diff --git a/crates/engine/src/commands/create.rs b/crates/engine/src/commands/create.rs
index 07e6af7d..850d38ad 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/commands/create.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/commands/create.rs
@@ -36,14 +36,56 @@ fn create(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
                 let doc = crate::vector::vector_doc(&f.path, &bytes, f.layer.as_ref(), f.page)
                     .unwrap_or_else(|| Err(format!("{}: not a vector file", f.path)))
                     .map_err(EngineError::Other)?;
-                let id = s.edit("Create Shapes from Vector Layer", None, |proj, st| {
-                    let l = crate::vector::shapes_from_vector(proj, &comp, &src, &doc);
-                    let id = l.id;
-                    insert_above(proj, cid, lid, l, true)?;
-                    st.selected_layers = vec![id];
-                    Ok(id)
+                // Images become footage layers (PNG files written next to the source and
+                // imported), parented to the shape layer below it.
+                let (images, masks) = crate::vector::vector_images(&doc);
+                if masks > 0 {
+                    skipped.push(format!("{}: {masks} soft mask(s) not converted (shape layers have no soft masks)", src.name));
+                }
+                let mut image_items = vec![];
+                for (i, img) in images.iter().enumerate() {
+                    match image_footage(s, &f.path, i + 1, img) {
+                        Ok(item) => image_items.push((item, i)),
+                        Err(e) => skipped.push(format!("{}: image {} not converted ({e})", src.name, i + 1)),
+                    }
+                    if img.clipped {
+                        skipped.push(format!("{}: image {} is clipped or masked; its footage layer is not", src.name, i + 1));
+                    }
+                }
+                let mut notes = vec![];
+                let ids = s.edit("Create Shapes from Vector Layer", None, |proj, st| {
+                    // Without images: one shape layer. With images: the shapes between them
+                    // in layers of their own, so the stack keeps the document's paint order.
+                    let segments = if image_items.is_empty() { vec![doc.clone()] } else { crate::vector::split_at_images(&doc) };
+                    let top = crate::vector::shapes_from_vector(proj, &comp, &src, segments.last().unwrap_or(&doc));
+                    // Top to bottom: the last segment, image n, segment n − 1, … image 1, segment 0.
+                    let mut stack = vec![];
+                    for k in (0..segments.len().saturating_sub(1)).rev() {
+                        if let Some((item, i)) = image_items.iter().find(|(_, i)| *i == k) {
+                            let (il, note) = crate::vector::image_layer(proj, &comp, *item, &images[*i], &top);
+                            notes.extend(note);
+                            stack.push(il);
+                        }
+                        let seg = &segments[k];
+                        if seg.root.children.is_empty() {
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                        let mut sl = crate::vector::shapes_from_vector(proj, &comp, &src, seg);
+                        sl.name = format!("{} {}", top.name, k + 1);
+                        stack.push(sl);
+                    }
+                    let mut ids = vec![top.id];
+                    ids.extend(stack.iter().filter(|l| matches!(l.source, LayerSource::Shape)).map(|l| l.id));
+                    // Each directly above the source: the top layer first.
+                    insert_above(proj, cid, lid, top, true)?;
+                    for l in stack {
+                        insert_above(proj, cid, lid, l, true)?;
+                    }
+                    st.selected_layers = vec![ids[0]];
+                    Ok(ids)
                 })?;
-                created.push(id.0);
+                skipped.extend(notes);
+                created.extend(ids.iter().map(|i| i.0));
             }
             "shapesFromText" => {
                 if !matches!(src.source, LayerSource::Text) {
@@ -118,6 +160,25 @@ fn create(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     Ok(json!({"layers": created, "skipped": skipped}))
 }
 
+/// An image of a vector file written as `<file> Image <n>.png` next to it and imported: the
+/// footage item.
+fn image_footage(s: &mut Session, source: &str, n: usize, img: &crate::vector::VectorImage) -> Result<effectcraft_project::ItemId> {
+    let src = std::path::Path::new(source);
+    let stem = src.file_stem().map(|x| x.to_string_lossy().into_owned()).unwrap_or_else(|| "Vector".into());
+    let name = format!("{stem} Image {n}.png");
+    let path = match src.parent().filter(|p| !p.as_os_str().is_empty()) {
+        Some(dir) => dir.join(&name).to_string_lossy().into_owned(),
+        None => name,
+    };
+    let png = super::comp_more::encode_png(&img.rgba, img.width, img.height).map_err(EngineError::Other)?;
+    s.services.write_file(&path, &png).map_err(|e| EngineError::Other(format!("cannot write {path}: {e}")))?;
+    let r = super::file::import(s, &json!({"paths": [path]}))?;
+    if let Some(e) = r["errors"].as_array().and_then(|e| e.first()) {
+        return Err(EngineError::Other(e.as_str().unwrap_or("import failed").to_string()));
+    }
+    r["items"].get(0).and_then(Value::as_u64).map(effectcraft_project::ItemId).ok_or_else(|| EngineError::Other(format!("{path} was not imported")))
+}
+
 /// Insert `l` directly above layer `below`; optionally switch the source's video off (as After
 /// Effects does after converting).
 fn insert_above(
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/vector.rs b/crates/engine/src/vector.rs
index 23fc3f24..34edf5b7 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/vector.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/vector.rs
@@ -162,7 +162,8 @@ fn clipped_items(ids: &mut Ids, s: &effectcraft_svg::Shape, m: Affine, clips: &[
 /// Clipping groups (PDF / Illustrator clipping masks): shapes inside them are intersected with
 /// the clip paths through Merge Paths ▸ Intersect (see [`clipped_items`]). Clips enclosing the
 /// whole document are layer masks instead ([`vector_clip_masks`], used by
-/// [`shapes_from_vector`]). Images and soft masks are not converted.
+/// [`shapes_from_vector`]). Images are skipped (Layer ▸ Create makes them footage layers, see
+/// [`split_at_images`]); soft masks are not converted.
 pub fn svg_contents(ids: &mut Ids, doc: &Doc) -> Vec<PropGroup> {
     fn walk(ids: &mut Ids, nodes: &[Node], m: Affine, clips: &[BezPath]) -> Vec<PropGroup> {
         let mut out = vec![];
@@ -340,6 +341,131 @@ fn like_source(dst: &mut Layer, src: &Layer) {
     dst.switches.three_d = src.switches.three_d;
 }
 
+/// A raster image of a vector document (Create Shapes from Vector Layer makes it a footage
+/// layer: shape layers have no images).
+pub struct VectorImage {
+    pub name: String,
+    pub width: u32,
+    pub height: u32,
+    /// Straight RGBA8.
+    pub rgba: std::sync::Arc<Vec<u8>>,
+    /// Image pixels → document pixels.
+    pub transform: Affine,
+    pub opacity: f64,
+    /// Inside a clipping group or under a soft mask (not carried over).
+    pub clipped: bool,
+}
+
+/// The document's images, bottom first, and how many soft-masked groups it has.
+pub fn vector_images(doc: &Doc) -> (Vec<VectorImage>, usize) {
+    fn walk(g: &effectcraft_svg::Group, m: Affine, opacity: f64, clipped: bool, out: &mut Vec<VectorImage>, masks: &mut usize) {
+        let m = m * g.transform;
+        let opacity = opacity * g.opacity;
+        let clipped = clipped || !g.clip.is_empty() || g.mask.is_some();
+        if g.mask.is_some() {
+            *masks += 1;
+        }
+        for c in &g.children {
+            match c {
+                Node::Group(sub) => walk(sub, m, opacity, clipped, out, masks),
+                Node::Image(im) => out.push(VectorImage {
+                    name: im.name.clone(),
+                    width: im.width,
+                    height: im.height,
+                    rgba: im.rgba.clone(),
+                    transform: m * im.transform,
+                    opacity: opacity * im.opacity,
+                    clipped,
+                }),
+                Node::Shape(_) => {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    let (_, doc) = vector_clip_masks(doc);
+    let mut out = vec![];
+    let mut masks = 0;
+    walk(&doc.root, Affine::IDENTITY, 1.0, false, &mut out, &mut masks);
+    (out, masks)
+}
+
+/// The document split at its images (paint order): segment `k` keeps the shapes drawn between
+/// image `k − 1` and image `k` (groups, clips and blend modes kept, images dropped), so shape
+/// layers and image footage layers can stack in the document's order. One more segment than
+/// images.
+pub fn split_at_images(doc: &Doc) -> Vec<Doc> {
+    fn count(g: &effectcraft_svg::Group) -> usize {
+        g.children
+            .iter()
+            .map(|c| match c {
+                Node::Group(s) => count(s),
+                Node::Image(_) => 1,
+                Node::Shape(_) => 0,
+            })
+            .sum()
+    }
+    /// Keep the shapes between images `seg − 1` and `seg`; `seen` counts images passed.
+    fn prune(g: &effectcraft_svg::Group, seg: usize, seen: &mut usize) -> effectcraft_svg::Group {
+        let mut out = g.clone();
+        out.children = vec![];
+        for c in &g.children {
+            match c {
+                Node::Image(_) => *seen += 1,
+                Node::Shape(_) => {
+                    if *seen == seg {
+                        out.children.push(c.clone());
+                    }
+                }
+                Node::Group(s) => {
+                    let p = prune(s, seg, seen);
+                    if !p.children.is_empty() {
+                        out.children.push(Node::Group(p));
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        out
+    }
+    let n = count(&doc.root);
+    (0..=n)
+        .map(|seg| {
+            let mut d = doc.clone();
+            d.root = prune(&doc.root, seg, &mut 0);
+            d
+        })
+        .collect()
+}
+
+/// A footage layer for an image of a vector document, parented to `parent` (the shape layer,
+/// whose layer space is document pixels) and placed by the image's transform (anchor at its
+/// top-left corner; position, rotation and scale from the matrix). Returns a note when the
+/// placement has a skew, which layer transforms cannot express.
+pub fn image_layer(proj: &mut Project, comp: &Comp, item: ItemId, img: &VectorImage, parent: &Layer) -> (Layer, Option<String>) {
+    let mut l = build::layer(proj, comp, &img.name, LayerSource::Footage { item }, (img.width, img.height), None);
+    let c = img.transform.as_coeffs();
+    let theta = c[1].atan2(c[0]);
+    let (sn, cs) = theta.sin_cos();
+    let sx = (c[0] * c[0] + c[1] * c[1]).sqrt();
+    let sy = -c[2] * sn + c[3] * cs;
+    let skew = c[2] * cs + c[3] * sn;
+    let set = |l: &mut Layer, path: &str, v: Value| {
+        if let Some(p) = l.props.prop_mut(path) {
+            p.value = v;
+        }
+    };
+    set(&mut l, "transform/anchor", Value::Vec3([0.0, 0.0, 0.0]));
+    set(&mut l, "transform/position", Value::Vec3([c[4], c[5], 0.0]));
+    set(&mut l, "transform/scale", Value::Vec3([sx * 100.0, sy * 100.0, 100.0]));
+    set(&mut l, "transform/rotation", Value::Scalar(theta.to_degrees()));
+    set(&mut l, "transform/opacity", Value::Scalar((img.opacity * 100.0).clamp(0.0, 100.0)));
+    l.start_time = parent.start_time;
+    l.in_point = parent.in_point;
+    l.out_point = parent.out_point;
+    l.stretch = parent.stretch;
+    l.parent = Some(parent.id);
+    let note = (skew.abs() > 1e-3 * sy.abs().max(1e-9)).then(|| format!("{}: skewed image placed without its skew", img.name));
+    (l, note)
+}
+
 /// Layer ▸ Create ▸ Create Shapes from Vector Layer: `doc` is the SVG shown by `src`. A clip
 /// enclosing the whole document becomes the layer's masks (Add, then Intersect); nested clips
 /// are kept with Merge Paths (see [`svg_contents`]).
diff --git a/crates/host/tests/vector_import.rs b/crates/host/tests/vector_import.rs
index d8082573..44d2073f 100644
--- a/crates/host/tests/vector_import.rs
+++ b/crates/host/tests/vector_import.rs
@@ -461,3 +461,64 @@ fn psd_smart_objects_with_perspective_and_warp_bake_as_placed() {
     assert!(top[0] > 0.5 || top[1] > 0.5, "top centre covered {top:?}");
     assert!(img.get(21, 11)[0] < 0.05 && img.get(21, 11)[1] < 0.05, "corner region empty {:?}", img.get(21, 11));
 }
+
+/// A PDF with two placed images (one turned a quarter) between a background and a shape.
+fn image_pdf() -> Vec<u8> {
+    let content = "0.9 0.9 0.9 rg 0 0 120 80 re f\nq 60 0 0 30 10 40 cm /Im Do Q\nq 0 40 -20 0 110 10 cm /Im Do Q\n0 0 1 rg 20 5 30 20 re f\n";
+    // 8×8 pixels in quadrants: red, green / white, black.
+    let quad = |x: usize, y: usize| -> [u8; 3] { [[[255, 0, 0], [0, 255, 0]], [[255, 255, 255], [0, 0, 0]]][y / 4][x / 4] };
+    let px: Vec<u8> = (0..64).flat_map(|i| quad(i % 8, i / 8)).collect();
+    effectcraft_pdf::write::pdf(
+        &[
+            (1, "<< /Type /Catalog /Pages 2 0 R >>".into(), None),
+            (2, "<< /Type /Pages /Kids [3 0 R] /Count 1 >>".into(), None),
+            (3, "<< /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 120 80] /Resources << /XObject << /Im 5 0 R >> >> /Contents 4 0 R >>".into(), None),
+            (4, "<< >>".into(), Some(content.as_bytes().to_vec())),
+            (5, "<< /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 8 /Height 8 /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 >>".into(), Some(px)),
+        ],
+        1,
+    )
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn shapes_from_vector_layer_keeps_images_as_footage_layers() {
+    let bytes = image_pdf();
+    let doc = effectcraft_pdf::parse(&bytes).unwrap();
+    let (w, h) = doc.pixel_size();
+    let direct = effectcraft_svg::rasterize(&doc, w, h, 1.0);
+    let path = tmp("images.pdf");
+    std::fs::write(&path, &bytes).unwrap();
+    let mut s = effectcraft_host::session();
+    let item = s.execute_checked("file.import", json!({"paths": [path]})).unwrap()["items"][0].as_u64().unwrap();
+    s.execute("comp.new", json!({"name": "I", "width": w, "height": h, "frameRate": 30, "duration": 1})).unwrap();
+    let lid = s.execute_checked("layer.addItem", json!({"item": item})).unwrap()["layer"].as_u64().unwrap();
+    let cid = s.active_comp_id().unwrap();
+    let t = effectcraft_time::Tick::ZERO;
+    let foot = s.render(cid, t, RenderOpts::default());
+    assert!(mean_diff(&foot, &direct) < 1.0 / 255.0);
+    s.execute("layer.select", json!({"layers": [lid]})).unwrap();
+    let r = s.execute_checked("layer.create", json!({"op": "shapesFromVector"})).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(r["skipped"], json!([]), "{r}");
+    let sid = r["layers"][0].as_u64().unwrap();
+    let c = s.active_comp().unwrap();
+    // In the document's paint order: the shape drawn last, the two images (the later one
+    // higher), the background drawn first, then the hidden source.
+    let names: Vec<&str> = c.layers.iter().map(|l| l.name.as_str()).collect();
+    assert_eq!(names, ["images.pdf Outlines", "Image", "Image", "images.pdf Outlines 1", "images.pdf"]);
+    assert_eq!(c.layers[0].id.0, sid);
+    assert_eq!(r["layers"].as_array().unwrap().len(), 2);
+    for l in &c.layers[1..3] {
+        assert_eq!(l.parent.map(|p| p.0), Some(sid), "{}", l.name);
+        assert!(matches!(l.source, effectcraft_project::LayerSource::Footage { .. }));
+    }
+    assert!(!c.layers[4].switches.video);
+    let shapes = s.render(cid, t, RenderOpts::default());
+    let d = mean_diff(&shapes, &direct);
+    assert!(d < 0.02, "converted vs page: mean diff {d}");
+    // Image pixels in place: quarters of the upright image and of the turned one, and the
+    // shape over the background.
+    for (x, y) in [(25, 17), (55, 17), (25, 32), (55, 32), (95, 60), (95, 40), (105, 40), (30, 65)] {
+        let (a, b) = (shapes.get(x, y), direct.get(x, y));
+        assert!((0..3).all(|k| (a[k] - b[k]).abs() < 0.05), "({x}, {y}): {a:?} vs {b:?}");
+    }
+}