Automate apply Text Watermark with Photoshop

From Photoshop: Create Text Watermark tutorial, that include an action which can easy create watermark in that tutorial with a click, Seagram was request for another action that can automatically apply watermark or logo to hundred of images. The watermark in that tutorial is design to easily apply to all images with a snap but it’s not for a hundred of images, it must be boring and time consuming tasks. So I’ve try to create one that must be a time saving tool for webmaster or publisher that have to embed their logo to a lot of images.

This action is create to use with photoshop batch command. It will automatically crop image from 0px by 0px position to 4 x 6 proportion then resize it to 600 (w) x 400(h) for landscape picture orientation. Then will be place 230px by 30px watermark at bottom right conner of image. I also include another action for portrait orientation image, also output as 4×6 or 400(w) x 600(h), that you run it in different batch process for portrait orientation images. If you want to output in other dimension you need little modification that I already include detailed instruction below in this page.

If you want to use your image as is without resize or cropping. You can easily turn off resize action. And you can use Apply watermark action with both landscape and portrait orientation images in single pass of batch process.

Important: This action include process to resize your image and save it automatically. To prevent any error please make sure that you have copy of your original images keeping save somewhere. And never run this action directly to your original image folder. Please use it at your own risk.

To Use Batch Apply Watermark Action:

1. For Landscape Orientation Picture download freetimefoto-Batch Apply Watermark Action. (Action for portrait orientation picture available at the bottom of this page).
   

   Note: If you don’t want to use this action to resize your image, you can use any of both action. It’s work fine for both landscape and portrait orientation image in single pass of batch command. Just uncheck Play Action (first process) in Apply Watermark action.

2. Extract file to any folder or your Photoshop install folder\Presets\Photoshop Actions. In order to make this action list in action palette option menu(need to restart photoshop). Please see Saving and loading photoshop actions for detailed instruction.
   
3. In photoshop load action freetimefoto - batch apply watermark.atn you will have new set of action with addtional 2 actions inside name as Apply Watermark and Adjust to 4×6. The first one is for apply and position your watermark or logo, the second one is for resize and crop your image to target output.
   
4. You may have to rename the action set. You can do it by, in action palette rename freetimefoto - batch apply watermark.atn to freetimefoto - batch apply watermark by double click at Set name in action palette. You have to do this otherwise the action will not run properly.

To batch apply water mark:

**Important: Make sure you have copy of all image before running action**

1. Create new folder and copy all files that you want to embed watermark in there. For now select only landscape orientation pictures.
   

   Note: You have to separate portrait orientation pictures and landscape orientation pictures into different process, to prevent error you should not copy it in same folder.

2. In photoshop open your watermark file (if you don’t have one please see Create Text Watermark to create your watermark). Close all other files only leave your watermark file left open.
   

   Note: To make sure that action is work well with your watermark file you can test it by open one of your image and simply run Apply Watermark Action by select Apply watermark action and press play button at bottom right Action Palette.

3. By using menu File » Automate » Batch. to open Photoshop Batch setting windows.
4. Use following setting to run batch apply watermark action.

Using the Photoshop Batch command for more detail instruction for each setting.

Known Issues:

In some type image file or color mode, new layer command are disable (such as gif file that is in Indexed color mode). You may have warning dialog to notice you that this command are not available, just press continue. This action still doing its jobs. If you don’t want to stop by warning dialog, you just simply uncheck the Make layer process in Apply Watermark action to toggle it off. But this process still be needed when you modify the action.

And also as describe in note above some image type will pop-up saving option when batch command save the file, for example in jpg file that will ask you for JPEG option. This may be an issue if you have a hundred of image, means you have to press enter for hundred of time. You may choose destination to Save and Close may solve your problem. But please remember, this will replace your original file with output image and if you want to change image name you have to do it manually. Or you can use other file renaming application such as A.F.5 Rename your files 1.1 that’s freeware and also ACDSee batch rename tool also do the better job with more options (access by in ACDSee using menu Tool » Batch Rename..). So again make sure you have some copy of your images.

Or you can create another action and run it with batch command to open and save your file before run Apply Watermark action. This action must have Save process, so you can select save option for your specific file type and this option will be apply automatically when you run action. I cannot include save process in my action because this action is intend to use with all type of image. If I include Save process this action will discard original image type and output to image type that specified in Save process.

Customize the Action

This action is design for specific size and dimension output image and watermark. If you need to output in different size or use different dimension of watermark you need a little modification.
After modification or change watermark file I recommend you to test the action without using batch command to saving your time make sure anything going fine. If you are not familiar with creating or using action please refer to Using Photoshop Action.

To change watermark positioning

1. In Action palette, Apply Watermark action uncheck flatten image to toggle it off.
2. Delete both Align linked layer process, by select it and press Trash Button . If you don’t want action to resize your image you can uncheck Play action process.
   
3. In Photoshop with only watermark file and one of your original image open. Select your original image and click Play Button to play Apply Watermark action.
4. Now your image will resize and crop to 600px by 400px with watermark place at center as separate layer.
5. Select Set Selection process in Apply Watermark action, press Record button . To record process to current action.
6. Use menu Layer » Align to selection and choose position that you want. For example, if you want to position your watermark at top left position use menu Layer » Align to selection » Top Edges and then use menu again select Layer » Align to selection » Left Edges. Now watermark should align to right position.
7. Press Stop Button to stop record action.
8. Check the Flatten Image process check box to turn it on.

To Change Output Size

The Batch Apply Watermark action start with run another action to resize all images to same dimension. This action include 2 image size processes, the first one is for resize it to make sure that each dimension have enough space to crop. The second one is to resize image to target output dimension. To modify target output size you have to create an action separately for landscape orientation and portrait orientation image.

To create action for landscape orientation with new output size 8×10, 800px in height by 1000px in width.

1. Open one of your original file.
2. With your original image select. Create New action by press New Button . New action dialog will open, name it as you want (don’t worry you can rename it anytime later). Press Record to start record action.
3. Use menu Image » Image Size. In Pixel Dimension enter you target output size for height. (for portrait orientation enter width value). In this example is 800px, and make sure that Constrain Proportion and Resample Image options are checked. For now after enter height your width may not be your target output value just discard it for now.
   

Tip: You may want to change interpolation method at Resample Image dropdown menu to Bicubic Sharper or Bicubic Smoother for best result that fit your need. (see Photoshop Image Size for more detail)

4. Select Rectangular Marquee Tool , in tool option bar set Feather = 0, Style = Fixed Aspect Ratio, and enter your target output proportion for width and height. For this example width = 10 and height = 8
   
   
5. Click and Drag start form top-left of your image all the way to bottom-right.
   
6. Use menu Image » Crop
7. Do Image Size again use same setting at step 3 except, enter value for your target output width (for portrait orientation enter height value). That’s 1000px for this example. Now you may notice that you will got your target output for both width and height.
8. Click Stop Button in action palette to stop recording.
9. Duplicate last 3 processes to the end of the list (Set Selection, Crop and Image Size). By Shift + Click to select each process and drag it to New Button . You final action should have total 7 processes and look like in image below after make a duplicate.
   

   Note: This will be safe guard for image that have width dimension less than 600px after first crop, this 3 processes will not effect to all image that already have 600px by 400px since first past.

Now you will got your new action for resize and crop images to your target output. But if you use your new resize action name different other than default (”Adjust to 4×6″ for landscape and “Adjust to 6×4″ for portrait), you have to record another process in Apply Watermark to play new action instead of default one. (see Modify to use with different Action Set Name).

Modify for use with Different Action Set Name

In Apply Watermark have one process that will play other action to resize and crop you image. If action name (Adjust to 4×6) and action set name (freetimefoto - batch apply watermark) are different, the play action process will unable to run. So you need to rename it as I describe above (see Use Batch Apply Watermark Action). But if you need to use other name to please follow instruction below to modify it.

1. Make sure you’re satisfied with all your action set name and action name.
2. Open one of your file or Just create new blank file using menu File » New (Ctrl + N)
3. In action palette, with Apply Watermark action selected. Press record button
4. Select and play resize action. By select your resize action with new name and press Play Button
5. Press Stop Button . Now you should see your action list as in picture below.
   
6. Your new action will place at bottom of the list. Delete old Play Action precess at the top by select it and click Trash button .
7. Click and drag your new Play Action process from bottom of the list to the top of the list.

You final action should be look like this.

This action and Beyond: You may include you own process or action to do your pre-publish job, for example embed digital watermark, embed your information to EXIF data or sharpen it, all fully automatic.I hope this action will saving a lot of your time from doing this long boring tasks manually. Please feel free to modify and use this action as you like.And if you want to modify it and re-publish it somewhere else, we always appreciate to link back or giving credit to our website. And if you have any difficulty to use this action please feel free to leave comment below to ask author, who always appreciate to help you to achieve your tasks.Download:

• freetimefoto-Batch Apply Watermark Action.zip
• freetimefoto-Batch Apply Watermark Action (portrait).zip

Related Article:

• What is Photoshop Action?
• Using Photoshop Action
• Saving and loading Photoshop actions
• Using Photoshop Batch Command
• Create Text Watermark
• Photoshop Image Size: What you may never know

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 14th, 2007 at 1:04 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.