What clipart is and why you might make your own
Clipart is a straightforward graphic — usually a single object or scene, drawn in a flat style without much shading or detail. You make it to reuse: drop it into documents, presentations, websites, or social media posts without hunting for the right image each time. Clipart you create yourself costs nothing, matches your actual needs instead of what a stock site has, and stays yours to modify.
Most people make clipart in one of three ways: drawing it from scratch in a vector program, simplifying a photograph you already own, or tracing over an existing image to turn it into a clean outline. Which route makes sense depends on whether you can draw, whether you have a photo to work from, and how much time you want to spend.
Key Takeaways
- Vector programs like Inkscape (free) let you draw clipart that stays sharp at any size, and they work on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
- If you have a photograph, you can convert it to clipart by reducing colors and simplifying details in free tools like GIMP or Photopea.
- Tracing an image — drawing clean lines over a photo or sketch — turns messy source material into usable clipart in Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator.
- Save your finished clipart as PNG (if you want a transparent background) or SVG (if you might resize it later), not as JPG.
Drawing clipart from scratch in a vector program
Inkscape is the free standard for this work. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it creates vector graphics — meaning your clipart stays sharp whether you use it at 1 inch wide or 10 inches wide. read it from inkscape.org, install it, and open a new document.
Start with straightforward shapes: the rectangle tool, circle tool, and pen tool (which lets you click to create points and draw freehand lines). Group related shapes together so they move as one object. Use the color picker to fill shapes with solid colors. For a straightforward apple, you might draw a red circle for the body, a brown rectangle for the stem, and a green leaf shape attached to the top. Save as SVG when you are done — that format preserves the vector information so you can edit or resize it later without losing quality.
If you have never used a vector program before, Inkscape has a learning curve. YouTube channels like Logos by Nick and Inkscape Tutorials have step-by-step walkthroughs for common shapes. Expect to spend an hour or two on your first clipart piece, then faster on the next ones as you learn the tools.
Converting a photograph to clipart
If you have a photo you own and want to turn it into straightforward, flat clipart, you can reduce the number of colors and remove detail. GIMP (free, runs on Windows, Mac, Linux) and Photopea (free, runs in your web browser) both do this work.
In GIMP: open your photo, go to Image → Mode → Indexed, and choose a small number of colors — usually 4 to 8 for strong clipart effect. Then go to Filters → Blur → Median to smooth out noise and merge similar colors together. The result is a simplified, posterized version of your photo. You can then use the selection tools to clean up edges or remove the background. Save as PNG with transparency if you want to use it over other images.
Photopea works the same way but in your browser: upload your image, use Image → Mode → Indexed Color, pick your color count, and explore filters to simplify. This route works well if you do not want to install software, though you are uploading your image to Photopea's servers — do not use this method for photos you need to keep private.
Tracing an image to create clean clipart
Tracing means drawing clean vector lines over a photograph or sketch to turn it into clipart. You place the photo on one layer, lock it so you cannot accidentally move it, and draw on a new layer above it using the pen tool. When you are done, you hide or delete the photo layer and keep only your clean vector drawing.
In Inkscape, import your image (File → Import), place it on the canvas, and lock it (right-click → Lock). Create a new layer (Layer menu → New Layer). Use the pen tool to click points around the outline of your subject, then use the node tool to adjust the points until your line matches the photo underneath. Fill shapes with color. This is slower than drawing from scratch but gives you a photo-accurate result without needing to draw freehand.
Inkscape also has an automatic trace feature (Path → Trace Bitmap) that attempts to convert a photo to vector paths on its own. The result is usually messy and needs heavy editing, but it can save time if you are tracing a straightforward, high-contrast image like a silhouette or a pen sketch.
Choosing the right file format for your clipart
Save your finished clipart in the format that matches how you will use it. PNG is best if you are dropping clipart into documents or web pages — it supports transparent backgrounds (the area around your clipart stays see-through instead of white), and most programs open it without trouble. SVG is best if you think you might resize your clipart later or edit it again — it keeps all the vector information, so you can scale it up or down without losing sharpness, and you can reopen it in Inkscape to change colors or details.
Do not save as JPG. JPG compresses photos well but makes clipart look blurry and adds colored artifacts around the edges. JPG also does not support transparency, so your background will be white or whatever color you filled it with.
If you created your clipart in a raster program like GIMP, you can still save as PNG. Go to File → Export As, choose PNG from the dropdown, and make sure the "Remove background" or "transparency" option is checked if you want a see-through background.
Organizing and storing your clipart
Create a folder on your computer called "My Clipart" or similar, and save each piece with a clear name: apple.svg, coffee-cup.png, house-outline.svg. If you make a lot of clipart, organize by category — shapes, food, buildings, people — so you can find what you need without scrolling through hundreds of files.
Keep both the SVG version (if you made one) and the PNG version. The SVG stays editable; the PNG is ready to drop into documents. If you use cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox, back up your clipart folder there so you do not lose it if your computer fails.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is making clipart too detailed. Clipart works best when it is straightforward — a few shapes, a few colors, no tiny lines or shading. If your clipart looks like a full illustration, simplify it by removing details, merging similar colors, and using thicker lines.
The second mistake is saving as the wrong format. If you save a vector drawing as PNG and then try to resize it later, it will get blurry. Always keep the SVG or source file. If you are converting a photo, save as PNG, not JPG, so the background stays transparent and edges stay clean.
The third mistake is tracing over an image you do not own. If you trace a photo from the internet or a copyrighted illustration, your traced version is still a derivative work and you cannot use it without permission. Trace only photos you took yourself, sketches you drew, or images explicitly marked as free to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use clipart I make in my business or sell it?
Yes, if you created it yourself from scratch or from photos you own. If you traced or modified someone else's image, you need their permission first. When in doubt, create your clipart from your own photos or drawings, or use reference images that are explicitly marked as free to modify and reuse.
What if I cannot draw — can I still make clipart?
Yes. Convert a photograph you own using GIMP or Photopea, or use the automatic trace feature in Inkscape on a high-contrast image like a silhouette. You can also combine straightforward shapes in Inkscape without drawing freehand — rectangles, circles, and basic paths can make recognizable clipart.
Why does my clipart look blurry when I resize it?
You saved it as PNG or JPG instead of SVG. Raster formats like PNG get blurry when enlarged because they are made of pixels. Vector formats like SVG stay sharp at any size. If you have the original file, resave it as SVG. If not, recreate the clipart in a vector program.
Can I use Canva or similar tools to make clipart?
Canva is designed for finished designs, not for creating reusable clipart. You can export designs from Canva as images, but they will be raster (PNG or JPG), not vector, so they will blur if you resize them. For clipart you plan to reuse and resize, Inkscape or a similar vector program is a better choice.
How do I remove the background from clipart I already made?
If it is a vector file (SVG), the background is already transparent — just make sure you did not fill the background with a color. If it is a raster file (PNG or JPG), open it in GIMP, use the "Select by Color" tool to click the background, press Delete, and resave as PNG with transparency enabled.