How To Watermark

Pictures aren't safe on the internet, it's just a fact of life. So this is for those of you who share pictures on blogs/facebook/myspace/or other whatnot. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN!

I use a free program called Paint.Net



MAKING THE WATERMARK

Step 1 - Go to "Image" then "Canvas Size"

Adjust the measurements as such, these are the measurements I like, if you want it bigger or smaller - go ahead and make it whatever size you want.

Step 2 - Select the Eraser in your tools bar, then up the brush width.

This is what it should look like after you erase all the white.

Step 3 - Select the Paint Bucket in your tools bar. Then click "More" on your color box. (If you don't have the color box or tool bar, you can get to them by going to "Windows" at the top bar, and check marking them.)

Select the color white (or if you feel like being special, any other color), and reduce the transparency. I generally put mine around 55. It stays transparent enough, but is still visible on your pictures. Then click on your canvas to "paint" it.

If you don't want a white bar in your watermark, go ahead and skip the Step 3 all together.

Step 4 - Select the Text button on your tool bar, then pick whatever font and size you like. (Be sure to pick a different font color, I use black)

Type out whatever you want your watermark to say. Your name, your blog, your website, whatever.

Step 5 - Save it in a a place you'll remember. And LEAVE IT AS A PNG! I almost always change my pictures to JPEG out of habit, but you need to leave this one as a PNG in order to use it as a watermark.

The "Save Configuration" window will pop up. If you don't know what you are doing with it, leave it alone, and hit "OK".

USING YOUR WATERMARK

Step 1 - Open the image you want to watermark by clicking on the little folder. If you are going to resize it (Image>Resize) do that now. Then go to "Layers" and "Import From File..."

Select your saved watermark, and it will pop up like this.

Step 2 - Adjust it how you like, I just pulled the right edge so that it would cover the while width. Then dragged it down so it was centered.

Step 3 - Save it. Put it as JPEG, do NOT leave it as a Paint.net file, or you can only view it in Paint.net.

Unless you want to lower the Quality, just click "OK"

Flatten the image to make your picture and the watermark into one flat layer.

TADA! All done. :)

This is just the way I do it, I'm sure there are MANY other ways. Hope it helps.