How do I make the outline of a traced image all the same width?

[Dan Taglia]

How do I make the outline of a traced image all the same width?

[Ton Frederiks]

In this example you cannot, too much noise in your line.

Manually tracing with the pen tool will give the cleanest results.

[Monika Gause]

You could trace this just normally. Then release the compound path, delete one of the paths and then apply Object > Path > Offset path to the other path.

You could also try if it works tracing this as a stroke.

[Ton Frederiks]

I tried both approaches but they result in a mess. The image and the line is not clean and contains too much noise.

[Monika Gause]

Just drawing it will be the best. But I think it's doable

https://youtu.be/PUv-cQN6XG4 

[Ton Frederiks]

Yes it is doable with a lot of work and knowledge.

If you know how to do this, you probably also know how the pen tool works.

[Dan Taglia]

Wow!!!  Thank you for your quick response.   I think you did exactly what I need to do, but I can't follow it on your YouTube because it's in German, I think.  I'm in the U.S.What I'm trying to accomplish is being able to trace a shape, convert it to a vector, then change it to a SVG file so I can use it on my laser cutter.  I need a fine clean line.    Is there a way to trace a new line over the one we're working on here?
All the best,     DanDan Taglia (link removed by moderator)

[Monika Gause]

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@Dan Taglia  schrieb:

 because it's in German, I think. 

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Yes that is German.

Bildnachzeichner = Image Trace (Window menu)

Vereinfachen = Simplify (Object menu)

Zusammengesetzter Pfad = Compound path (Object menu)

The method will only work on simple shapes. As soon as you have lines that cross or meet, it will fail.

[Jacob Bugge]

Dan,

"What I'm trying to accomplish is being able to trace a shape, convert it to a vector, then change it to a SVG file so I can use it on my laser cutter."

Presuming that your preferred workflow is to draw things by hand and then convert it using Live Trace , also for future tasks, it is really worth starting out in the right way.

Firstly, a pen with a strong solid line would give a completely different basis for the tracing. The appearance of the line in this case varies greatly between strong and (very) faint.

Secondly, a(n almost) fully white/uniform background would remove (almost all) the unnecessary cleanup outside the actual drawn line and at the same time further improve the tracing of the line by allowing a much greater range of trace settings, not least the Threshold (Schwelle), maybe obtained with a reasonable/good scanner or with better lighting in connexion with photos. The background has a conspicuos colour transition and is far from white, the colour of the nearest parts (too) close to the faintest parts of the line.