The toolpath skips part of the design
That area is narrower than the bit. Use a smaller bit or a V-bit, or scale the design up.
Turn any image into an SVG your CNC can carve.
Upload a logo, sign design or drawing and get closed vector outlines ready for toolpaths. Import the SVG into Easel, Carbide Create or VCarve and assign pockets, profiles or V-carves.
Drop an image here, or click to browsePNG, JPG, WebP, GIF or BMP · up to 25 MB · paste with CommandVCtrlV
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Closed vectors for toolpathsImports into Easel, Carbide Create and VCarveNo signup to try
northpeak-logo.svg1024 × 1024 px PNG · 57.6 KB
- Paths
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- Anchor points
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- Gradients
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- SVG size
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Solid fills in this SVG
Flat brand colors and a wordmark on a solid background. Each non-background color is one path, so you can recolor it in one change.
The short answer
How do you convert an image for CNC routing?
Convert the image to an SVG, import the SVG into your CAM software, and assign a toolpath to each closed shape. Easel, Carbide Create and VCarve all import SVG, as long as the file contains only vector shapes. Bold artwork works best, because a router bit cannot cut details narrower than its own diameter.
- Best source image
- Bold logo, lettering or silhouette
- Imports into
- Easel, Carbide Create, VCarve, Fusion
- Toolpaths need
- Closed, non-overlapping shapes for pockets and profiles
- Smallest detail
- No narrower than the bit, unless V-carved
- Need DXF?
- Open the SVG in Inkscape and save as DXF
Step by step
How to make a CNC-ready SVG from an image
Five steps from picture to simulated toolpath. The first three happen on this page; the rest are in your CAM software.
Choose artwork with bold shapes
Logos, sign lettering and silhouettes carve well. Fine script and hairlines are usually narrower than the bit, so thicken them or pick a simpler design.
Upload it and check the outlines
Drop the image into the box at the top of this page and zoom in on the preview. Every edge is a boundary a toolpath will follow.
Check the download options and save
This page starts with Side by side and Remove background selected for closed, non-overlapping shapes. The settings apply to the downloaded SVG; the preview stays unchanged.
Import the SVG into your CAM software
In Easel, use Import, then SVG. In Carbide Create, use the Import command. In VCarve, use File, then Import, then Import Vectors. The downloaded SVG contains vector shapes, with no embedded pictures or live text.
Set the size and add toolpaths
Set the real-world size, select the shapes you want to carve, then assign a pocket, profile or V-carve to each. Enclosed details that share the background color are kept, so check which areas should be cut and which should stay untouched. Simulate the job before cutting.
Rules of thumb
What your vectors need for clean toolpaths
Feeds, speeds and depths belong to your machine and material. These are the parts decided by the artwork.
| What | Rule of thumb | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Vectors | Closed shapes only | Pocket and profile toolpaths need a closed boundary. |
| Inside corners | Rounded to the bit radius | A round bit cannot cut a sharp inside corner. A V-bit gets much closer. |
| Narrow details | At least one bit diameter wide | Slots thinner than the bit are skipped by the toolpath. |
| Text | Already outlines | Lettering in the SVG is made of shapes, so no font is needed. |
| File contents | Vector paths only | Easel and Carbide Create do not accept embedded images or live text. |
| DXF | Convert from the SVG if required | Inkscape opens the SVG and saves a DXF for software that needs one. |
Import requirements are from the Easel, Carbide 3D and Vectric documentation, checked October 2026.
What carves well
Will your image make a good carve?
A router removes material along closed boundaries with a bit of fixed width. Bold shapes survive that; fine detail may not.
Carves well
- Logos and badges with solid shapes
- Bold lettering for signs
- Silhouettes and inlays
- Simple line art thick enough for the bit
Simplify first
- Photos (use a relief or lithophane workflow instead)
- Gradients and shading
- Fine script fonts and hairlines
- Many small islands that can break out
Keep Side by side for pockets and profiles: the shapes fit edge to edge without overlapping. Remove background is selected too. Flat artwork on a solid or transparent background works well; gradients and shaded images are less useful for this workflow.
Troubleshooting
Fixes for the usual CNC snags
The whole board gets pocketed
Turn on Remove background under Download options and download again. Select only the shapes you intend to carve when assigning toolpaths; check the simulation before cutting.
Open vector warning
The downloaded shapes are closed, so this usually follows a manual edit. Use your software's join or close tool.
Curves cut slowly or look faceted
Too many nodes. Use the node-reduction or curve-fit tool in your CAM software, or convert a cleaner, larger image.
Wrong size after import
SVG sizes are in pixels. Set the real width in your CAM software with the aspect ratio locked.
My software only takes DXF
Open the SVG in Inkscape, which is free, and use Save As to write a DXF.
A color is missing as a separate shape
Remove background keeps enclosed details that share the background color. If a detail joins the outer background, use a transparent PNG or an image with a contrasting background so it remains distinct.
FAQ
CNC SVG questions
What file type does a CNC router need?
CAM software works from vectors, usually SVG or DXF, and turns them into G-code for the machine. Easel, Carbide Create and VCarve all import SVG.
Can I carve directly from a JPG or PNG?
Some programs have a built-in image trace, but a picture itself has no paths for a toolpath to follow. Converting it to an SVG first gives you clean closed vectors and more control.
Do you export DXF?
Downloads are SVG. If your software needs DXF, open the SVG in Inkscape, which is free, and save it as DXF.
How small can details be?
No narrower than the bit you are using. With a 1/8 inch (3.175 mm) end mill, gaps and strokes should be at least that wide. V-bits can carve finer detail.
Will the SVG work for plasma and waterjet cutting?
The outlines are the same, so the geometry works. Most plasma and waterjet software expects DXF, so convert the SVG first, and bridge any enclosed pieces that must stay attached.
What if the download options are unavailable for my image?
Some images do not support these download options. If a download is unavailable, select Original and turn off Remove background to download the original SVG. You can then edit it in your vector software.
Can I sell things I make from the SVG?
You can use the vectors you download in personal and commercial projects, as long as you have the rights to the original image. Tracing someone else's artwork does not give you the right to sell it.
Helpful next pages
Making something else?
Got a design for the router?
Upload it, check the outlines, and import clean closed vectors into your CAM software.
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