Bitmap outline in five steps
From a flat bitmap to a cutting path you can send, in one dialog. The quality of the result is decided in step 2 — everything after that is adjustment.
Before you start
Outline tracing works on pixels, so the source image matters more than any setting:
- Use the largest original you have. A 600 px logo will trace into a rough outline no matter what you choose.
- Remove the background, or make sure it is a solid, clearly different colour.
- Crop to a single object. Tracing a whole catalogue page produces thousands of useless paths.
The five steps
- Select the bitmap in CorelDRAW and start the outline tool.
- Choose a preset — fine, standard or bold — matching how thick the source strokes are.
- Preview. The preview is the real result, not an approximation. Look for gaps and stray specks here.
- Adjust threshold if edges moved: raise it to include more pixels, lower it to drop faint ones.
- Confirm. The curves land back in your document next to the original bitmap.
Speed tipDelete or move the source bitmap before sending. It is not a path, but it doubles the file size and confuses the preview.
After tracing
The result is a group of curves, editable like anything you draw by hand. Before sending, check three things: the outline is closed, holes survived, and no duplicated paths sit on top of each other. If lines look broken, read Broken or rough outlines.
Next
Add marks and arrange the sheet, then send the PLT.