# Graphics question, transparant background for watermark **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528 "2010-06-01T18:03:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528/1 "2010-06-01T18:03:02Z")
Hi. I’ve asked this before and didn’t get a working answer. Currently, the only way I know how to use the watermark I have for my photos is to open the black or white mark, I have both, then select **the layer** that has the mark itself and either drag it to the picture or copy paste it. I have found watermarking software, but in order to use it I have to save my marks with ACTUALLY transparent backgrounds in png or gif format. I cannot do this to save my life. Even when it SEEMS to be transparent, when I try to copy/paste or insert or use it… a square white or black background is always there. I have seen graphics that have genuinely transparent backgrounds, the software I found has some. So it can definitely be done, I’m just at a loss of how to do it so that it really truly is transparent…copy paste and the only thing you see is the mark itself. Help? ---
**Author:** ![powerjacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@powerjacob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/powerjacob)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528/2 "2010-06-01T18:23:50Z")
If you are using Photoshop, and depending on the color of the logo you could play with the blending modes to get the look you want. For example. If you have a black logo on a white background you can take the layer your logo is on and switch the blending mode from Normal to Multiply. This will eliminate the white background and leave the black. Then you adjust your opacity of the layer if you want. If you have a black background with a white logo you can switch the blending mode from normal to Screen. Another way is to save a psd file with your logo on a transparent background. Open the image you want to place the water mark and click on File, Place. Choose the psd file onto the image and you should have it. Hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528/3 "2010-06-01T19:15:31Z")
I haven’t puzzled out the first paragraph, but the second doesn’t, I don’t think…the idea is to use PS to create an image that is transparent so that it can be used in OTHER programs, programs that will batch-watermark whole folders of images. So anything that involves working only in PS doesn’t advance my situation. But I thank you for taking the time to try. ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528/4 "2010-06-01T19:46:26Z")
So, you just want a partially transparent image containing your watermark, that can be directly layered over another image without needing to mess with layer opacity or blending modes? That shouldn’t be a problem, as long as you’re okay with straight alpha blending. You’ll need to save it as a 32-bit PNG; GIFs do not support an alpha channel, so you would only get “on or off” transparency. Just take your watermark image in Photoshop, make sure the background is transparent (i.e., you should be able to see the “checkerboard” pattern through the parts of the image that are not covered by the watermark), and then tone down the watermark layer’s opacity to the desired level. Then save the image as a 32-bit PNG. Any program that supports PNGs and alpha blending should composite this watermark PNG correctly over any image you desire. ---
**Author:** ![powerjacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@powerjacob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/powerjacob)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528/5 "2010-06-01T20:46:10Z")
I know the task the OP wants can be done in Photoshop in a batch. I’ve done this before. Here is a link that may help out. > **[Watermarking Photos (Batch)](https://photoshop911.typepad.com/help/2004/04/watermarking_ph.html)** > > FAQ: How to use Photoshop 7 and cs Watermarking in Batch mode. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528/6 "2010-06-02T21:15:23Z")
> [@Stealth\_Potato](#): > > So, you just want a partially transparent image containing your watermark, that can be directly layered over another image without needing to mess with layer opacity or blending modes? That shouldn’t be a problem, as long as you’re okay with straight alpha blending. You’ll need to save it as a 32-bit PNG; GIFs do not support an alpha channel, so you would only get “on or off” transparency. > > Just take your watermark image in Photoshop, make sure the background is transparent (i.e., you should be able to see the “checkerboard” pattern through the parts of the image that are not covered by the watermark), and then tone down the watermark layer’s opacity to the desired level. Then save the image as a 32-bit PNG. Any program that supports PNGs and alpha blending should composite this watermark PNG correctly over any image you desire. You are officially my hero. I kiss you. MUAH! ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528/7 "2010-06-03T02:18:37Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > You are officially my hero. > > I kiss you. > > MUAH! Well, probably too late to help (or get kissed—story of my life). But you could use a vector graphics program like Adobe Illustrator. Vector graphics have… well, the technical way of putting it is “Dey gots no pixels!” So a “white” background is actually NO background. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphics-question-transparant-background-for-watermark/541528/8 "2010-06-03T05:08:53Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Well, probably too late to help (or get kissed—story of my life). > > But you could use a vector graphics program like Adobe Illustrator. Vector graphics have… well, the technical way of putting it is “Dey gots no pixels!” So a “white” background is actually NO background. That’d work for line art logos, but anything that’s shaded/colored in in the watermark would still be solid and 100% opaque without transparency.