# CorelDraw and its vector abilities **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874 "2015-03-24T17:56:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874/1 "2015-03-24T17:56:24Z")
What I need is to take hand-drawn cartoons into vector files. I need to be able to trace the lines into vector paths, then smooth and stretch them. Once that’s done, I need to output as a file type that Illustrator can read. Is this all possible? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874/2 "2015-03-24T18:18:07Z")
Plus, does it sound like I could get away with using X6 version? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874/3 "2015-03-24T20:49:09Z")
Do you need to use Corel at all? Illustrator has trace functions - different versions seem to have different names, but I was able to take a .JPG and trace it to an .AI file with CS4 a while back. Oddly enough, it was a graphic element I created in Corel Draw about 20 years ago and had incorporated into a .JPG file. It was not hard to select the graphic in the picture and bring it back to vector form. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874/4 "2015-03-24T23:30:15Z")
I haven’t done much with CorelDraw, but the one time I tried it out (to test the vector functions), I had the problem that the curve adjustment nodes acted like they were a single pixel large about half the time. Any attempt to grab one was just as likely to entirely deselect that line, which meant having to select the line again, the node again, and then try to grab the adjuster yet again. I don’t know Illustrator. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874/5 "2015-03-25T00:01:03Z")
I don’t know about CorelDraw, but Inkscape will do what you’re looking for, and it’s free. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874/6 "2015-03-25T19:53:53Z")
Thanks for the mention of Inkscape. I will try it. Concerning Illustrator, the entire point is to not have to spend the money for Illustrator, as it’s the most expensive option. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874/7 "2015-03-26T01:58:30Z")
VectorMagic is by far the best at this (leaps and bounds better than Illustrator’s Live Trace): > **[Vector Magic: Convert JPG, PNG images to SVG, EPS, AI vectors](https://vectormagic.com/)** > > Easily convert JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF bitmap images to SVG, EPS, PDF, AI, DXF vector images with real full-color tracing, online or using the desktop app! Your first 2 conversions are free, and a conversion only counts once you’re satisfied with the trace and are ready to download. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coreldraw-and-its-vector-abilities/715874/8 "2015-03-27T18:54:05Z")
From what I recall of Corel, it can convert pixelated images into vector, but not in the way you want. Say you’re just converting an image of a circle with a red fill to vector. It won’t create a circle path and designate the fill as red. It will instead break the image into a bunch of horizontal line segments and make each a red stroke with no fill. Like Mangetout said, use Inkscape.