---
name: image-tools
description: CLI image manipulation — convert PNG/JPG to SVG, remove watermarks, resize, crop, and edit raster images using ImageMagick and vtracer
---

# Image Tools

CLI-first image manipulation using ImageMagick (raster) and vtracer (raster-to-vector).

## Prerequisites

# Check if installed
which magick && echo "imagemagick OK" || echo "need: brew install imagemagick"
which vtracer && echo "vtracer OK" || echo "need: cargo install vtracer"

Install if missing:
brew install imagemagick    # raster image editing
cargo install vtracer       # raster-to-vector conversion (Rust)

## Raster-to-SVG Conversion

### Simple flat icon (single/few colors)
Best for logos, icons, flat illustrations:

vtracer --input input.png --output output.svg \
  --colormode color \
  --filter_speckle 10 \
  --color_precision 4 \
  --corner_threshold 60 \
  --segment_length 6 \
  --gradient_step 32

### High-detail image
For complex images, increase precision:

vtracer --input input.png --output output.svg \
  --colormode color \
  --filter_speckle 4 \
  --color_precision 6 \
  --corner_threshold 60 \
  --segment_length 4

### Black-and-white / monochrome
For line art, text, or single-color designs:

vtracer --input input.png --output output.svg --colormode bw

### Tuning guide
- **file too large** → increase `filter_speckle`, `gradient_step`, decrease `color_precision`
- **too rough/blocky** → decrease `segment_length`, `filter_speckle`
- **too many colors** → decrease `color_precision` (1-8, lower = fewer colors)

## Raster Editing with ImageMagick

### Remove watermark / overlay
Paint over a region with a solid color (e.g. matching background):

# Get image dimensions first
magick identify input.png

# Paint rectangle over bottom-right corner (100x100 area)
magick input.png -fill "#0F0F0F" -draw "rectangle 1180,1180 1280,1280" output.png

### Resize
# Resize to specific width, maintain aspect ratio
magick input.png -resize 512x output.png

# Resize to exact dimensions
magick input.png -resize 512x512! output.png

# Resize to fit within bounds (no upscale)
magick input.png -resize 512x512\> output.png

### Crop
# Crop to 500x500 from top-left
magick input.png -crop 500x500+0+0 output.png

# Crop from center
magick input.png -gravity center -crop 500x500+0+0 output.png

### Format conversion
magick input.png output.jpg
magick input.jpg output.webp
magick input.png -quality 85 output.jpg

### Trim whitespace / transparent borders
magick input.png -trim +repage output.png

### Threshold (prepare for BW tracing)
magick input.png -threshold 50% output.pbm

## Common Workflows

### Clean image then convert to SVG
When source image has watermarks, logos, or artifacts:

# 1. Check dimensions
magick identify input.jpg

# 2. Remove unwanted elements (paint over with background color)
magick input.jpg -fill "#BACKGROUND" -draw "rectangle x1,y1 x2,y2" clean.jpg

# 3. Convert to SVG
vtracer --input clean.jpg --output output.svg --colormode color \
  --filter_speckle 10 --color_precision 4 --corner_threshold 60 \
  --segment_length 6 --gradient_step 32

# 4. Check output size (aim for <50KB for icons)
ls -la output.svg

### Create favicon from logo
# Resize to favicon sizes
magick logo.png -resize 32x32 favicon-32.png
magick logo.png -resize 16x16 favicon-16.png

# Or create .ico with multiple sizes
magick logo.png -resize 256x256 -define icon:auto-resize=256,128,64,48,32,16 favicon.ico

## Decision Guide

| Task | Tool |
|------|------|
| PNG/JPG → SVG | vtracer |
| Resize, crop, format convert | magick |
| Remove watermark | magick (paint over) → then vtracer if SVG needed |
| Trim borders | magick |
| Create favicon | magick |


---
Source attribution: tta-lab
Original project: https://github.com/tta-lab/ttal-cli/blob/3576d21f223ff97eb258b868553b6266ad393847/skills/image-tools/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 GuionAI

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: tta-lab
Original project: https://github.com/tta-lab/ttal-cli/blob/3576d21f223ff97eb258b868553b6266ad393847/skills/image-tools/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Design, Development & Engineering
Roles: Frontend Developer, Graphic Designer, UX Designer
Specialties: Design
Tools: ImageMagick, Vtracer
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: ed31d96539fac6266f0d4b253b2b73b1a438016e1f1bf78c1051511cc2b50f7d