Tutorial:
Create a transparent watermark for Watermark
Studio using the free GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation
Program)
Related Downloads:
This tutorial requires that you
have installed GIMP
for Windows and
Arclab Watermark Studio on your computer. We use
GIMP version 2.6 and Watermark Studio 2.1 in
this tutorial. Future version might look a bit
different, but the basics should be the same.
Its also possible to make an existing image
transparent using Arclab Watermark Studio (click on
"Make Transparent"), but the edges
might look a bit outlined, depending on the
image which should be used as watermark. The
problem might be the gradient from the foreground to
the background. You
will get the best results when using an image
with a transparent background (alpha-layer).
1. Create a new image in GIMP
- Open GIMP
- Click on "File" -> "New"
- Expand the "Advanced Options"
- Go to "Fill with:" and select
"Transparency".
2. Add some Text, Drawing or Logo
We use a simple text with a drop-shadow for this
sample.
Its important that you see the squares, which means
it has a transparent background. This also illustrates
why its the best solution to use a 32bit transparent
image. If the image would have a fixed, e.g. white
background then the shadow would be on a white
background, which means the shadow (and also the edges of the text) would
be outlined on a
different background color.
3. Save the Image as PNG
- Click on "File" -> "Save
As"
- Enter the "Name" (we use demo.png) in
this tutorial.
- Expand the "Select File Type"
- Select "PNG image"
- Click on "Save"
4. Save Options - Merge Visible Layers
Now the "Export File" dialog opens. Our
image contains multiple layers, but a PNG cannot
contain multiple layers, so we have to select what
should happen with the layers. If your image does not
have multiple layers, then this dialog won't open and
you can skip the following.
- Select "Merge Visible Layers" - don't
use "Flatten Image" !!!
- Click on "Export".
- Now another dialog opens with the title
"Save as PNG". Keep the default
settings and click on "Save".
5. Run Arclab Watermark Studio
- Start "Arclab
Watermark Studio"
(The free version is fully functional, but adds an
additional watermark to the output.)
- Click on "Load Watermark"
- Select the PNG image we saved in the last step.
(demo.png).
- Click on "Open" (sorry, the
screenshots are from a german windows version)
Now you should see the transpart image in
"Watermark". I have changed the
"Watermark-Size %" to 100, so that you can
see the shadow of the transparent image. If we
wouldn't have saved the image as transparent PNG, then
the shadow would be outlined.
Now we are done.
6. Next Steps
- Click on "Add Images" to select the
image files to which the watermark should be added
... or click on "Add Folder" to add a
structure (folders with subfolders).
- Select "Position",
"Watermark-Opacity" and
"Watermark-Size %"
- Optional "Add some Text" (see the user
manual for details on this issue)
- Click on "Output" and select the
"Output-Folder"
- Click on "Start"
Thank you for using Arclab Watermark Studio!
|
