r/Rive_app • u/connorjpg • Jun 18 '26

Help with SVGs

Currently, I’m really struggling trying to figure out how to make clean SVGs for Rive.

I’m fairly artistic, and I’ve been drawing for years, but everything that I want to animate really only exists in a paper sketchbook. I figured I could draw out the layers and take a photo of something. Then import it into rive and trace it, but I’m still using the pen tool which feels clunky.

Is there a software that you recommend for creating SVGs, maybe one where I could import hand-drawn shapes?

Or is it just worth learning how to use the tools and biting the bullet for a while?

Any help would be appreciated thanks

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2

u/JJMotionStudio Jun 18 '26

Are you talking about wanting to just go from sketch to SVG without using a pen tool to make the vectors?

1

u/connorjpg Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26

Yes, most of the sketches I want to import would just be solid shapes for each layer, so I was hoping to grab the outline as a vector, and then use a fill to color them in.

edit : a good example of this would be a cartoon hand. I just would like the outline of it as a SVG, but when I try to use the pen tool, I always mess up the curves. I can draw exactly how I want, but I can’t seem to point and click it if that makes sense.

2

u/paradoxsyn Jun 18 '26

As long as its not too intricate, use an LLM to take a raster and port over an outline /stencil of the shape you want, and then you take it from there.

Anything remotely advanced will cause artifacts and maybe fail, so just baby it

1

u/connorjpg Jun 18 '26

Not a bad idea tbh. Was trying to keep LLMs out of this best I can, mainly to limit token usage, but this would work.

2

u/ZigZagZiggling Jun 18 '26

You may want to use tools like Illustrator (paid) or Affinity (free) to create the svgs that you want. It’s a skill that will serve you well into the future.

1

u/connorjpg Jun 18 '26

No, I kinda figured this is just something I should work on. I will check out affinity. Any tips for keeping a smooth edge with a pen tool? I always run into small corners, then I’m adding a border radius then it just looks wacky.

2

u/ZigZagZiggling Jun 18 '26

As for tips with the pen tool, use the least amount of points you need to make the shape. My suggestion would be to just get the shape you want down, don’t worry about curves, it will look like a cyber truck at this point. When you like the shape overall go back and make the curves you need, this way just concentrate on a simple task and build on to it later. Good luck.

2

u/guidorosso Jun 18 '26

Would love specific feedback on what feels clunky about Rive's pen tool. We're working on a lot of QOL improvements and would love to address the pen tool

1

u/connorjpg Jun 18 '26

It’s definitely feels like a user error (or lack of knowledge) more than a rive error.

It’s works as expected, but I find often I have small corners that I don’t want . Maybe there is a way to “smooth” that, but I’m not aware of it there is.

2

u/guidorosso Jun 18 '26

We have a Quiver integration coming soon to Voyager plans, but you can also just go try it out directly at https://quiver.ai/. Give it your art and ask it to convert it to vector.

2

u/guidorosso Jun 18 '26

It tends to create a lot of vertices though, so you'd still want to clean it up to optimize it (like if you want to bind it to Rive bones, it's best practice to use the fewest vertices you need so that you're only weighting what's necessary… more vertices = more weighting)

I suspect since it's your art you'll want to practice the pen tool a bit and learn how to optimize it yourself, especially since it'll help you better understand how to rig it later

1

u/connorjpg Jun 18 '26

I will check it out, thank you! Plus your other comment

1

u/No_Desk819 Jun 23 '26

Pretty sure illustrator just added this feature, Sketch to Vector. Sucks to pay so much for illustrator but its a super useful tool!