2006)

It's not quite as easy as that unfortunately. Printing a photo onto a shirt using vinyl isn't possible. What you have to do is convert that photo into vector artwork. This has a lot less detail. The graphic below shows how you could convert it. The first pic is the original photo, the second has been vectorised into 4 colours. You would have to cut 4 different vinyls though in appropriate colours and heat press one on top of the other (layering), this does make the design rather thick though. The other alternative is pic 3 where you make it 1 colour, this becomes very graphic.

Regarding software I very quickly used a function in Adobe Illustrator called 'Live Trace' but I understand Corel Draw does a similar thing.

Cheers


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

Great reply Rob. 1 color would really be great on portait or "face-only" designs, the "John Lennon, Che Guevarra type" 1 color designs.


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

Hi:
Yes you can do that call Imprintibles. To do that we use vinyl for dark shirt the only thing is that you have a large rubber patch on the shirt. They have a vinyl that works just great for what you want to do. Imprintables 1-800-347-0068 Talk to bob. They even have the masting so when you print and cut lettering you can weed out the unwanted and put mast over the lettering and lift it as one pease and put it on a shirt.


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## M-BLaze (Jul 10, 2006)

selzler said:


> Hi:
> Yes you can do that call Imprintibles. To do that we use vinyl for dark shirt the only thing is that you have a large rubber patch on the shirt. They have a vinyl that works just great for what you want to do. Imprintables 1-800-347-0068 Talk to bob. They even have the masting so when you print and cut lettering you can weed out the unwanted and put mast over the lettering and lift it as one pease and put it on a shirt.


I'm a bit confused, are you saying print a photo onto vinyl and then press the vinyl onto a shirt? If that's the case wouldn't you just use a transfer paper? Curious to know what it is they offer.

Cheers


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Yes I am a bit confused also.


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## M-BLaze (Jul 10, 2006)

M-BLaze said:


> I'm a bit confused, are you saying print a photo onto vinyl and then press the vinyl onto a shirt? If that's the case wouldn't you just use a transfer paper? Curious to know what it is they offer.
> 
> Cheers


Doh...you couldn't do that anyway as the vinyl that would show on the shirt is covered by the carrier paper!

Cheers


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

Well you can do that its IW inkjet for darks that we use to print photos on then put them on shirts. We get it from Imprintables. You print it then cut it with your cutter plotter. Take the vinyl of the paper and heat press it to the shirt.


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## UTAHbruce (Jul 8, 2007)

i think in the original question by abuma he is inquiering about vinyl-cut sticker. i could be wrong, but i dont think hes referring to a t shirt. --B


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

If thats the case that it is for decals. You can sublimate on vinly and cut it. There is a article on dyesub.org that tell how to do it. It dose's take a little work but it dose's work well.


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

I think the original poster was referring only to vinyl material, (for shirt or decals), no printing needed.


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## oddhuman (Jul 27, 2006)

I think he is talking about converting a photo into vector ready to cut as a decal. I did something like that the other day.


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

Great work, oddhuman. I imagine that it will also look great on a shirt.


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

He is simply asking how to convert a raster, jpeg, bitmap etc into vector for whatever purpose he needs. A simple question that was answered by Rob in the second post covering a color trace and a straight line trace. From a vector file he can create decals, t-shirts or whatever. Good job with the answer Rob and photo examples.


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## cbsigns (Aug 3, 2007)

Oddhuman...how did you manage to do that? That is really cool! That would be great for decals and t-shirts. What program do you use? Thanks!!


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Try here: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/graphics-design-help/t7321.html?highlight=silhouette

And here: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/graphics-design-help/t7912.html

And here: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/graphics-design-help/t473.html

And here: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/graphics-design-help/t3513.html


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## cbsigns (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks so much for the info!!


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## rezgear (Feb 19, 2009)

I have corel draw x3 so how do you make a clean picture like this for cut ready vector


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## traceymahady (Sep 20, 2010)

Hi there, new to coral 4x just did a quick trace and it worked on a peice that I have been trying to convert for the last 2 weeks. Thanks heaps


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## fancyface (Oct 27, 2011)

oddhuman said:


> I think he is talking about converting a photo into vector ready to cut as a decal. I did something like that the other day.


can you tell me how you did this? program, steps, etc?


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Fancyface....you may not get a reply from "oddhuman" as that post was over 4 years ago! But one way is to convert the photo to black/white...then you vectorize for cutting


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## fancyface (Oct 27, 2011)

charles95405 said:


> Fancyface....you may not get a reply from "oddhuman" as that post was over 4 years ago! But one way is to convert the photo to black/white...then you vectorize for cutting


Yeah I kinda figured that lol..but gave it a try anyway. Thanks for the reply


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## martinwoods (Jul 20, 2006)

I know this is an old thread but I tried some of what was mentioned and it worked pretty good as far as getting it to the black and white and vector but when I ungroup part of the face goes away, how would I be able to cut that in vinyl, have been trying to figure it out for some time and finally gave up until I saw this post revisited Thanks


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## martinwoods (Jul 20, 2006)

forgot to mention I use corel x4


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

martinwoods said:


> when I ungroup part of the face goes away, how would I be able to cut that in vinyl, have been trying to figure it out for some time and finally gave up until I saw this post revisited Thanks


What exactly do you mean by ungrouping and part goes away. Are you sure you are ungrouping or are you Breaking Apart?

If possible you can email me the cdr file and I will ungroup and see what is happening. richard @ fluiddsn.com

If you don't want to email, post pics of before and after with steps as to what you are doing when the issue arrives.


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

initial black and white trace to vector
changed all White areas to a new color other than white
made the background white (this shows you the other black areas in the design.)
I trimmed the black areas from the yellow areas so the background shows through and combined / welded all the yellow areas together to make one object.
colored the object black on the white background
colored the object white on a black background
One thing you will need to do before cutting to vinyl is clean up the nodes using the shape tool (F10) on the tool box. 
Smoothing out areas so your cutter isn't having to do all sorts of small funky cuts. 

Hope this helps


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