Vectoraster is a graphics design app for creating custom vector halftones or animated raster effects based on imported images or dynamic elements like gradients, text or noise fields.
The halftone patterns and point shapes can be changed and varied across the pattern to produce many different styles. The resulting effect is always shown, with the preview updating in real time as you change parameters. The result can then easily be exported as vectors to SVG, PDF or EPS files, as images to JPEG, PNG or TIFF, or simply copied and pasted into most graphics software.
With Vectoraster 8 you can now also animate all these effects to create transitions, video backgrounds or other effects to use in your motion design projects. The result can be exported either as MOV or MPEG4 video files or a sequence of frame pdf or image files.
Inspiration
There is a collection of projects that could work as inspiration for what you could use Vectoraster for here on Behance:
Inspiration on Behance
Features
Points
- Many different point shape types, including circles, polygons, font characters, lines and imported custom vector shapes or images.
- Detailed control of how you want point shape, transformation and color to vary over the raster.
- Base how the raster points vary on source images, gradients, text or noise fields you define live in Vectoraster.
- Advanced line raster mode with lines of varying width instead of points.
Patterns
- Many different halftone raster patterns with detailed control of how the points are placed.
- Easily rotate and offset the halftone pattern, and add multiple distortions like randomization, waves and twists.
- Vary the strength of pattern distortions using sources for dynamic effects.
Animation
- Animate raster point, pattern or source properties using a keyframe-based timeline interface.
Output
- Copy raster output and paste it straight into most graphics software.
- File export to PDF, SVG or EPS for vector output, and JPEG, PNG and TIFF for pixel output.
- Export point data (location, size, angle and color) to a CSV file for further CAD or other processing.
- Animation export to Quicktime MOV, MPEG4 or a sequence of image frame files.
Reviews and sites
Links to reviews or features of Vectoraster 8 on other sites.
Creative ProFeature
"Vectoraster is a powerful, highly featured graphics app that's capable of producing strong halftone results."
Version historyRecent news and updates for Vectoraster 8. Follow us on Twitter @lostminds_sw for more news and updates
Vectoraster 8.1.2 released
The Vectoraster 8.1.2 update, released today, is another smaller update with fixes to a couple of bugs and smaller improvements.
Vectoraster 8.1.2 changes
- Improved calculation progress updates for long regeneration processes.
- Improved handling of warnings when incompatible raster settings are selected so no raster can be rendered.
- Fixed some number formatting issues with export size fields when using comma as a thousands separator.
- Value fields should now correctly show comma as the decimal separator based on your system settings.
- Fixes a double regeneration bug after changing the artboard size.
- Removed a redundant search field from the Help menu
Download the new version and try it out today, or update in the app.
Vectoraster 8.1.1 released
Another Vectoraster 8 update, this time 8.1.1 has been released. This is just a smaller update with fixes to a couple of bugs to get you over the holidays.
Vectoraster 8.1.1 changes
- Optimized file loading.
- Fixes a bug with changing sizes in the export dialogue when using points or inches as the length units.
- Fixes a bug with auto-resampling of large source images causing them to be used at the wrong size in v8.1.0.
- Fixed a bug where images sources wouldn't properly update when toggling auto-resampling on/off.
Download the new version and try it out today, or update in the app.
Vectoraster 8.1.0 released
Vectoraster 8.1.0 has been released. This update brings SVG export support that has been requested by many users, and a new simple line point shape useful for plotting, etching and stippling applications. CSV exports have been improved and now include point color information. There are also improvements to preview updating while editing source layers and a new export setting to export the raster pattern blended with the sources at a lower preview opacity. Together these changes open up even more new ways to use the designs you produce in Vectoraster.
Vectoraster 8.1.0 changes
- SVG vector graphics export
- New Simple line point shape, simple short line with just stroke and no fill useful for stippling, plotting and etching applications
- Improved CSV-export that now includes point fill color RGBA components in the exported data.
- New export option to use preview raster opacity when exporting, to let you export the raster semi-transparent on top of the sources.
- Improved appearance of composited source layer previews while live editing source parameters.
- Fix preview rendering when raster preview opacity was lower than source preview opacity.
- Interface adjustments for macOS 11 (Big Sur).
- Update to Finder preview quick look component for VRaster files.
Download the new version and try it out today, or update in the app.
Purchase processing problems
Due to technical problems at our payment handling provider paddle.com it's currently not possible to purchase licenses for Vectoraster or Patternodes.
Paddle has acknowleged the problems and are saying that they are working on a solution, you can follow the status of this at their status page. Or you can simply come back a little later here and see if the purchase links have started working again. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope this will be resolved swiftly.
Update: The problems have now been resolved and purchasing should work as usual again.
Vectoraster 8.0.5 update released
Another Vectoraster 8 has been released. This time with another set of smaller improvements across the app, from interface tweaks to performance and SVG importing. The new version is also built as a universal binary so it should run natively on both existing Intel macs and the new Apple Silicone macs.
Vectoraster 8.0.5 changes
- Apple Silicon native support.
- Improved performance when updating and compositing source layers.
- Improved SVG path importing, with support for matrix() group transforms often used by Affinity Designer.
- New presets menu in the artboard size change dialogue to quickly change to a preset or source image size.
- Fixes some interface panel animation glitches when enabling/disabling the Use source color fill/stroke settings.
- Exporting without changing any document export settings no longer marks the document as needing to be saved.
- Update to Sparkle updating library.
Download the new version and try it out today, or update in the app.
Vectoraster 8.0.4 update released
Another small update to Vectoraster 8 has now been released, with some more fixes and little improvements.
Vectoraster 8.0.4 changes
- Fixes a bug where trying to add a new Bulge pattern distortion would instead add a Randomize distortion.
- Some layout changes to the raster spacing controls when using separate X/Y spacing.
- Added item in Help menu for the new system for feedback and voting on future development.
- More helpful error messages when entering incorrect license information.
- New method for logging technical warnings without relying on system log.
Download the new version and try it out today, or update in the app.
New development feature feedback system
We get a lot of feedback and great ideas from you users. This is always very useful, as it helps us understand how the software is used and how we can make it better.
To make it easier to send feedback we've now set up a new simple system for this to help guide the future development of our applications. Basically it's just a simple list, linked from each product page, with ideas for future features. In this list you can then just click to vote on the features you think would be most useful to you.
If you're interested you can also sign up with your e-mail, and if you do we'll notify you if any of the features you've voted for are implemented.
Check out the lists here:
Vectoraster future development
Patternodes future development
SketchFighter future development
Vectoraster 8.0.3 update released
Another small update to Vectoraster 8 has now been released, making it easier to copy and paste in images to use as source layers.
Vectoraster 8.0.3 changes
- Added new Paste replace source image Edit menu item to quickly replace the selected source layer image.
- Added keyboard shortcuts for the paste source image menu items.
- Fixed an issue with JPEG exports sometimes failing and causing problems with other exports after this.
- Made the raster-sources display slider more responsive to quick changes.
Download the new version and try it out today, or update in the app.
Vectoraster 8.0.2 update released
Another small update to Vectoraster 8 has now been released. This time the focus is on a number of smaller improvements and fixes, mostly releated to working with the new animation timeline in different ways.
Vectoraster 8.0.2 changes
- Improved editing animation keyframe values when using drag editing in the preview.
- Fixes an issue where enabling disabled animation tracks would not refresh the preview in some cases.
- Optimized rendering of composited source layer preview.
- Tweaks to preview zoom adjustments when opening/closing the animation panel.
- Fixes a 1px preview edge alignment issue at some zoom levels.
Download the new version and try it out today, or update in the app.
Vectoraster 8.0.1 update released
The launch of the big Vectoraster 8 update has been very smooth so far, so this first post-release update doesn't contain any big changes or critical fixes. But all the same, a couple of little things have been fixed and changed.
Vectoraster 8.0.1 changes
- Setting a Gradient or Image source layer size height or width to a negative value now mirrors it.
- The progress bar for longer generation processes is now more prominent with a point counter along with rendering percent.
- Better handling when entering invalid math expressions in value fields.
- Adjustments to rendering of some interface elements.
- Correctly (don't) render Text source layers with zero size.
Download the new version and try it out today, or update in the app.
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Purchase process
The online purchase process is handled quickly and securely by Paddle.com.
After you complete your purchase you will immediately be given access to your license codes and information on how to unlock the full version of your software. You will also be sent two e-mails from Paddle to the address you've specified. One receipt for your records and one titled "Your <Product> Paddle.com Order" containing your license code and unlocking information.
