Vector Magic is a web service at Stanford University that converts bit-mapped images into vector-images. Here is a rendering of an EPS generated by the service that was originally a photograph:

A close-up of the nose:

And here is the original photo:

To use the service, go to http://vectormagic.stanford.edu/ and upload an image of some sort. Answer the questions, make some color selections, and the computers do their stuff. The processing for the image I uploaded took about five seconds. Once the vectorization is complete you are given the opportunity to reprocess or edit the image before downloading it:

I can see this being very useful for creating new scalable artwork out of old bit-mapped logos and graphics. For photos it has a somewhat limited appeal, but could be used for artistic effect that goes beyond simple posterization.

Tags: Photography, Images, Vectorization