How to Create and Add a Watermark to your Digital Images
Although I would like to think images put on the Internet or social media will be viewed and enjoyed by the family, friends, and anyone who loves art. However, some people will take and use your images without your authorization and often without your knowledge. Having a photo used without my authorization has happened to me. Before I added a watermark to each of my digital images, an online magazine used a photograph I took as an illustration. I only found out about this after searching on Google for information about the subject in question; I clicked on the link to the article. There in the middle of the article was my photograph. It taught me a lesson. Since then, before I put an image on the web, I add a Watermark layer. Now I’m going to show you how to watermark your image.
To protect your work from unauthorized use, you should create a watermark layer. Watermarking your image is a transparent way of identifying the work as yours. You can use Photoshop supplied or create a custom watermark.
How to Create a Watermark Image Template
The following instruction shows how to watermark your image by creating a custom watermark pattern and then add the pattern to your digital painting.
- Create a new document
Go up to the File menu in the Menu Bar along the top of the screen and choose New. The New Document dialog box opens:
New Document
2. Set the Width of the new document to 800 pixels and the Height to 600 pixels.
3. Set the resolution to 150 DPI
RBG Color Dialog Box
4. Click OK. A new blank Photoshop document will appear on your screen
5. Click Layer > New > Layer to add a new layer
A. I named the layer PBS Studios Type Text
B. Select the Type Tool from the Tools panel along the left of the screen:
Type Tool Icon
6. Choose your font in the Options Bar along the top of the screen. I’m going to go with something simple and easy to read like Arial Black, but of course, you can choose whichever font you like. I set my font size to 36 pt:
Color Selection in the Text Tool
7. Set the color of your type to black by pressing the letter D on your keyboard. Re-set Photoshop’s Foreground and Background colors to their default colors. This makes black the Foreground color
Reset Color in the Text Tool
8. Type your copyright Information. In my case, I typed PBS Studios – my company name.
Please Note: To add the copyright symbol ( © ), on a Windows PC, press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard and type 0169 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option+G.
Type Text
Optional Step
You can rotate the text using Photoshop’s Free Transform command.
- Click the Edit menu at the top of the screen and choose Free Transform. Or, press Ctrl+T to select Free Transform with the keyboard shortcut.
- The Free Transform box surrounds the text.
- Move your mouse cursor outside the corner of the Free Transform box. When you see your cursor change into a curved, double-sided arrow,
- Click and rotate the text.
Rotate Text
When done rotating the text, press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) on your keyboard to exit out of Free Transform:
9. Press CTL – Click to make the watermark a selection. You should see “marching ants” around your type.
Highlight Text
10. Drag the type layer to the trash icon to delete the layer, but keeps the selection.
Delete Text
11. Click Layer > New > Layer to add a new layer or press CTL J to create a new layer.
Create New Layer
12. Go to the Layers Menu. Click on Layer Style and choose Emboss.
13. Increase the depth to 300 and click OK to complete the effect. You should see the watermark with shadows.
14. Save your Watermark
Add Your Watermark to your Digital Photo-Painting
Now that you have your watermark document, complete the following show to add your watermark to your digital photo-painting. With your digital painting open, do the following to add a watermark layer.
1. Click to select the top layer
2. Open your watermark document.
3. Click on the Text (PBS Studios Type)
Watermark Type Layer
4. Click Select > Select all (or press CTL A)
5. Click Edit > Copy (or press CTL C)
Move to your digital painting.
6. Select Edit > Paste (or press CTL > V) the Watermark will appear as a new layer.
Watermark Layer at 44%
7. Move the Watermark to the appropriate area of the digital painting.
8. Move the opacity slider to 50%
9. Save digital photo painting with the watermark.
Tiger Lily with Watermark
Editor Note:
The article is part of a new paperback and e-book, “Creating Digital Paintings,” from Digital Art Press Publishers and their publishing division of P.B.S. Studios.
“Creating Digital Paintings, a revised, updated, and expanded version of the 2019 publication of “Digital Photo Painting using Adobe Photoshop.” It’s a hands-on, practical guide showing how to create digital photo paintings using your computer, a graphics tablet, and Adobe Photoshop.
Written for beginners to advanced painters, you learn to create digital paints using Adobe Photoshop. “Creating Digital Paintings” contains over 200 illustrations, including print screens and original digital paintings, and is available on Amazon.com. To see more of Peter Smolens’ digital paintings, visit his website, pbsstudios.com, and on my Etsy store,