Sorry for the very basic question but I am just now using Inkscapre (or any program like this at all really) and just trying to figure out the best way to use it. I have an image that I have drawn in pencil and went over with a sharpie. I scanned it and imported it into used the trace bitmap option and it did make a vector image. Too good of a vector image, it shows up all my slight imperfections with the sharpie. Is there a way to get it to be a bit more basic with the vectors so that there are more solid straight lines instead of my imperfections? Or do I just need to do it in pencil and try it? Sorry if this is a stupid question, just trying to figure out what I can and can not do with my own artistic limitations with a powerful tool like Inkscape.

Now I haven't seen your image so my assumption might be wrong. I guess that it will involve less work to redraw from scratch rather than manually "straighten it up" or so to speak.

Hi.
Solid straight lines?
Sounds you could trace it over manually for a better result.
The trace bitmap option is not the best way to have an accurate image.

There are a number of tutorials presented here, to get the flow.
This may help.

I thoroughly recommend following the links that Lazur provided

A couple of things to try though:

1) Try tracing a lower or higher resolution scan. Higher resolution gets all the fine details, so corners are better preserved, but lumps and bumps prevail. Lower resolution can sometimes smooth out the bumps a bit, but might also lose some important details. Depending on the image, you might be able to combine bits from both.

2) Try Path > Simplify. This might reduce the lumps and bumps, or at least reduce the number of nodes you have to deal with, but again it can lose the fine detail. Unfortunately there's no way to selectively apply it to only a part of the path.


If you can post a representative image here, we might be able to give you better advice. With some images it's quicker and easier to do a manual trace, whereas others are worth the effort to tidy up an auto-trace.

awesome, thanks for the comments and help from everyone! I am going to try the trace it and see how it comes out. It's not too complicated of an image so I should be able to manage it.

Another trick that might work -- helps clean up rough edges. After you import the line/pen drawing, blur it some, before you do the trace. It sort of tricks the trace engine, so it doesn't see ragged edges. You'll probably have to experiment with the many setting and options, to get it just right.

Also, here's a tutorial that explains one way to go from paper to Inkscape. It's a bit dated, I guess, but still good info. http://harishankar.org/blog/entry.php/w ... e-software

There's a great forum topic too, on this subject, but I just can't seem to find it