Laurel wreath vector clone clipart?

[Darren Null]

Does anyone have an identical laurel wreath in vector please? It's for a logo, so it has to be really close, if not identical; yet I'm fairly sure it's from clipart and not drawn for the occasion.

The attached image is all I have to work with and it's embedded in Flash, to make my joy complete. So far it's resisted my attempts to resize; trace; and draw over....there's just not enough of it and the feathering adds distortions to automated attempts; whilst line thickness is messing me up trying to do it manually.

I can make it big and guess where the edges are for manual drawing; but thought I'd try here first.

Thanks.

[Mike Null]

You may be able to manipulate these.

Well, for some reason I can't find the files it says I loaded.

[Mike Null]

Darren

try here.

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1143270#post1143270

[Mark Ross]

God I love Inkscape...and it's free to boot...look at this file. I didn't bother to invert it, but it is scalable now.

[Darren Null]

Thanks for trying Mike. Unfortunately, it's for a logo, so has to be really close. Chances my client would never notice, but I'd know.

I'm resigned to manually going over an enlarged version of what I have now...apart from nuking it from orbit; it's the only other way to be sure...

EDIT: And thanks Mark. Inkscape was the first thing I tried, too, but I didn't like the chunky edges on the results.

[Mark Ross]

Darren,

The one I posted, I went in and blew it up just a minute ago in Corel to 40 inches, and I am not seeing any chunkiness...everything has very smooth lines. Where are you seeing it?

[Darren Null]

Perhaps chunky was the wrong word. The trace is close, but it does have a certain blobbiness that you get when trying to trace a too-small graphic. If it was just for a site graphic, it'd be fine; but it's a logo, so has to be perfect as you never know if it'll need to be put on the side of a lorry or something similar.

[Dee Gallo]

Darren,

Maybe this will do? I saved it v.10 just in case.

:) dee

[Darren Null]

Thanks for the try Dee. Corel X5 centerline trace?

[Dee Gallo]

No gots, Darren, but here is the original ink drawing if you want to try it.

cheers, dee

[Darren Null]

Ink drawing? No fair using actual talent.

I haven't got X5 either. Not one of the chosen. We were obviously too highly tuned to be accepted for the testing. I suppose Corel had to make it idiot-proof....:D:D:D

I've nearly finished clipping round the edges. I would have finished hours ago if I hadn't devoted so much time trying to find an easy way....

[Rodne Gold]

Have a look in your clipart under crests - 1000's of laurel wreaths there - country crests , armed forces crests etc all use wreaths , you might find the right one there.

[Dee Gallo]

Maybe one the CHOSEN will deign to help out!

[Darren Null]

I've nearly finished it now. The only hope of getting a quality copy with no effort was somebody having the exact same one in their clipart collection....looking on the net; there's billions of laurel wreaths.

I sincerely doubt that Corel's trace function has improved enough in X5 to cope with it...there's not enough image there to work with and the feathering throws off any automation I've thrown at it.

[Dee Gallo]

Okay, so I traced it with Inkscape and the results are good - but I can't upload it here... invalid file format. Try it!

[Darren Null]

First thing I tried, but it comes out just a little too blobby for me to use it for a logo. If the image was half the size again, it might be good enough.

Ah well, I needed the bezier tool practise, anyway.

[Dee Gallo]

DUH. This has been a good exercise for me - I haven't had the need to import svg into CD - but here it is... I know, you're probably done with yours, but what the heck.

Oh, I made mine extra big, so it would look better when reduced.

:D dee

[Darren Null]

Finally finished! Dunno whether that was worth it or not. It's not significantly better than your Inkscape version Dee. Ah well. It's definitely done now.

Thanks everyone.

[Dee Gallo]

grrr - my copy came out a blank page. But I'm sure you did a great job, so congrats on finishing it!

[Steve Clarkson]

As a Chosen one.....here is my best effort.....I blew it up to 40" and then traced. I think I left the old trace on there.....so check everything.

Well, my security token is broken, so it won't let me upload. If you send me your e-mail address, I'll e-mail it to you.

[Dee Gallo]

But did it work like magic or what?

[Steve Clarkson]

It came out alot better than it would have in X4......but I think the key was enlarging it with that new program......when I traced Darren's original image, it didn't come out very well.....but then I enlarged it and traced it and it came out much better. I think that enlargement program improved the image somehow.........

[Darren Null]

Be interesting to see how X5 does Steve, thanks. darren(at)lasered.info

The second thing I tried -after Inkscape came out a little blobby for my tastes- was giving it some in Smilla Enlarger. Usually works, but the high contrast and feathering defeated Smilla in this case.