Rasterise, crop, embed and mosaic images in Vectornation
The image tools in Vectornation by Zaweba: Rasterise artwork, Crop image, Embed and Unembed placed pictures, and Object mosaic for tile effects.
A vector app spends most of its time on paths, but real jobs always include pictures: a product photo on a flyer, a texture behind a heading, a scanned sketch to draw over. Vectornation by Zaweba has a small set of image tools for handling those pictures inside the drawing, and knowing which to use saves a trip to another program.
They are Rasterise, Crop image, Embed and Unembed, and Object mosaic.
Rasterise
Rasterise turns selected artwork into pixels. That sounds like a step backwards in a vector app, and often it is, so use it on purpose. A heavy effect stack that slows the file down, an intricate pattern that a printer's system chokes on, or artwork you want to send somewhere that only takes images are all fair reasons.
Keep an unrasterised copy, hidden on a layer or saved in another file. Once artwork is pixels, you cannot edit its paths again, and the resolution you choose fixes how large it can print.
Crop image
Crop image trims a placed picture. It is the quick answer when you only want part of a photo, such as a face from a group shot. Cropping also makes the file lighter and makes later steps, such as tracing or a halftone, faster, because there is less image to work through.
The alternative is the Crop tool among the extra drawing tools, which can clip artwork rather than trim it, hiding part of the picture without removing it. Clipping is better when you might want to reframe later. Crop image is better when you are sure, and want the extra weight gone.
Embed and Unembed
A placed image is either linked to a file on disk or embedded in the drawing. Embed takes a linked picture and stores it inside the file, so the drawing travels on its own and cannot lose its pictures. Unembed does the reverse, writing the image out to a file so the drawing links to it instead.
Embed when you are sending a single file to someone, or archiving a finished job. Keep images linked while you are still working, especially when a photographer or colleague might update the picture. The Links panel shows the state of each image and has its own Embed button for linked images.
Object mosaic
Object mosaic turns an image into a grid of tiles, each a vector shape filled with the colour beneath it. The result can be a pixel art look, a mosaic wall, or a starting point for a pattern. Since every tile is a shape, you can recolour, space out or restyle them like any other artwork.
Like halftone, it makes many shapes from one image. Choose a tile count that suits the final size, and crop the image first so tiles are not wasted on parts you will throw away.
Putting them together
These tools are often used in a short chain. Place a photo, crop it to the subject, then trace it or make a mosaic or halftone from it. For a finished file going to a printer, embed the images so nothing goes missing, or use File > Package to collect linked images and fonts into one folder instead.
What to watch for
Rasterising at too low a resolution is the classic mistake. Choose the resolution for the final print size, not for the screen.
Embedding large photos in a file you edit every day makes saves and opens slower. Leave them linked until the end.
And cropping is a decision you might regret. If there is any doubt about the final frame, clipping rather than trimming keeps your options open.
