Convert a logo sketch to vector in Affinity Designer

The short answer: Affinity Designer traces by hand, not automatically

Affinity Designer 1 and Affinity Designer 2 do not include an automatic image trace command like Illustrator's Image Trace or Inkscape's Trace Bitmap. You cannot select a placed PNG or JPG and turn it into editable paths with one click. To convert a logo sketch to vector in Designer, you place the scan or photo as a reference and redraw the shapes yourself with the Pen, Pencil, shape and Boolean tools. For a logo, manual redrawing is usually the better route anyway, because it produces fewer nodes, smoother curves and cleaner geometry than automatic tracing of a rough sketch.

Canva now owns Affinity and has released newer versions of the software. This article does not have confirmed information on whether a newer Affinity release includes automatic tracing. If you use one, check its menus and documentation for a trace or vectorize function before following the manual method below.

What "Convert to Curves" does and does not do

Searches for converting an image to curves in Affinity Designer often confuse two different things. Layer > Convert to Curves (Ctrl+Enter on Windows, Cmd+Enter on Mac) turns live shapes and text into editable Bézier paths. It does not vectorize pixels. If you apply it to a placed raster image, you will not get traced outlines of the artwork. Use Convert to Curves after you have drawn your vector shapes or set your type, not as a way to trace a bitmap.

Why a placed PNG is not vector artwork

When you place a PNG or JPG in Designer, it stays a pixel image inside the document. It shows as an Image layer in the Layers panel. If you export that document as SVG, PDF or EPS, the file extension suggests vector artwork, but the logo is still an embedded raster image that blurs or pixelates when enlarged. A file is only vector if the logo itself is made of paths. Check the layer types, not the file extension.

How to redraw a logo sketch as vector paths in Affinity Designer

Starting materials

• A scan or flat, evenly lit photo of the sketch, taken straight-on to avoid perspective distortion
• The darkest, cleanest version of the line work you have; inking over pencil before scanning helps
• The final brand colors, if they are already decided
• The name of any typeface in the logo, plus a license that covers logo use
• Permission to modify the artwork, if the sketch or logo is not your own

Step-by-step workflow

• 1. Prepare the image. In a photo editor or Affinity Photo, straighten and crop the scan, and raise the contrast so the lines read clearly. Precise cleanup is unnecessary because you will draw over it.
• 2. Create a document. Start a new document in Designer and place the sketch with File > Place or by dragging it onto the canvas. Scale it to a comfortable working size.
• 3. Set up the reference. In the Layers panel, lower the sketch layer's opacity, then lock it so it does not move while you draw. Add a new layer above it for the vector work.
• 4. Build geometric parts with shapes. Use the Ellipse, Rectangle and other shape tools for circles, bars and regular forms. Snapping and guides help with alignment and symmetry.
• 5. Draw organic curves with the Pen tool. Click to place corner nodes and click-drag to pull out curve handles. Place nodes at the extremes of curves, such as the tops, bottoms and sides, rather than tracing every wobble in the pencil line.
• 6. Use the Pencil tool where it suits the shape. It works well for freehand marks. Its stabilizer smooths hand jitter, but freehand paths usually need node cleanup afterward.
• 7. Combine and cut shapes. Use the Boolean operations Add, Subtract, Intersect and Divide to merge overlapping parts or punch out counters and negative space. Designer 2 also offers the Shape Builder tool for interactively merging or removing regions.
• 8. Turn strokes into fills. If you drew parts as stroked lines, select them and use Layer > Expand Stroke so the line weight becomes a filled outline and cannot change when the logo is scaled.
• 9. Refine with the Node tool. Delete unnecessary nodes, smooth or sharpen corners, and adjust handles until the curves flow cleanly.
• 10. Handle the text. Set any lettering with a properly licensed font, adjust kerning, then select the text and use Convert to Curves so the delivered file does not depend on the font being installed. Keep an unconverted copy on a hidden layer for future edits. Hand-lettered words from the sketch should be drawn as paths like the rest of the logo.
• 11. Apply color. Fill the finished shapes with your brand colors. Saving them in a document palette, as global colors if you want one change to update every use, keeps color variations consistent.

If you want an automatic trace anyway

If the sketch is very detailed or textured, you can trace it in another program, such as Inkscape's Trace Bitmap or Illustrator's Image Trace, save the result as SVG, and open or place it in Affinity Designer for editing. Expect to spend time removing excess nodes and correcting lumpy curves. Automatic traces of hand-drawn logos rarely meet a professional standard without cleanup.

Final inspection before export

• Hide or delete the sketch layer and confirm that nothing in the logo is an Image layer.
• In Designer 2, switch to Outline view mode to see the bare paths. Look for stray points, open paths, overlapping duplicates and leftover strokes that should be fills.
• Confirm that all text has been converted to curves in the delivery version.
• Zoom in closely on curves and corners to check smoothness, then view the logo at very small sizes to check that it stays legible.
• Check that colors are applied consistently and match your intended palette.

Exporting the vector logo

Use File > Export and choose a vector format. SVG is suited to web and digital use, PDF is widely accepted by printers and other designers, and EPS is still requested by some print and signage workflows. Keep the native Affinity file as your editable master. Export raster versions such as PNG separately for situations that need them, and label them so nobody mistakes them for the vector source. After exporting, reopen the vector file to confirm that it contains paths rather than an embedded image.

Rights and gaps to keep in mind

Redrawing your own sketch raises no permission questions. Redrawing someone else's logo is different. Being able to download or access a logo file does not give you permission to modify the artwork, use its fonts or use the trademark. Get authorization from the owner first. This guide does not cover version-specific menu changes in releases newer than Affinity Designer 2, so menu names may differ in later versions.