How to Use The Auto Trace in Adobe Illustrator

Bringing your artwork into a digitized world can allow you to enhance, colorize, or modify your drawings easily and allows it to be used in multiple commercial or artistic endeavors. One of the primary ways to turn your art into a digital format is to create a vectorized image of your drawings through a software program such as Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator offers an auto trace tool that can quickly add numerous vector points to your uploaded drawings. After using auto trace, you can modify your drawings and customize them for a project, or merely enhance them through the numerous tools offered in Illustrator. Learn how to ues the auto trace in Adobe Illustrator quickly through this graphic design tutorial.

Create a hand-drawn image in pencil, then ink it and import the image to Adobe Photoshop. Use Photoshop to clean up the pencil lines and any import issues. Save the file, then open Adobe Illustrator. Drag the image into the program to import the image into Illustrator.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbLqWDDwv8M

Select your image, then press the down arrow next to the "Live Trace" button. Select "Simple Trace" and watch your image become darker. If you want to customize how your image is outlined, select "Tracing Options" instead of "Simple Trace". Select the "Preview" option so you will see changes as you make them. Select "Black and White" mode. Select a threshold for your drawing. A higher threshold will make your drawing darker, while a lower threshold will make your drawing lighter. In the "Minimum Area" adjust the pixels. If you want all parts of your drawing to be seen, select 0 pixels. Any item smaller than your pixel setting will not be viewable. Select the "Ignore White" box so the white areas of your drawing are not vectorized. Press the "Trace" button to outline your drawing. Experiment with different options to achieve the desired effect.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbLqWDDwv8M

After tracing the drawing, press the "Expand" button. Your drawing will appear to have numerous red dots. These dots indicate vector points. Once you have vectorized your drawing or image, you can turn it into pop art, change the color or modify sections of your image.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbLqWDDwv8M

Check out the how tos below to learn other tips for Adobe Illustrator:

1. How to Use Brushes in Adobe Illustrator
2. How to Use the Auto Trace in Adobe Illustrator
3. How to Create Your Own Brush in Adobe Illustrator
4. How to Use the Gradient Tool in Adobe Illustrator
5. How to Use the Layers Panel in Adobe Illustrator
6. How to Use the Pen Tool in Adobe Illustrator
7. How to Use the Selection Tool in Adobe Illustrator