How to Make Vector Grunge
After my “50 Free Vector Grunge Corners” post, I got a lot of responses asking how to make vector grunge. Well, I’m going to show you exactly how, and trust me, anyone can do it. It’s not as hard as you might think, thanks to InkScape (free).
Overview:
In order to easily make intricate grunge shapes, we are essentially going use a picture and trace the patterns and edges using a vector graphics software tool (InkScape). Althought this IS possible to do using Illustrator’s “Live Trace,” In my opinion, InkScape leaves Illustrator in the dust as far as tracing goes (Score: Adobe-0, Open Source-1, let the battle continue!).
I have provided everything you need for this tutorial, except for InkScape itself.
First things First:
Like I said, you can also follow along in Illustrator using Live Trace, but I highly recommend using Inkscape. Download it here and install it.
(Not sure if this is true for PC users, but . . .) Once you install InkScape you might get an error saying you need a program called “X11″ in order for InkScape to work. If you get this error (which you probably will with a Mac) here are some instructions on how to install X11 (also Free).
Lets Get Started:
Now that you have InkScape up and running, we can get started making some quick and easy vector grunge shapes in a matter of seconds. First, download this image that I will be using for the tutorial so you can follow along. (I took this picture myself in my basement, so no copyright is involved here)
Includes: – JPG (2)
1. Open your grunge image in Photoshop.
This is the image we will get our vector shapes from, so we need to make sure there is enough contrast in the image itself, in order for Inkscape to find some detailed edges. If your image already has enough contrast, you can skip the next few steps. Here is what our original image looks like in Photoshop:
2. Take up the contrast of your image
In Photoshop, go to “Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast” and take up the contrast on your image a little. (Again, only if it needs it)
Our image after upping the contrast: (save it)
3. Open Inkscape and Import your adjusted grunge image
4. Now you should see your grunge image on the InkScape artboard:
5. Keep your image selected and go to “Path > Trace Bitmap.”
6. Trace your image to make the vector grunge.
You will have plenty of options to play with in this window, but for learning purposes just keep the default settings for now. You can go back later and try thousands of combinations.
7. Click OK to trace your image
Click “OK” and InkScape will trace the image (could take a few seconds depending on complexity) and place the vector grunge shapes on top of the original image, like this:
8. Separate the vector shapes from the image
Once you have your vector grunge shapes on top, drag them aside and delete the original image so you can save your shapes as a vector file.
9. Save your new vector grunge!
After you delete the image you traced, and all you have left is the grunge vector shapes, you are ready to save. Go to “File > Save As.”
10. Choose your file type
I always save as “Plain SVG” when saving, because I can easily open SVG Files in Illustrator, but you can save as whatever file type that’s most convenient to you.
Download the finished file:
Includes: – AI (2) EPS (1) SVG (1) PNG (1)
Using your Vector Grunge
There are lots of ways to use the grunge shapes after you’ve gotten this far, but I have a post on Illustrator’s “Pathfinder” that might be helpful in expanding your horizons when dealing with complex paths.
Tips for exploring this on your own:
1. Experiment with InkScape’s Trace Bitmap Options to see what results you can get.
2. Don’t get to complex in a single file. While you are tracing, try to separate your vector grunge files as much as possible. Each trace can contain hundreds, if not thousands of individual shapes. If you trace multiple images and save all of the vector shapes in a single file, illustrator will have trouble handling the load. Try saving each trace as it’s own file.
3. Trace at a decent size. If you trace a small image and scale it way up, your “grunge” will start to look jagged. It’s better to trace a decent sized image to get the best detail.
4. After tracing multiple images, make custom grunge by overlapping and combining/subtracting paths and shapes. Read my post on Pathfinder for details.
5. Always rename your original vector grunge file before you change it. Or keep a backup copy somewhere on your hard drive.
[...] How to Make Vector Grunge [...]
Another great Bittbox article!
I’m glad to see someone else is using Inkscape – it’s a great little app and the fact that you can use it in Windows, LInux and OSX makes it even better!
To install Inkscape on windows you only need download the latest version.
Thanks for the great free stuff and the tutorials – please keep it up!
You can also do tip 4 (creating custom grunges from the same image) in Inksape itself, just go to the path menu, probably the most useful are union and difference.
I haven’t used any of your techniques yet, but I just enjoy checking out all your new posts. Very cool/generous of you to share your knowledge with the rest of us. Easy enough for anyone to make a cool layout with all the stuff you’ve shown. Thanks a lot.
Didn’t know that Incscape has such a good trace…
Thank you so much!
Thanks for the tip in InkScape. I have had little time to play with it and I appreciate the sharing.
I agree, the trace is really worth a look into. I have used it for a number of projects and I liked the results better than Illustrators tracing.
Nice to see a tutorial done in Inkscape rather than Illustrator for a change.
I’m new to vector graphics, don’t have access to Illustrator and find that tutorials don’t translate as well between the two as, say, those for Photoshop translated to Gimp (although that could be just lack of knowledge) so its much appreciated – but all your posts are interesting nevertheless.
Keep up the good work.
Ah, finally an inkscape tutorial :)
Nice work.
Couldn’t you pull this off with illustrator’s Live Trace?
@work now so I can’t try it, but I’ve messed with it before and I know it does similar. This feature has been in flash for a while, and it always baffled me that they didn’t get it into illustrator until CS1….
Yes, technically you could do this in Illustrator, but like I mentioned, InkScape’s Trace options are much more advanced and easier to use in my opinion. I think you get a better result with InkScape, plus, not everyone has Illustrator CS2, and InkScape is Free.
~BittBox
how did i not know about inkscape before now???? i must have been blinded by the “adobe” light
cheers for the very interesting and generous posts
keep on rocking
[...] http://www.bittbox.com/illustrator/how-to-make-vector-grunge/ [...]
Yepp, I like the traceing of Inkscape myself! In Wwindows there is no need to run an other app to work with inkscape. I use it also with my students in school – simple and has a lot of features. so, thanks for the post!
I just noticed your tutorial on pixel2life.com – I just finished my own grunge tutorial for Inkscape and was submitting it. If you want to use the grunge path as a brush, you can actually skip the Photoshop pre-processing and play with the Trace Bitmap settings to get the kind of contrast you’re looking for.
Thanks for posting this tutorial.
Here is my tutorial:
http://foreach.awardspace.com/random/inkscape-three.html
I’ll have to look into Inkscape. I’ve only used Live Trace until now. We’ll see how they compare.
Thanks for the information, big help?!
Illustration?s Question: how do I generate/add vectors to an image I pick from a simple JPG or any other graphic figure that appears as one ?block?, no vectors?
Thanks,
Asher
I’m not sure what you mean by that Asher? Can you email me an example or something?
contact@bittbox.com
~Bitt
[...] BittBoxx’s Vector Grunge tutorial?- First tutorial on his site thats inkscape over illustrator, cos our tracings better several of his others are easily doable in inkscape, and he has svg as an option on most of the downloads. [...]
this is STUIPID i dont get how to do it or anything you should make it EASY!!!
How do you install downloaded vectors in illustrator?
excellent resource! thanks for the tips.
Hi!
Im just wondering, cause I’ve got it working and I managed to trace it in to an pathfilled svg. But how can I get it to open up in Illustrator as a picture?
Its just opening iteself as a papersheet with code on it.
Regards, Veronika
Thanks Ur
Sunil
Thanks a lot!! ~^0^~
It appears that the link to the finished file does not work anymore. Just a heads up.. thanks for the great work keep it up!
[...] How to Make Vector Grunge Tutorial [...]
This is great. I love Go Media and their arsenals are great, but with this and the vector halftone tutorial, those are two less sets of stock i’ll have to buy. great stuff on this site. keep it up!
Hey i can’t save it to the format i want =( i want to save as jpg but there is no available options to select that format plz help :p
Can I install Inkscape on Tiger if I don’t have the Tiger Install Disk?
[...] 1.Creating a Grunge Style Vector in Illustrator [...]
@zhen Inkscape only saves in vector formats such as SVG. You need to export the image as a bitmap before it can be saved as a JPEG.
1. In Inkscape, go to File —> Export Bitmap.
2. Save your image as a PNG i.e. yourfilename.png
3. Open yourfilename.png in your raster graphics editor i.e. The GIMP, Photoshop, etc. and save the PNG file as a JPEG i.e. yourfilename.jpg
Han ampliado mucho mi campo creativo!!!con las ideas que aportan, nos ayudan a progresar en nuestro trabajo.
Muchisimas gracias.
Thanks for pointing out this great resource and sharing your files. Very helpful!
Neat! Although I think the attached .zip file has disappeared…
[...] How to Make Vector Grunge Tutorial [...]
Thank you, its easy
hey can this also be done in Photoshop CS4 at all???
??????????
Thailand.
Thanks so much for this tutorial! I’ve been looking all over for an Inkscape tutorial on how to create a vector. Very well done :)
Thank you so much for sharing your great talent dude, this I really a great help to all aspiring web and graphic designers. Keep it up and share more nice ideas. Your cool dude.