How to turn a picture to a dxf file

[POPS 64]

hello , can anyone tell me ho to turn a picture into a dfx file so it can be turned into a v carve tool path. thanks

[Brady Watson]

Import your picture into V-Carve or Aspire & trace it out using the polyline tool and node editing. The vectors need to be closed in order to work with the v-carve toolpath strategy. There's no shortcut...it takes actual work.

-B

[steve_g]

A high contrast photo, B&W illustration or silhouette can be brought into the “trace bitmap” tool. It’s more luck than skill when you get something you can use. Sometimes, as Brady said, it takes work… Even if it’s just trying to clean up what you got from the trace tool…
SG

[Burkhardt]

If you pre-process the image e.g. in Photoshop with a Cartoon style filter and/or edge filter you *sometimes* have a better chance of getting something out of the bitmap trace in Vcarve.

[Brady Watson]

Tracing it is one thing. Preparing it for v-carving is another. If the image, such as a line drawing that is a collection of closed shapes, then it is a lot easier. However, if you have to start with a general image without obvious breaks in the design that make it easy to draw closed vectors, then it can take quite a bit of time depending on the complexity of the drawing.

The process starts with tracing. Then begin closing the shapes to yield the v-carve incisions. Then do a toolpath preview - adjust as necessary - rinse & repeat.

-B

[POPS 64]

Thanks for the info guys I seen a picture of a piece and the note said that was how it was done so thought I'd give it a try. This is what they came up with from there picture

[steve_g]

That image was almost certainly a line drawing or clip art. That type of bitmap is very easy to convert to vectors… what you do with it later makes more difference!
I’ve taken a random clipart image of a turkey and converted it to vectors, No additional vector work was done.
I’ve V-carved it, V-carved with a ball nose bit and v-carved it with a limited depth. I did these on the original vectors and reversed the image by drawing an offset perimeter around it.
These small changes make a lot of difference in the end result! Play with tool and see what you get!
SG

[POPS 64]

Steve thanks for all the info I appreciate all the help . I actually use alot of clipart thought maybe photo's could be something cool to try . I 've only used photos for litho's. I've seen photo carvings on wood but haven't tried it yet.
jeff

[steve_g]

Jeff...
Have you seen the “halftoner” software by Jason Dorie?
http://jasondorie.com/page_cnc.html (http://jasondorie.com/page_cnc.html)
SG

[POPS 64]

no I spend alot of time on litho's . Have never heard of it before I'll check it out always looking to try something new. thanks