Hello

I am a new user and wanting to learn how to remove color from SVG images and turn them into a transparent image with a black outline.  I have tried several different ways and come out with 3 different results.  However, my first two results (which I attached as images a. and b.) I am not able to replicate and I am going crazy.

What I have found that works is either of the two options:  1. Open the file, select the objects, go to Path and Select stroke to path.   OR 2. Open the file, select the objects, press white color from color bar below, choose a black stroke and adjust to desired width, under the fill tab: slide the transparency line to remove the white fill color.

The issue I am having is that either method above is showing all the structural lines, if that makes sense, see the first image (transparent_c.) I attached.  

What I would like to see is the 2nd image I attached (transparent_a.) but I cannot seem to replicate this a 2nd time!!  I cannot also not replicate the image I attached called transparent_b.

The original SVG I downloaded from Vecteezy and opened in Affinity Publisher and cropped out the image onto a transparent background and saved out as an SVG.  I have attached both of these files as well.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank You!

Hi kwcreative,

If you already have an svg file, maybe you can share it here for us to see how it is constructed.

1. The quick&dirty way to reproduce no1 is to have the original svg and make all the fill colours white.
   So you do not see the extra lines of the structure.
   
   Then you make a bitmapcopy with the menu > edit > make a bitmap copy.
   Then you end up with your number one png file, with a white background.
   
   After that, you trace the bitmap copy with menu > path > trace bitmap.
   Make sure to check the option remove background.
   
   If the bitmap copy is too pixelised, you can adjust its settings in the preferences. I can explain that, if you want to.
   It depends what you want to do with the svg file. If you look closely, you see that all the black outlines in the trace are double lines.
   That is not very neat.
    
2. A different approach is to use the bucket tool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGsl_vrV3kw

Are you trying to get something like this?

Edit:

I've opened the original image from Vecteezy in GIMP, then used posterization (Colors -> Posterize) and then used bitmap tracing in Inkscape.

Hi there,
I cannot read Vikyr's anser yet, as it is still under moderation.

If you install Ghostscript, you can import the original eps file into Inkscape. I found the file online, so I know it is an eps file.
You do not need Affinity etc. for it.

Hi Kirstie

Thank you for your step by step guidance.  I am not sure why the original files from Vecteezy didn’t attach in my OP.  I see you commented that you found the original eps file.  I have yet to Install Ghostscript as you mentioned.

I was able to follow your first method above.  I used the edge detection under the trace bitmap step, I assume this is correct.

I would like the dog to look like the image that VIKYR posted above.

1.       How do I remove the line down the center of his face?

2.       How do I remove the shadow under his chin?

I added in the final step to make the dog transparent:

I opened the Bitmap copy.  I went to menu > path > trace bitmap. Clicked off colors, unticked smooth, ticked off stack scans and remove background. Viola the image was transparent.

Thank You

Hello Vikyr

Thank you for your guidance as well.  Yes, that is what I would like!

1. Can I get something like that directly in Inkscape?  I am guessing not or you would have shown me.  

2. When I go to open the SVG in GIMP, why does it say a resolution of 90? This doesn't matter for a vector image and so I don't need to put in 300dpi before I open, correct?

3. How do I get ride of shadow under his chin?

4. How do I export the image as an SVG or PNG from Gimp?  I cannot save out the image from Gimp.

5. Some of my lines were faded around his left ear and under his mouth was missing.  How do I get a good quality like yours.

Thanks

Hello

After following your first Method Kirstie, I can no longer export any files as a PNG from Inkscape.  I keep getting the error message "The chosen area to be exported is invalid".  I closed the program and reopened but that did help.  Any idea on how to fix this?

Thanks

Hi kwcreative,

First an answer to your last question. I think maybe there is nothing selected. Look at the export as png menu before you click on the export button.
What is selected? How big is the area that you export?

----

As you said that you are new to Inkscape.. Maybe you can follow some of the tutorials on the basic principles.
So you know what a path is, what nodes are. How to edit those.
There are tutorials under menu > help > tutorials.
To delete the shadow under the chin, that is very easy if you work with the original eps file.

If you learn how to edit paths, some of the answers to your questions will follow.
I have explained the way to trace, but not the more usual way to edit paths.
If you want to work with vectors, editing paths is something to learn.
And you have an eps file, which consist of beautiful vectors.

-------

But this drawing is still a bit difficult to edit, as you want black lines with no fill colour.
Can you tell me what the reason is, what you want to do with the transparent background?
Then I know what technique to advise you to.

Have a nice weekend!

Thank you Kirstie.

I will take a look at those tutorials, thank you for suggesting.

I had my husband uninstall and reinstall inkscape and that fixed the problem to be able to export as a PNG. 

The reason I would like the images transparent is so that I can put them on top of a grid to create a learn to draw book.

You have a nice weekend as well!

Hi!

1. I've tried to edit it exclusively in Inkscape and it's definitely possible, however, it's all about path editing, so it's more complicated and time-consuming, at least for me. Please consider a fact, that I am not some kind of Inkscape guru 😇

I find that little help from GIMP more effective - Posterize in GIMP, tracing in Inkscape, and work is done. If you're curious how to do it entirely in Inkscape, check those path editing tutorials and in case you were lost, feel free to send me a message, I could record some video for you 😉 If you're willing to try doing it in Inkscape, don't forget to select and ungroup that *.eps downloaded from Vecteezy, you can delete everything you don't need including that under-chin shadow then.

2. I don't know, sorry.

3. Posterizing in GIMP has eliminated it.

4. File -> Export As...

5. I don't know why some of your paths are missing 😕 my picture is the result of tracing in Inkscape after posterizing in GIMP (posterize levels: 3)

Good luck! I hope that my answer makes sense! Sorry for my bad English 😇

Hi VIkyr

The easier and quicker the method, the better for me too!

I would love if you could make a video on how you achieved the image you posted above as I am obviously still doing something incorrect.  That is so nice of you to offer! I do much better with videos to follow :)

Thank you

Hello, you can watch that promised video here:

https://youtu.be/YlH0WtuiSJ8

I would probably: 

• Ungroup the EPS and select the face
• Invert the selection and delete the other faces
• Delete the shadow
• Combine the ears and send to back
• Union the head
• Union the snout
• Union the nose
• Make all the objects white with a black stroke.

Hi Tyler, yep, it's possible to do it that way, but you didn't choose transparent fill. Once you do that, paths of all objects will be visible, so there are a few extra steps needed.

I didn't want to confuse Kwcreative as a new user with Union and Difference, so I made it that dirty GIMP way. I admit, that method using path editing is way more cleaner.

kwcreative

The reason I would like the images transparent is so that I can put them on top of a grid to create a learn to draw book. You have a nice weekend as well!

Hi Kwcreative,
If you want to make a book, I think it would be wise to learn some of the basic skills in Inkscape.
You can easily draw a grid on top of any image, so the original image Doesn't have to be transparent either.
You can just make the outlines black and the fill colour white, like Tyler showed you.
That would speed things up in your process.

A grid you can make with the pen/ bezier tool. Press this button for straight lines.

If you need to know where to draw the lines, with even spacing, you can (de)activate a drawing grid in Inkscape with the # button on your keyboard.
This grid will not show up when you print it, but is only a drawing aid in Inkscape.

Kirstie

You can easily draw a grid on top of any image, so the original image Doesn't have to be transparent either.

Precisely.

There are grid generating extensions too. 

TD

Thank you everyone!

I was able to create a transparent table as well :)