If you followed the previous part of this tutorial, you learned a simple, direct method of creating an embossed watermark for your photos.
You can create watermarks in 100 different ways. However, creating a custom shape as your watermark takes just a few minutes -- but becomes the most useful method of all. This method puts a permanent stencil of your watermark in the custom shapes menu so you can use it with consistency again and again. It's also scriptable and can be fully automatetd. Since we're making a watermark from a shape, it's built of paths and will work superbly in any file size or resolution -- a major benefit over watermark brushes and other methods.
In a new file, select the SHAPE tool (Tap: U)
Notice in the options bar the pull-down menu to select from samples.
You'll find a large "copyright" symbol.
Go ahead and select that one to select it.
Now, before going further, go to the options bar and click on the second icon, to set the tool to render the shape as a path.
Now, you can move to the image window, click and drag out the symbol while holding the shift key. (The shift key will "constrain" the symbol and keep it perfectly round.)
Once that's finished, go to the Path palette (if it's not open, you can call it up by choosing menu :
Window > Paths) You'll see your newly created path.
Double-click the path layer in the paths palette and the "Name" dialog will pop up. Give it a name to save the path for future use. (Note that work paths are volatile -- meaning they will not be saved.)
This completes the first part of our watermark. At this point you could do any number of operations with it because it now can be made into a selection or mask anytime you like. But let's continue.
In the tool box, select the Path Selection tool (Solid arrow pointer - Tap A)
Click once on your path. you'll see handles appear all around, and the handles will be solid -- meaning you've selected the entire shape.
Click and drag it over to the left to make room for your typography.
Select the Text tool (Tap T) and set your copyright name and date, the two elements required for a valid common-law copyright. Set the font and size to compliment the 'C' symbol you've created.
NOW select menu Layer > Type > Create Work Path
In your paths palette you'll see a second work path appear. There's no need to save this one since we'll be removing it in a moment...
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from the Editor:
I was delighted that day back in 1989 when Peggy Killburn called to ask if I could handle one more speaker in my "Great Graphics Tips & Tricks" session scheduled for the 1990 Macworld Expo. "Yes" was my response to her request to add Russell Brown to my panel. After all, we loved Adobe's young "Illustrator" program, and were quite anxious to try out their upcoming new product called "Photoshop." After seeing his demo, I was convinced Photoshop would be big. So the next month we added "Photoshop Tips & Tricks" to our regular DTG Magazine uploads to Compuserve, GEnie and AOL. The rest is history.
I only regret that I didn't trademark the name.
Editor / Publisher: Photoshop Tips & Tricks, DTG Magazine.