How to Get Professional Graphics for Free - Unbelievable Trick!

MARC A.M
22 Mar 202307:53

TLDRIn this informative video, the host demonstrates how to transform regular photos into single-color vector images suitable for laser engraving, using Inkscape and Photoshop. The process begins with removing the photo's background using photoroom.com, then importing it into Photoshop. The image is stylized with oil paint and poster edges filters to create a cartoon-like effect. Further adjustments are made with hue, saturation, and posterization to achieve a two-color image. The final step involves merging layers and using Inkscape's trace bitmap feature to finalize the vector image. The video is a quick guide for those interested in creating professional graphics for free.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 Use Inkscape, a free program, to convert photos into single-color vector images suitable for laser engraving.
  • 🖼️ Photoshop or its online version, photopea.com, can also be used for image manipulation.
  • 🔍 Search for images using Google and refine them using photoroom.com to remove backgrounds automatically.
  • 📏 Set the image size and resolution in Photoshop for better quality, aiming for 150 DPI.
  • 🖌️ Use the Oil Paint filter in Photoshop to give the image a painted effect without distorting important details.
  • 📐 Apply the Poster Edges filter to sharpen lines and create a more vector-like appearance.
  • 🧵 Adjust the Edge Thickness and Posterization levels to fine-tune the image's stylized look.
  • 🖥️ Experiment with the Surface filter to add a cartoon-like effect to the image.
  • 🔍 Utilize the Unsharp Mask to enhance the image's clarity and make details pop.
  • 🎛️ Adjust Hue, Saturation, and Levels to achieve a black and white or minimalist color effect.
  • 🌈 Use the Posterize option to simplify the image to a set number of colors, typically two for a single-color vector look.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is how to convert photos into single-color vector images for use with laser engraving and similar applications.

  • Which software is mentioned for converting photos into vector images?

    -Inkscape and Photoshop are mentioned, with an online browser version of Photoshop called photope.com also being referenced.

  • What is the first step in the process described in the video?

    -The first step is to remove the background from the photo, which can be done using a tool like photoroom.com.

  • How does the video suggest removing the watermark from a free image?

    -The video suggests using Photoshop to remove the watermark from a free image.

  • What is the purpose of using the 'Oil Paint' filter in Photoshop?

    -The 'Oil Paint' filter is used to give the image an oil-painted look without distorting important details like eyes.

  • What is the 'Poster Edges' filter used for in the process?

    -The 'Poster Edges' filter is used to sharpen the lines in the image, creating a more defined and stylized look.

  • How does the 'Blue and Surface Blue' filter affect the image?

    -The 'Blue and Surface Blue' filter adds a blue tint to the image, giving it a more cartoon-like effect.

  • What is the 'Unsharp Mask' filter used for?

    -The 'Unsharp Mask' filter is used to sharpen the image, making the details pop out more clearly.

  • How can the final image be adjusted for color and lightness?

    -The final image can be adjusted using the 'Hue/Saturation' and 'Levels' settings to control the lightness and color intensity.

  • What is the 'Posterize' function used for?

    -The 'Posterize' function is used to reduce the number of colors in the image, which can help to simplify the design.

  • How can additional blacks and whites be added to the image?

    -Additional blacks and whites can be added by creating a new layer, setting it to 'Overlay' mode, and then painting with black or white on the desired areas.

  • What is the final step in the process described in the video?

    -The final step is to merge all the layers into one, copy the image, and then paste it into Inkscape to convert it into a vector format using the 'Trace Bitmap' tool.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Converting Photos to Vector Images for Engraving

The video begins with the host introducing the topic of converting photos into single-color vector images suitable for laser engraving. The process involves using Inkscape, a free program, and optionally Photoshop or its online version, photopea.com. The host demonstrates how to remove the background of a photo using photoroom.com, which simplifies the process compared to manual removal in Photoshop. The image is then imported into Photoshop, where the size and resolution are adjusted. The host guides viewers through using various filters like Oil Paint, Poster Edges, and Blur to achieve a stylized, vector-like appearance. The image is further refined with adjustments to Hue and Saturation and Posterization to finalize the single-color effect.

05:01

🛠️ Final Touches and Merging Layers in Photoshop

After achieving the desired vector-like effect, the host discusses further adjustments using Levels and Hue/Saturation to refine the image contrast and colors. The goal is to create a black and white image with minimal color distractions. The host suggests experimenting with Lightness and Levels sliders to get the perfect look. To add more depth, a new layer is added with an Overlay effect, where a brush can be used to darken or lighten specific parts of the image. Finally, all layers are merged, and the image is copied and pasted into Inkscape for the trace bitmap process, which converts the image into a vector format. The host concludes with a reminder to subscribe and engage with the content, inviting viewers to request future video topics.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Inkscape

Inkscape is a free and open-source vector graphics editor used for creating and editing vector images, such as scalable graphics for web and print. In the video, it is mentioned as a tool to convert photos into single-color vector images that can be used for laser engraving.

💡Photoshop

Photoshop is a widely used image and photo-editing software developed by Adobe Inc. It offers a variety of sophisticated tools for editing and enhancing digital images. The video script refers to using Photoshop for advanced image manipulation, including removing backgrounds and stylizing images to create vector-like graphics.

💡Photo P

Photo P is an online browser version of Photoshop, which allows users to access similar editing capabilities without needing to install the full software. It is mentioned as an alternative for users who do not have a copy of Photoshop, and it is used in the video to demonstrate the image editing process.

💡Vector Graphics

Vector graphics are images created with algorithms that define basic shapes and their properties, such as color and width of an outline. They are resolution-independent and can be scaled to any size without losing quality. The video is focused on converting photos into vector-like images for specific uses like laser engraving.

💡Laser Engraving

Laser engraving is a technique that uses a laser to engrave or etch designs into materials. It is mentioned in the video as one of the potential uses for the single-color vector images created from photos, indicating the practical application of the editing process.

💡Background Removal

Background removal is the process of taking the background out of an image, leaving only the subject. In the video, the presenter uses a website called Photoroom.com to automatically remove the background from a pet portrait image to prepare it for further editing.

💡Image Resolution

Image resolution refers to the number of pixels that make up an image, which affects its clarity and quality. The video discusses adjusting the resolution to 150 to improve the image quality for the editing process without making the file too large.

💡Oil Paint Filter

The oil paint filter is a feature in image editing software that applies a stylized effect to an image, making it resemble an oil painting. In the video, this filter is used to give the image a painterly texture before further manipulation.

💡Poster Edges

Poster edges is a filter that emphasizes the edges in an image, making it appear more like a poster or a cartoon. It is used in the video to sharpen the lines of the image and create a more stylized, graphic look.

💡Unsharp Mask

Unsharp mask is a technique in image editing that sharpens the details of an image by increasing the contrast along its edges. The video demonstrates using this technique to make the image details 'pop' after applying various filters.

💡Hue Saturation

Hue saturation is a setting in image editing that allows users to adjust the color tones and intensity in an image. In the context of the video, it is used to convert the image to black and white and then to tweak the lightness levels to achieve the desired monochromatic effect.

Highlights

The video provides a method to convert photos into single color vector images for laser engraving.

Inkscape, a free program, is used along with Photoshop for the conversion process.

Photoshop can be accessed online through photop.com for those without a copy.

A pet portrait from Google is used as an example image.

Photoroom.com is recommended for automatically removing image backgrounds.

The free version of Photoroom provides a low resolution image, with a watermark that can be removed in Photoshop.

The image is opened in Photoshop and settings are adjusted for size and resolution.

A selection of the image layer is made using Ctrl+click, followed by masking.

The Oil Paint filter is applied to give the image a stylized, painted look.

Poster Edges filter is used to sharpen lines and define edges.

Adjustments are made to the image using the Filter Gallery for a cartoon-like effect.

Unsharp Mask is applied to enhance the sharpness of the image.

Levels, Hue/Saturation, and Posterize adjustments are made to achieve a two-color effect.

Additional manual adjustments can be made using layer blending modes and brush tools for fine-tuning.

All layers are merged and copied into Inkscape for vector conversion.

Inkscape's Trace Bitmap feature is used to convert the image into a vector format.

The final step is to apply the Trace Bitmap settings and complete the conversion.

The video offers a quick and easy method for creating professional graphics for free.