===Preparing Your Image===
Coming SoonThe idea behind preparing your image is that whatever goes on the PCB can really only be a two-toned image (ie: black and white). As a result, to get the best looking PCB image possible, you need to do a little image work up front to ensure that your image works with the import process. You can use a number of image processing programs to do this work. The instructions below are provided for GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) version 2.6. GIMP is a cross-platfrom, free and open-source image manipulation program similar to Photoshop. Visit the official [http://www.gimp.org GIMP Website] to learn more about it or download a copy. #Select your starting image. The best starting images are 2D images with only solid colors (ie: no gradients). For this example I'll use a fairly "ideal" image. You can make others work, it just takes more hands-on detail work. To begin with I've chosen this dashing picture of our beloved plumber/hero, Mario.<br />[[File:Mario1.png]]#Open GIMP and Open our Mario image using the File->Open dialog (or by hitting Ctrl+O).#Firstly, lets try to convert this image in one step.##Select Image->Mode->Indexed... from the menu bar.##Choose "Use black and white (1-bit) palette" radio button and click "Convert"#*This process essentially converts the image to gray-scale, puts a threshold somewhere and says "everything lighter will be White, everything darker will be Black". In this case the image lost a lot of detail (not to mention there are a few blemishes represented by white dots in the black fields. This doesn't look good so we're going to help the Converter make better decisions.<br />[[File:Mario2.png]]#To maintain contrast we'll lighten the areas we want to become white that previously got thresholded to black#Choose White (or any light color such as Yellow) for your foreground color#Select the Bucket Fill Tool (Shift+B)#Fill in areas, such as his Blue overalls, that you'd like to end up being White.#*Pay attention to, and use, the "Threshold" option under the Bucket Fill Tool Options. I ended up using a Threshold of 125 for the Blue and Red areas and a Threshold of 50 for the Brown boots.#*I left his face and hair alone because it turned out the way I wanted to the 1st time. You could fill these without any negative consequence.<br />[[File:Mario3.png]]#Now convert the image to 2-tone again##Select Image->Mode->Indexed... from the menu bar.##Choose "Use black and white (1-bit) palette" radio button and click "Convert"<br />[[File:Mario4.png]]#This looks much better but there are a few blemishes that we'd like to fix since the resulting logo will be, potentially, used many times. Using GIMP's Pencil Tool we can fix any errant black or white dots.<br />[[File:Mario5.png]]##Select the Pencil Tool (N)##Choose a "Circle (01)" 1 pixel Brush from the Pencil Tool Options##Choose White (or Black) as the foreground color##Fix any areas you don't like<br />[[File:Mario6.png]]*That's it! We're now ready to move on to the next step to import our prepared image into Altium.
===Importing the Image into Altium===
##Once the conversion has completed click the "Exit" button
#Now you have a Logo built out of Top Overlay lines! You can get it onto your chosen PCB via Copy/Paste or make it reusable by reading the next section.
===Making your Imported Image reusable===
