Cutout mode builds non-overlapping colour layers with a built-in print undercut — the same technique used to keep overprinted colours registering cleanly. Export SVG for free, or vector PDF and EPS for your separation software. No uploads, no per-file fees.
Most converters produce stacked, clipping-based shapes that expose colour fringe when a layer is hidden. Vector Squid doesn't.
Each lighter colour layer is eroded 1px inward at every shared boundary before tracing — the standard screen-printing undercut so a darker overprint colour registers cleanly with no visible gap or fringe.
Isolation happens at the pixel-mask level before tracing, not with SVG clip-paths. Every exported path is the final shape — nothing depends on render order, so separations stay correct in Illustrator or your RIP software.
Logo mode samples each shape's actual dominant colour from your source art instead of guessing from a flattened palette — spot colours come out true to the original.
Compound paths use fill-rule="evenodd", so holes in letterforms and knockout shapes stay open instead of filling in solid — critical for legible wordmarks.
Export a true vector PDF or EPS (Pro) with every colour preserved as a distinct vector shape — the formats traditional screen-printing separation software expects.
Unreleased apparel designs and client artwork never leave your device. Everything runs in-browser — unlimited, no cloud upload.
Pick based on your source art, then enable Cutout for the separation.
| Artwork Type | Best Mode | Colour Range |
|---|---|---|
| Brand logo, wordmark | Logo | 2–8 spot colours |
| Illustrated design, mascot art | Illustration | 2–32 colours |
| Line drawing, single-colour ink | Line Art | 1 colour + background |
| Photo-based design | Photo or Hybrid | Full colour, reduce in Refine |
Unlimited SVG export, no account. Upgrade for vector PDF and EPS when you need them.
Open Vector Squid →Cutout mode traces each colour as its own non-overlapping shape instead of stacked, clipping-based layers. It also applies a 1px inward undercut to lighter colours at shared boundaries, so no fringe colour is exposed when a darker layer is hidden — the same undercut technique screen printers use so overprinted colours register cleanly.
SVG works for most modern workflows and is free. Vector PDF and EPS (Pro) are the formats traditional screen-printing RIP software and separation tools expect, with each fill colour preserved as a distinct vector shape rather than a flattened raster.
Most screen prints run 2 to 8 spot colours to keep set-up and registration manageable. Logo mode defaults to the true detected colour count (2–8); Illustration mode supports up to 32 if you're running a more complex process.
Yes. Traced paths use fill-rule="evenodd", so holes like letter counters and knockout shapes are preserved as transparent holes rather than filled in — critical for legible text on a screen-printed separation.
No. Vector Squid runs entirely in your browser via WebAssembly. Pre-release apparel designs and client artwork never leave your device.