How To Make A 3D Watermark With Photoshop

[NeverSure]

OK, I'm going to do a quick tut on the watermark. There is a video of a harder way to do it if you don't know Photoshop well. This isn't to teach Photoshop, but rather how to make your reusable watermark layer. The video if you need a detailed instruction it is Here.

This way is faster.

I started by making a new file with a clear layer, and using the text tool, typed and sized my screen name. Then I rasterized the layer and duplicated that twice so that I had three. Then I loaded the selection (select> load selection) on each of the three layers and painted them 3 colors.

Then I dragged the white layer over the black layer at an oblique offset, and merged the two layers.

Then I dragged the red layer over the black and white, centering it so I could see the black and white edges. Then I loaded the selection on the red layer. Then I reduced the size of the selection by select> modify> contract. Then I inverted the selection, select>invert, and hit the delete key. This made the red letters smaller.

Next, with the red layer still having the selection loaded, I again inverted the selection back to having the red letters selected. Then I switched to the black and white layer in the layers palette, and hit the delete key. That took the center out of the black and white layer. Then I deleted the red layer.

Now I had my hollow, 3D text, so I selected all and copied the layer which was now just the merged black and white. Then I pasted that into my picture as a new layer.

Then I added a touch of guassian blur, and also reduced the opacity to suit. I also used the edit> free transform tool to size it.

And I was finished. I saved it as a .jpg. Now I have that .psd file with this watermark that I can copy/paste onto any picture and blur and lower opacity and resize to suit, time after time.

Hope that helps someone.

PS I really don't care if you don't like my Deuce, but surely you like my girlfriend.

Edited May 13, 2013 by NeverSure

[Dancealot]

I recommend watermarking your entire girlfriend as well, to top it off, while you are still at it...

Love your Deuce, Neversure. But you have to make up your mind sooner or later.

[NeverSure]

I recommend watermarking your entire girlfriend as well, to top it off, while you are still at it...

Love your Deuce, Neversure. But you have to make up your mind sooner or later.

Don't I wish.

I've always really liked that picture. She was such a woman. I found the picture of her sitting in a chair and the lights came on that she could be draped over the bike. Chopping the background from a bike is hard. When chopping the spokes they have to be even thickness, and the chrome wheel has to stay round. The tire has to stay round and smooth. I do have some tricks for that which provide the evenness.

Then there was chopping the model, including the translucent skirt bottom and the chair. Then I found a 3 legged stool and chopped it. Then I put the pieces together, placing and sizing. Then I made that translucent skirt bottom from scratch. Then I color balance it all, created drop shadows for the stool and bike, made the background and simulated a picture frame.

There is nothing about it that isn't tedious, but it's always fun.

Edited May 13, 2013 by NeverSure

[Dancealot]

This chopping is old fashioned hand work on a futuristic device, isn't it..

The spokes are straight. Job well done.

[NeverSure]

Thanks, Dancelot. If it helps anyone, when I chop a wheel I take it all apart into separate layers using the oval selector, the rotate, transform ect. tools until I can just cut and paste a new layer. I make a red background layer. That gets the tire, inside wheel and brake rotor even and smooth. Then the spokes are easy if time consuming. Then I just use the move tool to put them all back into position and merge the layers.

This works really well on a lot of things like an old water wheel or a windmill, old wagon wheels, etc.

Edited May 13, 2013 by NeverSure

[fimgirl]

@Neversure - excellent work, both in the creation of your watermark and the "cut and paste" example. Very impressive.

And I thought I knew Photoshop !

[NeverSure]

@Neversure - excellent work, both in the creation of your watermark and the "cut and paste" example. Very impressive.

And I thought I knew Photoshop !

Thank you. I think each of us knows different parts of photoshop, depending on what we need to do for our circumstances. I will never know all that it can do.

[phuketrichard]

Just a update on whats going on with photoshop,

http://photographylife.com/adobe-creative-cloud-fail#more-51427

I think will stick with CS5, use it an love it

[NeverSure]

@Neversure - excellent work, both in the creation of your watermark and the "cut and paste" example. Very impressive.

And I thought I knew Photoshop !

I should have shown a before and after of that bike to some reality to what happened. Here they are. It's not mine - I did this for a friend.

I have seen antique carts, meant to be pulled by animals in Thailand. It wasn't the right time of day and I didn't get a suitable photo. They were quite ornate in woodwork but black. I hope some day to get some good photos of at least one and play with it.

Edited May 14, 2013 by NeverSure

[NeverSure]

Just a update on whats going on with photoshop,

http://photographylife.com/adobe-creative-cloud-fail#more-51427

I think will stick with CS5, use it an love it

That really sucks!!! They will be able to sell that to corporate users, but I think they are just asking for more private piracy.

All of the work I did above, I did with Photoshop 6.0!!!! I have it installed because I have some plugins that don't work with versions after 6.0, such as my edition of Eye Candy.

The latest one I actually have is CS3. If I can't do it with Eye Candy and 6.0, or CS3, then I don't need to do it. Maybe I know about 20% of what CS3 can do. Even 6.0 will make moving gifs.

[phuketrichard]

charging $20-50/month to use the whole adobe suite is expensive.

Photoshop i think is not their biggest money earner but Illustrator is..

What i don't like is once u start paying u cant stop no matter how much they charge for if, you stop you will not have access to anything.

reason I like cs 5 is the content aware tool, its awesome!!

Edited May 14, 2013 by phuketrichard

[NeverSure]

charging $20-50/month to use the whole adobe suite is expensive.

Photoshop i think is not their biggest money earner but Illustrator is..

What i don't like is once u start paying u cant stop no matter how much they charge for if, you stop you will not have access to anything.

reason I like cs 5 is the content aware tool, its awesome!!

Content Aware is awesome. I've used it elsewhere, but right now I'm stuck with other tools such as the clone stamp.