In recent years, digital artworks have become a hot topic for anyone looking to profit from non-fungible tokens (NFTs). You can participate in this digital gold rush using Figma. Unlike popular design tools likecanvaandphotoshop, Figma has unique features that can help you quickly scale the digital art space. One of these properties is its ability to track images.
Read on to learn how to quickly track Figma and take advantage of this profitable digital innovation.
Using Figma Fast Image Tracing
Please note that Figma cannot track PNG or JPG photos by default. However, installing the Image Tracer plugin makes it possible for the application to trace images quickly. After that, using Figma’s quick trace is a pretty simple process. While there are many ways to trace an image in Figma, the Vectorize feature within the app’s plugins is the most convenient for quick tracing. The following instructions will help you use Image Tracer:
- Draw an image and photograph it or download an image, launch the Figma app and click the down arrow with a square next to it. You will find it in the top navigation bar.
- Scroll through the drop-down menu and select “Place Image.”
- Locate the image on your PC and click “Open.”
- Navigate your artboard and click the position you want the image to be placed.
- Click the Figma “F” icon in the top left corner to expand the menu, then select “Add-ons” and go to “Find more add-ons.”
- The search results will take you to the “Archive” page.
- Locate the “Plugins” tab next to it to find “Image Tracer” and install it.
- Go back to the “Plugin” p in the menu, select your image, and then choose “Image Tracer.”
- Select “Place Traced Vector” to create a traced image. You can then make any adjustments you prefer to the image.
Additionally, you will only have a few attempts to try the Image Tracer plugin before needing to obtain a license key. You can get it for free with limited options or for as little as $10, depending on the plan you select.
Figma Quick Tracking Plugin Settings
Once you have installed and started the Image Tracer plugin, follow these steps:
- Drag and drop your image file onto the blank canvas. Select the image.
- Choose “Plugins”.
- Click “Image Tracer” to open the plugin.
The new Figma plugin panel will then be displayed with an option to choose between grayscale and color image settings. Features vary with each option. Here’s how each setting works:
- Grayscale: By selecting this color scheme, your image becomes a black and white vector layer.
- Color: This option is perfect for graphic designers looking to transform photographs into colorful vector art.
The Figma Quick Tracking plugin also gives you preview options. You can choose between Original Image, Processed Image, and Traced Vector. Artists can also enable settings like Show Paths, Fade Images, and Show Points. Its functions are as explained below:
- Show points:Displays an overlay of vertices to which the traced vector belongs.
- Show routes:This option allows you to view an overlay of the plotted vector path.
- Faded image:Selecting this option makes the traced path and vertices appear more clearly by fading the photo.
Before quickly tracing the image in Figma, the plugin, by default, changes the photo to black and white. It will then provide you with three attributes to choose from. Below are the properties:
- Invert image: This attribute inverts the plotted image, changing what is black to white and vice versa.
- Blur: If you are looking to achieve a smoother stroke to help relax the resolution details of the image, you should increase the value of this property.
- Limit: This setting determines which parts of the traced image are included in the vector graphic. You will have to keep adjusting them until you get the preferred results. If you get this option right, you can create exceptional works of art.
Why use Figma fast tracking?
Graphics design can be complex and some images can be difficult to work with. Figma’s fast tracking makes them easy to process. Below are some unique cases where quick trace is useful:
- raster images: These types of photos cannot be scaled unless you are willing to compromise on quality. However, using fast tracing turns them into vector images. This allows you to scale the images as you wish without losing quality.
- Retrench of space: Vector images take up little space on your PC compared to raster images. The small size ensures faster processing and improved performance.
Popular Plugins for Fast Tracing in Figma
To quickly convert raster images to vector images, plugins are needed. Installing them makes the conversion process much easier and faster. The plugins listed below are some of the most common.
Image Plotter
This is the most popular Figma plugin for image tracking. It allows you to change photos into vector layers directly. It is perfect for raster images, quick tracing and image redesign.
Vectorize
Vectorize is useful for converting images to vectors. It’s a great design tool for artists looking to transform logos, icons, and other graphics into geometric files.
Remove BG plugin
This is another useful Figma plugin that is designed to remove the background from the image. Makes photo conversion quick and easy.
There are several plugins available for fast tracking in Figma. Image Tracer ranks as one of the most reliable. But you can try several options before deciding on the best one for you.
Figma Quick Crawl Tips
It is the dream of every graphic designer to create excellent works of art. If you’re new to Figma and want to create unique images, this p highlights some tips that can help you perfect your quick trace:
- Image resolution plays an essential role in determining the result of the traced image. When an image is highly pixelated, the vector image will have curved edges. The reason is its sensitivity to the tracking algorithm.
- If you want your traced image to have a high resolution, select “Outline Trace.” Please note that the resulting image will appear in grayscale format.
- Quick Scan uses the original image when you select an image layer. But if you want to use Figma’s quick tracking on a modified photo, you’ll need to frame it and run the plugin in the main frame.
- Images with more than 2 million pixels will be downscaled using the Figma Image Tracer plugin. With this in mind, it’s best to frame the photo you want to use and use the scale tool to resize it. You can then run the plugin in the main framework.
- To view the image being traced, you will need to modify the pop-up options in the drop-down menu from “Original Menu” to “Processed Image.”
Trace images like a pro with Figma
Figma image tracing allows you to convert images to vector graphics quickly. It does all this while maintaining image quality even after resizing. This makes it a useful design tool for creating logos and any other graphics that may be needed in various sizes. Please note that you must avoid any copyright infringement. If an image is copyrighted, contact the copyright holder and request to use it.
How do you plan to use fast tracking in Figma? Share your thoughts with us in the comments p below.
