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Participant
January 13, 2025
Question

Converting paths to a single stroke

  • January 13, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 1744 views

Hi there, this may have already been asked but I have a PNG vector icon that I want to convert to a single stroke image.

The process that I am doing at the moment is:

  1. Open the PNG file in Illustrator (current version 29.2) > select the image > Object > Image Trace > Make & Expand.
  2. I then open my layers and remove any white paths (because I don’t need them) and I’m left with a compound path (see below image).

 

For my project, I want there to be no fill and the outline to be a single line outline. I want my final image to look exactly like the compound path image but a single line.

 

If I swap the fill and outline it gives me the outline of the compound path (see below) – which I don’t want. I want just one line to create the image – Can this be done in Illustrator? I’m trying to avoid drawing the shape manually if I can.

 

 

 

 

3 replies

barbara_a7746676
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 13, 2025

I agree with Monika. You prefer to avoid drawing the shape manually, but sometimes, as in this case, that is the fastest and best method.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 13, 2025

You can safely forget that. Tose are just some simple shapes and straight lines. Just draw it.

barbara_a7746676
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 13, 2025

The Image Trace > Line Art setting will give you a single line. However, Illustrator doesn't always give the results you might want using that setting.