Converting bitmap images to vector graphics for lithography

For presentations, I often show lithographically-made nanoscale images of logos, map of the USA, flowers, Mona Lisa, Obama pictures and other hard-to-make/creative designs!

While, in general, anybody doing lithography would show the usual lines or holes patterns and variations of it. So, I often get the question: "How did you make it? This is hard to draw in DXF (CAD) format!".

It's correct to say that it's hard to draw in DXF. But I don't draw them! I simply use high-resolution pictures on the web (raster graphics or bitmap) and convert the pictures to vector graphics.

To easily convert bitmap images to clean vector art, I use vector magic:

http://vectormagic.com/home

And voilà!