How to Cut Bitmap Logo with InkScape

InkScape is a free graphics designing software with capabilities similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw You can do more complex design or vectorize your images with InkScape. Save your design in InkScape to EPS format. You should be able to open the EPS files from most of the cutting software. Homepage: www.inkscape.org Link to download the software: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/inkscape/Inkscape-0.46.win32.exe

Tracing Bitmaps: (vectorization) http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Trace.html http://www.inkscape.org/doc/tracing/tutorial-tracing.html

Below is the tutorial on how to vectorize a color jpeg file to black & white and color vector format. Source File: amazon_logo.jpg (sample file enclosed)

Vectorize to black & white:

1. Launch InkScape. (Figure 1) 2. Open the amazon_logo.jpg file. (Figure 1) 3. Select the amazon logo, it will show 8 double side arrows around the logo. (Figure 1)

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Outline: (Path Offset) http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Paths-Editing.html

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Text on a Path: http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Text-Path.html

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Full manual: http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/index.php

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Screenshots show what you can design: http://www.inkscape.org/screenshots/index.php?lang=en&version=0.40

4. Select [Path] -> [Trace Bitmap] (Figure 1)

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Figure 1 5. In the Trace Bitmap window, check Brightness Cutoff, Change the Threshold to 0.6, Press Update, Press OK and Press the red X in the upper right corner to close this window. (Figure 2)

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6. A Vector black & white object will put on top of the original logo. The black & white logo object is selected. (Figure 3) 7. To reduce the transfer file size, we need to delete the original logo. Select [Object] -> [Lower to Bottom] (Figure 3)

Figure 3 8. The original color logo will appear on the top again. Reselect the top color logo and press Delete key on the key board to delete the original logo. The black & white logo will appear again. (similar with Figure 1) 9. Select [File] -> [Save As]. Enter the Name amazon_logo_bw.eps (sample file enclosed) and change the file type to Encapsulated Postscript (*.eps) and press the Save button. (Figure 4) 10. Now, you can import or open this eps file from most of the sign making software and cut out.

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Figure 4

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Launch InkScape. (Figure 1) Open the amazon_logo.jpg file. (Figure 1) Select the logo, it will shows 8 double side arrows around the logo (Figure 1) Select [Path] -> [Trace Bitmap] (Figure 1) In the Trace Bitmap window, check Colors, Change the Scans to 4, (set to actual number of colors plus 2. This logo has black and yellow two colors, so we set the scans to 4) Check the Smooth and Remove Background, Uncheck the Stack Scans. Press Update, Press OK and Press the red X in the upper right corner to close this window. (Figure 5)

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Vectorize to Color:

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Figure 6 12. Select [File] -> [Cut/Plot...] to bring up the Cut/Plot pre-cut window. Look at the upper right corner of the Cut/Plot window. It has three small color boxes, black, yellow and gray. Select and cut out the black and yellow and ignore the gray. (Figure 7)

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6. A Vector color object will put on top of the original logo. (The edge of the vector object is smoother than the original logo) The result is selected. 7. To reduce the transfer file size, we need to delete the original logo. Select [Object] -> [Lower to Bottom] (figure 3) 8. The original color logo appear again. Reselect the top color logo and press Delete key on the key board to delete the original logo. The Vector logo will appear again. 9. Select [File] -> [Save As]. Enter the Name amazon_logo_color.eps (sample file enclosed) and change the file type to Encapsulated Postscript (*.eps) and press the Save button. 10. Now, you can import or open this eps file from most of the sign making software and cut out. 11. If you are using FlexiSTARTER, launch the FlexiSTARTER. Select [File] -> [Import], browse the amazon_logo_color.eps file and press Import button. Click on center of the FlexiSTARTER. You will see the amazon color logo appear. (figure 6)

Figure 7

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