# Shaper Trace - from Photo to SVG **URL:** \ **Category:** CAD (Design) Software\ **Created:** [June 22, 2023, 7:41am UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155 "2023-06-22T07:41:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kaz](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/Kaz)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 7:41am UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155/1 "2023-06-22T07:41:05Z")
Just in case you like to turn your paper doodles into vector SVG files - Shaper have a kickstarter for Shaper Trace. If you know Shaper Origin (handheld/steered CNC router) - which uses “attachable” patterns to manage cuts (you become the x/y axis) they have now launched “Shaper Trace” a tracing frame with patters. You put your frame over your doodle - and take a picture with their App - and the app converts your doodle into a size-correct vector SVG file. The software correct for camera angle and lens distortion using the patterns on the frame. [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shaper/shaper-trace-go-from-sketch-to-vector-in-seconds](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shaper/shaper-trace-go-from-sketch-to-vector-in-seconds) I’m not affiliated - I just thought it could be a nice tool for any CNC’er. 🙂 /k ---
**Author:** ![AndyP](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.onefinitycnc.com/andyp/32/1106_2.png) [@AndyP](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/AndyP)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 8:13am UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155/2 "2023-06-22T08:13:30Z")
Interesting. I can understand a usecase for converting a photo or downloaded image to a set of vectors. I dont see much of a use case of converting a hand drawn doodle to a vector file. I would draw the doodle directly in a vector package like inkscape or one of various phone and tablet apps. ---
**Author:** ![Sylthecru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Sylthecru](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/Sylthecru)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155/3 "2023-06-22T14:53:11Z")
> [@AndyP](#): > > rectly in a vector package like inkscape or one of various phone and tablet apps. Thank you for the link! I backed the project. It would be nice to take a drawing a kid creates and make it into something physical. ---
**Author:** ![makerjace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@makerjace](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/makerjace)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 3:54pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155/4 "2023-06-22T15:54:50Z")
@AndyP do you know of any good tablet apps for hand drawing directly to vector format? I have a long standing need for this, but I’m yet to find any app with the level of smoothing required for my application. [Scan2CAD](https://www.scan2cad.com/) is the closest I’ve gotten, but is a bitmap to vector converter. ---
**Author:** ![Timberly](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.onefinitycnc.com/timberly/32/24487_2.png) [@Timberly](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/Timberly)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155/5 "2023-06-22T19:38:12Z")
I think I see a different and beneficial use-case where Shaper’s Trace concept is more inviting to those who cannot use the modern cad programs: - Children that are barely starting to show a spark in woodworking (or making things). This is a cool opportunity to turn a sketch or design into something that’s tangible rather than just a sheet of paper. I imagine that kids would only care that a design appeared on a piece of wood and they’ll want to do it again. On the kickstarter page, they showed somebody converting a signature for use with CNC work, similar to how an artist would sign a painting. I suspect there’s a bunch more creative uses for smaller desktop drag-knife and laser machines; this may lower the software barrier for the crafty and less technical. ---
**Author:** ![Apoca](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.onefinitycnc.com/apoca/32/34809_2.png) [@Apoca](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/Apoca)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155/6 "2026-03-12T12:49:56Z")
If you guys want some alternative, i made a software called shapescan.pt, and could work like shaper trace and even better. If you guys want to try it i like that tou give me feedback ---
**Author:** ![OnefinityCNC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.onefinitycnc.com/onefinitycnc/32/7_2.png) [@OnefinityCNC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/OnefinityCNC)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 11:36pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155/7 "2026-03-12T23:36:51Z")
Cool! We will check it out! ---
**Author:** ![joes64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6a8cbe/32.png) [@joes64](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/joes64)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 11:28pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/shaper-trace-from-photo-to-svg/21155/8 "2026-03-18T23:28:49Z")
Another great app that I use is adobe capture I started using it for Laser engraving converts anything easy into a svg plus has some other features.