Introduction

If you want to start by reading how to create a watermark, please start from "How to create your own watermark" in the table of contents at the top of the page.

The video with Japanese subtitles also includes detailed explanations of useful operations.

 

You can also read only the items that interest you.

I hope that even a small part of this article will help you with your creative work.

 

In the introduction, I write about what is written in this article, the estimated readers, the need for watermarks, etc.

What is a watermark?

Watermark example

A watermark is something you put on an illustration or photograph to inform the copyright holder of the work.

 

It can also be used to indicate "Do not use in this way" or "This is a sample."

 

 

To protect your precious illustrations

When you publish an illustration on the internet, there is a risk that it may be used in ways you do not intend.

A watermark can help reduce this possibility as much as possible.

In this article, we will share ideas for making your own watermarks and how to add a watermark to your work using Clip Studio.

 

 

What I wrote in this article

• The need for watermarks

• Watermark design ideas

• How to make a watermark

• How to use the watermark after it has been created

• How to edit a watermark

 

 

What wasn't mentioned in this article

• Verify what uses watermarks are effective for

 

• Verify whether the watermarks created can be removed

 

 

For those who:

• People who want to make their own watermark but don't know how

 

• People who want to set their existing watermark in a short time

 

• People who want to see examples of watermark processing

 

• People who are wondering how to add a watermark and where to place it

 

• People who want to request a watermark but don't know what kind of watermark to request

 

 

Main topic

premise

Weaknesses of Watermark

A watermark is a signature that says "I drew this" or a note that says "Please do not reprint this."

But some people don't abide by these rules.

 

For example, if it's just a small mark on the edge of a picture, someone might cut off the edge and reuse it.

If it's a regular symbol, some people might edit the image to remove the watermark before using it.

If it's only in Japanese, people from other countries might use it because they "can't read it."

 

The premise is that watermarks are vulnerable to such malicious intent.

Simply adding a watermark to a work does not completely protect it.

If you add it in a way that makes it easy to erase and pretend it never existed, the time you took to add the watermark will be wasted.

 

 

Is there any point in adding a watermark?

So is there no point in taking the time to put a watermark on your work?

 

Not at all. By putting a watermark on your work, you can convey that you are the creator of that wonderful work and that you value it, which is very meaningful.

 

By indicating that it is your work, you can provide evidence and insist on taking it down if it is used in an unintended way.

 

In addition to protecting your work, watermarks have the following effects.

 

For example, let's say you put in your SNS ID or your name.

 

Then, people who like your work may come to see your other works. By knowing your SNS and contact information, they may tell you that your work is wonderful. They may follow you on SNS and become fans who support you every day.

 

I've been in the opposite position, and I've felt sad when a work I liked came up but I couldn't find a way to send my thoughts to them.

I'm not confident that I can say the same about my work, but someone may say that they like the work that I put out because I thought it was good. If those words reach me, I think that's a wonderful thing, so I've decided to keep the channel open.

 

Thinking about watermarks and adding them to your work takes time.

But it's well worth the time, so I hope this article was helpful.

 

 

The dangers of using distribution watermarks as is

Last November 2024, following a revision of Twitter's terms of service, there was a lot of talk about whether watermarks should be added.

 

As a result, many people were posting free watermarks with the message "feel free to use them as you like."

 

However, we do not recommend using watermarks that are widely distributed for free.

 

This is because they are easy to remove.

 

If you know the shape of the watermark and the layer effect that is used to overlap it, you can remove the watermark by performing the reverse process.

 

 

It is better not to add a watermark if the image is solid color and opaque.

We often see watermarks that are solid black with low opacity, but we don't recommend it.

This is because it is also easy to remove.

 

Even if you can't completely remove it, you can make it less noticeable by processing the color in the same way as with a flashcard.

 

For this reason, when adding a watermark, avoid using a solid color with low opacity.

 

 

Reference: Simple verification of watermark removal

I have written the following article in the past about simple verification of distribution watermarks and single-color transparent watermarks. It briefly touches on the mechanism by which they are removed.

Please read it if you are interested.

How to make your own watermark

Decide what to include in the watermark

That was a long introduction, but let's get straight into how to make a watermark.

 

First, decide what you want to include in your watermark.

 

Your message should be based on your purpose.

 

Basically, you can change the following items as appropriate.

 

• Your name

• Your SNS ID

• Reproduction prohibited

• Reproduction prohibited (English version)

• AI learning prohibited

• AI learning prohibited (English version)

• Fan art, use prohibited by author only

• Date drawn

 

 

Reference: About English to put in watermarks

Regarding the English text, I used the following tweet as a reference.

Creating a mark by considering the balance of the letters

Start Clip Studio, create a suitable canvas, and arrange the text you want to include in your watermark.

The canvas ratio can be either square or rectangular.

The completed watermark will be used as a material or exported as an image within the layer range, so you can just consider the canvas size when it's complete.

However, if it's too small, the text will be blurred and unreadable when you actually use the watermark, so don't lower the resolution or size too much.

 

You can make a rough draft on the back of a flyer or something, or you can arrange the text and then draw a rough draft on another layer.

Try making one in a way that's easy for you.

 

Here are some tips for balancing it out:

• Don't use too many fonts

• Vary the fonts between uppercase, medium, and small letters

• Add decorations such as frames

• Leave enough space for each character

• Align the start of each character for each part

It's a good idea to create shapes and designs that are easy to use for various illustrations, such as circles and squares.

It may be helpful to take inspiration from other people's logos or get some advice from people who provide information about logo design.

This is a watermark sample.

All the fonts are Iwata Antique, but changing the font size, aligning the letters, or adding a logo can make a big difference in the impression.

 

Clip Studio allows you to adjust the position of the letters using the alignment tool, so try arranging them in a well-balanced way.

Reference: Logo design ideas

I used the following tweet as a reference when creating my watermark.

I hope it will be helpful for your own watermark creation.

Add illustrations and logos

If you have your own logo or signature, it's a good idea to add it to your watermark.

It's also a good idea to change the look to suit the season or your style.

When the text alone looked unbalanced, I added some small shapes with a brush.

 

Just adding a few tweaks with your favorite brush can completely change the impression.

The watermark on the left is one I used around autumn, and the one on the right is one I used around December.

I added seasonal illustrations based on text and my own logo.

 

There are rumored tools that can remove watermarks, but I've heard that multi-colored, illustrated watermarks

are difficult to remove, so I think it's a good idea to add some vibrant color.

Once completed, save it in an easy-to-use format.

Once your watermark is complete, save it in an easy-to-use format.

 

Here are two ways to add a watermark.

 

1. If you want to add the completed watermark to one location -> Specify the watermark file in the output settings.

 

2. If you want to edit the completed watermark before adding it, or if you want to add it to multiple locations -> Register the material and edit it.

 

 

When using watermark from output settings

If you set the watermark from the output settings, save the file in an easy-to-reference location.

 

 

Video position: From the watermark settings in the output settings

1. Select Merge images and export.

2. Check the [Watermark] box at the bottom of the export settings and click the [Watermark Settings] button.

3. Select the file you want to use as a watermark from Files or Photo Library.

Blending mode: Treat the watermark as a layer and choose how to blend it into your work.

 

Opacity: Adjust the transparency.

 

Tiling: Check this box to tile the entire image or invert it.

When using watermarks from material registration

Video location: From the point where you register the material

If you want to process the completed watermark and add it to your work, or if you want to add it to multiple places, it is convenient to register the material.

1. If you want to use transparent material, hide the paper.

2. From the Layer menu, select [Merge visible copy of layer].

3. Once the images you want to use as watermarks are all on one layer, select Edit > Register Material > Image.

4. Enter the material name, set the scaling settings, select the save destination and press OK to complete the material registration.

After registering the material, you can use it freely by dragging and dropping it from the Material window to the canvas or layer area.

Images registered in this case will be treated as image layers, so if you want to edit them after adding them to your work file, be sure to rasterize them appropriately.

How to add a watermark

Where to put it

Video location: From adding watermarks to editing etc.

If you're going to add a watermark,

 

you want to put it in a place where people who view the work can see it,

 

and where it can't be easily erased.

 

To do that,

 

• put it in a prominent place in the work (near a person's face, for example)

 

• make the text large enough to be readable

 

• make the text dark enough to be readable.

 

Below are some examples of my work.

I added a watermark to be read in the center of the illustration, and a logo with reduced transparency on each character's face.

I also applied a screentone to the entire illustration to counter the generating AI.

Also, I lowered the resolution of the data I uploaded to the web to 72 dpi, which is generally not suitable for printing.

This was an experiment to see if a postmark-style watermark would be less noticeable if the illustration was designed to look like a stamp.

 

In the thumbnails for social media, I boldly placed the mark over the person's face, and in my portfolio I published images with the mark removed.

Process the watermark

By customizing your watermark to suit your work, you can avoid destroying the worldview of your work.

Customizing your watermark can also make your work look even better.

 

Also, because there is a risk that a simple watermark may be easily removed, we recommend using a text editing tool to customize your work.

White text + black border

Clip gradient layer above

I borrowed Okutoba's title logo decoration auto action.

It can process logo marks in addition to text, so I think it can be used to process not only text but also marks, illustrations, and other things in a variety of ways.

I used Okutoba's neon processing auto action.

There are various neon colors and types, so you can change the atmosphere to match the illustration.

If you find something that you think you can use again after processing, register it as a material.

Once you have created a watermark that you can use for other works, save it separately.

Afterword

The only problem with watermarks is thieves

Many people may wonder if using a large watermark will lower the quality of the work.

 

Also, since watermarks place importance on readability, they inevitably stand out from the rest of the work, and they cannot be made smaller, so you may be faced with the dilemma of "it stands out more than the work even though I didn't mean to."

 

However, people who truly love your work will understand the need for a watermark to assert your identity as the author.

 

This is an extreme example, but the only person who would be troubled or upset by a noticeable watermark is a thief.

 

So be fearless and clearly assert your name and rights as the creator of a wonderful work.

Conclusion

Since I started making watermarks, I've felt that they are also part of my work.

I would be happy if more creators were able to make things that they are happy with and use with confidence, rather than something that interferes with the appearance of their work.

 

Thank you for reading this far.