Hello!
Does anyone know how to digitally watermark an image? I'm having a hard time finding information about it and would appreciate help on how to do it.
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Hello!
Does anyone know how to digitally watermark an image? I'm having a hard time finding information about it and would appreciate help on how to do it.
You will need an image editing program that allows multiple layers (2 or more).
After that, it's easy. Place the watermark image over the other image; turn the opacity down; save it.
To do this properly you should have a watermark image with a transparent background, or you can add an alpha channel to do that. Then the watermark will only be over part of the image. To make it look most like a standard "watermark", the best method then is to use a completely white image with some transparency (like a"cutout" white shape), and turn the opacity down, so some parts of the image are lighter than they once were, and some are the same color they once were.
Note that you can also use various blending modes to do more interesting effects so that it isn't just a linear composite. For example, "multiply" will make it so that it gets more lighter when the region is already lighter.
There might also be some programs specifically for making watermarks (freeware or shareware, probably), but I haven't used them and you'll have less control, but if that's all you want, that's fine.
And I just did a search and it seems like there are plenty of results:
https://www.google.com/search?q=watermark+tutorial
Most will be for photoshop and other popular (and probably expensive) programs, but if you want to do image editing, you'll need a capable program. You can use the GIMP (it's an open source clone of photoshop, basically) and do almost everything the same way. All you'll need are the ideas from the tutorials then some practice using the other program.
ADOBE has a Watermark Editor and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 has "image watermarking" tool (neither of which have I used).
As "djr33" moderator pointed out, you can also create a "watermark layer" with a Layer style and adjusted Fill opacity.
Remember to also fill in meta data FILE>File Info.Quote:
A layer’s overall opacity determines to what degree it obscures or reveals the layer beneath it. A layer with 1% opacity appears nearly transparent, whereas one with 100% opacity appears completely opaque.
In addition to overall opacity, which affects layer styles and blending modes applied to a layer, you can specify fill opacity. Fill opacity affects only pixels, shapes, or text on a layer without affecting the opacity of layer effects such as drop shadows.
On MAC option+G for copyright © mark.
Actually I was interested in "invisible watermarking", like embedding copyright info into an image. This way even if someone removes a visible watermark, the copyright info would still be embedded in the image.
Is meta-data a form of invisible watermarking? Does Fireworks or Photoshop have "invisible watermarking" features?
Most photographers and artists who display work on the Web would want a visible embedded watermark to hinder someone from copying and using their work without permission, payment and/or credit. I've been meaning to develop a right-click JavaScript routine that would copy a PNG or GIF © copyright mark instead of the actual image to protect artist clients' work.
The attached screen shot of Photoshop layers shows two text layers with Layer>Style>Emboss applied and Opacity=100% and Fill=0% (so just the text layers' emboss style effect was visible). In addition to lowering the Fill %, the Opacity % of the © layer could also be reduced to make it more subtle and harder to delete. Then Layer>Flatten Image or File>Save As>JPEG or GIF to embed the © copyright into the image.
I primarily use Photoshop and Illustrator (FILE>File Info>Description) but all Adobe CS5 products (including Fireworks) should have common interface. Create an Action to automatically insert common info (e.g., © artist name) for a series of images and then manually insert specific image info (e.g., title). Bridge does not display Description tab info, but see screen shot of metadata types it lists.
"Watermark" is like a faint impression seen on stationery. A definition of "metadata" might be "data about data" that stays with file. See below:
Quote:
From ADOBE Help:
Metadata*is a set of standardized information about a file, such as author name, resolution, color space, copyright, and keywords applied to it. For example, most digital cameras attach some basic information to an image file, such as height, width, file format, and time the image was taken. You can use metadata to streamline your workflow and organize your files.
About the XMP standard
Metadata information is stored using the Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) standard, on which Adobe Bridge, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Photoshop are built. Adjustments made to images with Photoshop®untitled folder Camera Raw are stored as XMP metadata. XMP is built on XML, and in most cases the metadata is stored in the file. If it isn’t possible to store the information in the file, metadata is stored in a separate file called a*sidecar file. XMP facilitates the exchange of metadata between Adobe applications and across publishing workflows. For example, you can save metadata from one file as a template, and then import the metadata into other files.
Metadata that is stored in other formats, such as Exif, IPTC (IIM), GPS, and TIFF, is synchronized and described with XMP so that it can be more easily viewed and managed. Other applications and features (for example, Adobe Drive) also use XMP to communicate and store information such as version comments, which you can search using Adobe Bridge.
In most cases, the metadata remains with the file even when the file format changes (for example, from PSD to JPG). Metadata also remains when files are placed in an Adobe document or project.
If you’re a C++ or Java developer, use the XMP Toolkit SDK to customize the processing and exchange of metadata. If you’re an Adobe Flash or Flex developer, use the XMP File Info SDK to customize the File Info dialog box. For more information, visit the Adobe website.
Working with metadata in Adobe Bridge and Adobe Creative Suite components
Many of the powerful Adobe Bridge features that allow you to organize, search, and keep track of your files and versions depend on XMP metadata in your files. Adobe Bridge provides two ways of working with metadata: through the Metadata panel and through the File Info dialog box.
In some cases, multiple views exist for the same metadata property. For example, a property may be labeled Author in one view and Creator in another, but both refer to the same underlying property. Even if you customize these views for specific workflows, they remain standardized through XMP.
Canwe add this pic?
I would use "visible watermarking" but I would have used "invisible watermarking" as a second line of protection in case someone erased the watermark or manipulated the image.
auntnini, that right-click JavaScript routine sounds like it would be better than "invisible watermarking".
Right clicking on an image is not the only way to save a copy. In fact, there is no way to effectively stop people from stealing it. All you'll do is stop the less technically knowledgeable users, but those who are actually using the image for bad purposes will probably know how to get around it. Don't bother trying to do that. Only uploading a small and/or distorted (visibly watermarked) image will really protect you. It's also easy to remove metadata (what you're calling "invisible watermarking"), and it might be removed automatically if someone edits the image.
You have two real choices:
1. Don't worry about it and hope that your images are not stolen often.
2. Use only low quality images. This is what professional clip art / graphics sites do for unpaid previews-- they are either small, badly compressed (low quality JPG files), or they have visual distortion (usually a watermark). This means that there is nothing to steal, but visitors can get an idea of what the image would look like if they purchased it. BUT, that does mean the images will be ugly and visitors will be less interested in them. It also only really makes sense if you want visitors to pay to see the real images.
(3. Add some nearly useless protection that will just annoy your users but won't actually stop people from stealing. That's just how the web works, and you can't fight it except through copyright or (2).)