Vector Graphics
Topic: raster to vector path tracing
How Raster-to-Vector Path Tracing Works: Inside the Algorithm
Elena Rostova
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1 min read
Discover how bitmap pixels are transformed into mathematical Bézier curves and scalable SVG geometry.
What is Raster-to-Vector Tracing?
Raster images represent visual data as a discrete grid of pixels. Vector graphics store images as mathematical coordinates: lines, curves, polygons, and fills.
The Vectorization Pipeline
1. Color Quantization: Grouping millions of RGB colors into a distinct, manageable palette using k-means or median-cut algorithms.
2. Contour Extraction: Utilizing Marching Squares or border following to trace boundary edges between contrasting color zones.
3. Curve Optimization: Simplifying zigzag coordinate sequences into smooth cubic Bézier splines via the Ramer-Douglas-Peucker algorithm.