From a flat image to a 3D mark: tracing vs generation

01Path one: trace and extrude

If the source is a logo — clean edges, flat color, closed shapes — tracing is the right tool. SVG input is used as-is; bitmaps are traced into paths, then extruded with controllable depth and bevel. The result is deterministic: same input, same geometry, and edges sharp enough for print.

This path keeps typography intact. The wordmark that came in is the wordmark that comes out, just thick.

02Path two: generate on-device

The generator takes a different deal, and it is honest about its method: a photo is traced into a heightfield relief — the silhouette and shading become surface depth — while a prompt drives deterministic procedural geometry seeded from the words. Neither uploads anything; both run entirely on-device and consume Generate credits (free accounts get 204 a month).

The meshes come out with real topology you can inspect in the GLB viewer, convert, or drop straight into an engine.

03Choosing between them

Need the mark to remain legally, visually identical? Trace. Need a dimensional companion — a badge relief, a stylized object, a trophy silhouette — generate. Many teams do both: generate the hero object, extrude the wordmark, and render them under the same environment so the set matches.