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    How to Create a Watermark in Photoshop

    February 26, 2016 by ProfK 8 Comments

    I use Photoshop to create watermarks as a way to protect my online art. A watermark is a subtle graphic or text identifier: logo, copyright information, pattern, etc. It helps deter web viewers from downloading that image and using it without your permission.

    Steps for Embedding Text

    1. layers-panelSelect the Horizontal Type Tool
    2. Click anywhere on the image. This will automatically create a new layer on top of the existing image layer.
      Type the text you want. In my case, I type my copyright information: © 2015 Anne S. Katzeff
    3. With the Move Tool, position the text where you want it. I usually place it in the center of the image, on top of a key area.
    4. Select the text. Using the Eyedropper Tool, click on the image color that lies underneath the text.
    5. In the Layers Panel, change the blending mode from Normal to Screen (or Multiply, if you want the text to be darker instead of lighter).
    6. In the Layers Panel, change the opacity to 30% or less. Adjust the opacity as necessary.
    7. If you want to be able to edit the file in the future, you should keep a copy of it with the layers intact and save that copy as a PSD. JPG files are flattened, and thus have no layers.
    Pink Whispers, Pastel, © 2015 Anne S. Katzeff

    Pink Whispers, Pastel, © 2015 Anne S. Katzeff

    Steps for Embedding a Graphic

    1. image-mode-grayscaleMake sure the graphic is large enough for your purposes.
    2. Make sure the graphic is 1-color. Open it in Photoshop. Go to the Image menu at the top of the file, and scroll down to Mode > Grayscale. A pop-up window will appear, asking if you’re sure you want to discard the color information. Agree by clicking the Discard button. Save As: name-of-graphic-gray.jpg.
    3. Bring the new gray graphic into the art image file:
      Select the layer with CMMD-OPTION-SHIFT (Mac) / CNTRL-OPTION-SHIFT (PC), then drag it into the art file. This method will center it exactly in the art file.
    4. If necessary, resize the image (not too much upscaling or it will pixelate):
      Select the layer with the graphic. Go to the Edit menu and scroll down to Transform > Scale. Use the Shift key to constrain the scaling to correct proportions, then click and drag a corner of the scale box. Hit the Enter key when finished.
      scale
    5. In the Layers Panel, change the blending mode from Normal to Screen (or Multiply, if you want the text to be darker instead of lighter).
    6. In the Layers Panel, change the opacity to 30% or less. Adjust the opacity as necessary.
    7. Optional: apply a Color Overlay. Layer > Layer Style > Color Overlay. Blend Mode = normal. Change the color of the overlay by click on the color box. The color picker window will pop up. You can pick colors there or click on the image itself, where your cursor will change to the Eyedropper Tool.
    8. If you want to be able to edit the file in the future, you should keep a copy of it with the layers intact and save that copy as a PSD. JPG files are flattened, and thus have no layers.
      layer-style

    Use a Watermarked File as a Template

    Once you’ve applied the watermark to an art file, retain all of the layers and settings, and use that file as a template. Simply click and drag the watermark from the template file to new files. Adjustments in size, blending modes, opacity, and color overlays may be needed.

    What Do You Use?

    There are many software programs and online tools that create watermarks. What have you used? How do you like these other tools?

    Related Posts

    Best Alternatives to Photoshop
    How to Resize an Image in Photoshop
    How to Scan within Photoshop CS6, CS5, CS4
    How to Prepare Images for the Web
    How to Resize an Image in WordPress

    Filed Under: Art, Graphic Design, Software Tips Tagged With: blending modes for watermarks, opacity settings for watermarks, Photoshop, watermark

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Remi says

      March 16, 2016 at 11:27 pm

      Hi Profk !
      This is an excellent guideline for creating a watermark in Photoshop. These tips will be very helpful for Photoshop beginners. Thank you for your tips.

    2. Jessica says

      April 22, 2016 at 6:26 am

      Hi profk ! You have really given us the easiest guidelines for creating a watemark in photoshop. Can you suggest any resource for creating a 3D watermark using photoshop? I want to make a unique but appealing watermark if you know how to. Thanks in advance !

    3. ProfK says

      April 25, 2016 at 10:34 pm

      Hey Jessica, You could use emboss filters in Photoshop to get a 3D effect. Or maybe use a drop shadow.

    4. Leslie W. says

      January 30, 2017 at 3:37 pm

      Thank you for your guidance. My problem is that lately I’m unable to reposition the watermark. I must have accidentally changed something. Can you help?

    5. ProfK says

      January 30, 2017 at 8:08 pm

      Hi Leslie,
      Thanks for your important question. I’ll add this information to the post:
      If you want to be able to edit the file, you should keep a copy of it with the layers intact and save that copy as a PSD. JPG files are flattened, and thus have no layers.

    6. ProfK says

      November 29, 2017 at 9:21 pm

      I prefer WordPress over the other platforms because of it is highly customizable and supported widely. WordPress itself is free, but you can choose the free hosting of it at WordPress.com or go with the self-hosting option of WordPress.org. With the self-hosting option, you must pay for your own hosting and domain name, plus maintain the site yourself. The benefits are huge: you can customize the design to be whatever you want.

      You might want to read my blog post: WordPress.org vs WordPress.com: Compare and Choose.

      Another popular platform is Squarespace, which is a managed hosting option. They provide all of the maintenance for a monthly fee. Their themes are pretty nice and you can customize to an extent. I’m not sure it’s the best choice for blogging though.

    7. seoa9 says

      March 25, 2019 at 7:35 am

      Photo Watermark does exactly what the name suggests – it lets you add watermarks to photos – but the types of watermarks you can add are quite varied.
      Not only can you add custom text as a watermark (including changing the font, size and color), you can also use your signature (or any other hand-written text) as a watermark by writing on the screen.
      You can also apply stickers, a timestamp, a location, a mosaic effect, or ‘graffiti’ (which basically just lets you go wild on your images with a digital paintbrush). Whether you want to protect your photo or just log when and where it was taken, there should be a tool here to suit.
      Photo Watermark is free, but it’s quite heavy on adverts. For $0.99/£0.89 per month you can get rid of them, but unless you’re adding watermarks to a ton of images it’s probably not worth it.

    8. ProfK says

      March 29, 2019 at 1:41 pm

      Thanks for the suggestion. I am not familiar with this Android app.

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