Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Learn how to vectorize flat artwork in Affinity (v3) using the built-in Image Trace feature. If you’re coming from Adobe Illustrator and used to Live Trace/Image Trace, this walkthrough shows exactly how to get similar results in Affinity — and what to watch for.
In this tutorial, I show you how to switch into Vector Studio, run Image Trace, adjust Edge Threshold and Curve Fitting Tolerance, and make smart decisions about when to preserve detail vs. simplify shapes. I also show how to rebuild a clean background shape after tracing.
This is part of my ongoing exploration of whether I can move away from Photoshop/Illustrator. If you’re also testing the waters with Affinity, you’re in good company — leat’s figure this out together.
TIME STAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:07 Differences between Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop and Affinity
0:45 What makes artwork a good candidate for vectorizing
1:20 Running Image Trace
1:30 Understanding Edge Threshold
2:29 Curve Fitting Tolerance explained
3:40 Rebuilding a clean background shape
4:40 Reviewing the vector result
5:09 Quick summary + best-practice recap
5:19 How did this tutorial help you today?
FIND MY CLASSES, BOOK, and WORK
Classes — tomfroese.com/teaching
Work, etc. — tomfroese.com
Instagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroese
Book — Drawing is Important — geni.us/DrawingisImportant
Learn how to vectorize flat artwork in Affinity (v3) using the built-in Image Trace feature. If you’re coming from Adobe Illustrator and used to Live Trace/Image Trace, this walkthrough shows exactly how to get similar results in Affinity — and what to watch for.
In this tutorial, I show you how to switch into Vector Studio, run Image Trace, adjust Edge Threshold and Curve Fitting Tolerance, and make smart decisions about when to preserve detail vs. simplify shapes. I also show how to rebuild a clean background shape after tracing.
This is part of my ongoing exploration of whether I can move away from Photoshop/Illustrator. If you’re also testing the waters with Affinity, you’re in good company — leat’s figure this out together.
TIME STAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:07 Differences between Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop and Affinity
0:45 What makes artwork a good candidate for vectorizing
1:20 Running Image Trace
1:30 Understanding Edge Threshold
2:29 Curve Fitting Tolerance explained
3:40 Rebuilding a clean background shape
4:40 Reviewing the vector result
5:09 Quick summary + best-practice recap
5:19 How did this tutorial help you today?
FIND MY CLASSES, BOOK, and WORK
Classes — tomfroese.com/teaching
Work, etc. — tomfroese.com
Instagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroese
Book — Drawing is Important — geni.us/DrawingisImportant
