# Trying and Failing to Make a Simple Watermark.. Help!



## D-B-J (May 5, 2014)

So this is the idea, but I hate how the "sun" looks.  Any ideas on how to fix it? I want it nice and simple, just like pictured. 

Cheers!
Jake


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## snowbear (May 5, 2014)

If you're using something like PS (layers) maybe try to do the rays first, crossing each at the center, then overlay the sun circle on that.  Finally clean up the ray ends with transparent circle, then erase the bottom half (or overlay with a white rectangle).  Flatten the layers then add the text.


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## D-B-J (May 5, 2014)

snowbear said:


> What are you using to make it?  Try hand drawing & scanning the sun, maybe.



Photoshop.  In my head it looks perfect but in reality it looks lame..


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## TheNevadanStig (May 5, 2014)

I would ditch the fade on the sun part, and increase it in the rays. At least Im assuming thats supposed to be a sun. The solid lines traveling out of the fade marks from the ball look kinda funked.


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## snowbear (May 5, 2014)

I was editing when you answered.


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## D-B-J (May 5, 2014)

TheNevadanStig said:


> I would ditch the fade on the sun part, and increase it in the rays. At least Im assuming thats supposed to be a sun. The solid lines traveling out of the fade marks from the ball look kinda funked.



Maybe setting the sun a bit lower too? I'll have to work on it some more tomorrow. I just registered a domain and such, so now I'm trying to build my website. And then realized I need a watermark too. 




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## Scatterbrained (May 5, 2014)

In general, I'd expect the rays to be triangular, rather than rectangular.  Make the complete shape for the sun and rays, then fill it and apply a gradient to it as one shape.


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## D-B-J (May 5, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> In general, I'd expect the rays to be triangular, rather than rectangular.  Make the complete shape for the sun and rays, then fill it and apply a gradient to it as one shape.



Light on top to dark on bottom?


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## vintagesnaps (May 5, 2014)

Maybe rethink the spacing of the lettering, you're trying to fit the sun into a wide space without much height to it. Not sure about all caps either, or having one word sideways, maybe it needs some adjustment to fit the sun and rays better.


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## Scatterbrained (May 5, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> Scatterbrained said:
> 
> 
> > In general, I'd expect the rays to be triangular, rather than rectangular.  Make the complete shape for the sun and rays, then fill it and apply a gradient to it as one shape.
> ...


  A radial gradient from the center out.   

To make something like what you're trying to do, you can start with a new document; make a circle, create and new layer and make a triangle, adjust the shape of the triangle to taste (free transform makes this easy) then duplicate that layer over and over till you have all your "rays".  You can adjust the size and shape of each ray independently on their own layers. When it all looks good merge them into one layer, create a mask and apply the radial blur, apply the layer mask and save the image.


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## D-B-J (May 5, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> D-B-J said:
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Man, I hate knowing so little about photoshop. I'll do a rework tomorrow and see where that gets me. 

Cheers! 
Jake 


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## jayohphotography (May 6, 2014)

looks like the rays and the oval are all diff layers, each has a gradient? first, I agree as someone said above, make the rays more like triangles, then group everything into one layer "the sun" THEN put gradient, so that not each object has its own gradient.


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## D-B-J (May 6, 2014)

jayohphotography said:


> looks like the rays and the oval are all diff layers, each has a gradient? first, I agree as someone said above, make the rays more like triangles, then group everything into one layer "the sun" THEN put gradient, so that not each object has its own gradient.



I'll have to try this later this evening. I really need to become more adept with Photoshop..


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)




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## runnah (May 6, 2014)

That'll be $1200


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## spacefuzz (May 6, 2014)

Runnah wins.


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## Scatterbrained (May 6, 2014)

runnah said:


> ......
> 
> That'll be $1200


:thumbup:


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> runnah said:
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4 designs @ $200
.10 hr @ $300
PITA charge: $100
Total: $1200

Seems fair and cheap.


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## D-B-J (May 6, 2014)

runnah said:


> Scatterbrained said:
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> > runnah said:
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Damn you! I like the first one, that's just what I had in mind. Now I just have to recreate it...


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> Damn you! I like the first one, that's just what I had in mind. Now I just have to recreate it...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




lol that was my least favorite. Too spread out and loose.

it's super easy to make starbursts


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)




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## D-B-J (May 6, 2014)

runnah said:


> D-B-J said:
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> > Damn you! I like the first one, that's just what I had in mind. Now I just have to recreate it...
> ...



Well, you'll have to enlighten me.. How do you make them so easily?


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> Well, you'll have to enlighten me.. How do you make them so easily?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



1. make 6000x6000 image
2. use guides to divide the image in 4 equal quarters
3. Make a rectangle on a new layer that goes from the top to the middle intersection
4. use perspective transform to make pointed shape.
5. duplicate
6. rotate 180
7. move shape down so two tips are touching (oh my)
8. Merge two layers
9. duplicate and rotate 90
10. merge and rotate 45, and so on.
11. draw a cricle in middle.


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## D-B-J (May 6, 2014)

runnah said:


> D-B-J said:
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> > Well, you'll have to enlighten me.. How do you make them so easily?
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LOL at step 7. Thanks Runnah. 


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)




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## Braineack (May 6, 2014)

Are you japanese?

how about tying the name into the logo:


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)




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## Braineack (May 6, 2014)

dude.  why are you making sunbursts so hard?

make a circle. go to attributes panel.  make a heavy stroke and then make it dashed and play with size and spacing.


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)

Cause he was in photoshop. It's hella easy in illustrator. 

How to Create a Retro Sunburst in Photoshop

Different method. So many ways to skin a cat.


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## Scatterbrained (May 6, 2014)

Of course there is always the "third way", hire a graphic designer to design your logo.


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## Scatterbrained (May 6, 2014)

runnah said:


> View attachment 73167



Man I laughed hard at that.   This reminds me of more than one of the CL fauxtogs around here.


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> runnah said:
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> > View attachment 73167
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This one is a steal @ $299.


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## D-B-J (May 6, 2014)

Haha you guys kill me. 


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## CdTSnap (May 6, 2014)

I like Braineack's logo better but change the font


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## D-B-J (May 6, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> Of course there is always the "third way", hire a graphic designer to design your logo.




Maybe when I start making real money.


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## Braineack (May 6, 2014)

runnah said:


> Cause he was in photoshop. It's hella easy in illustrator.
> 
> How to Create a Retro Sunburst in Photoshop
> 
> Different method. So many ways to skin a cat.




oh i wasn't paying attention.  I dont do logos in Photoshop.


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## mmaria (May 7, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> The Setting Sun by f_one_eight, on Flickr
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I commented in your other thread about the logo you put on the photos. Just look at runnah's suggestions and see the difference between his and your fonts f.e. 
And why did you chose the white background?


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## D-B-J (May 7, 2014)

mmaria said:


> D-B-J said:
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> > The Setting Sun by f_one_eight, on Flickr
> ...



I wanted it to "stand out" a bit.  But not be excessive.


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## mmaria (May 7, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> mmaria said:
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> > I commented in your other thread about the logo you put on the photos. Just look at runnah's suggestions and see the difference between his and your fonts f.e.
> ...


 But when a viewer have a white box in the lower left corner of a sunset (beautiful toned down colors) f.e. all their eyes will see is the white box in the lower left corner.
Eyes are first seeing the brightest part of a photograph and the area with the most contrast. You have both in this logo. 
You don't want the logo to be the main part of your photograph.


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## D-B-J (May 7, 2014)

mmaria said:


> D-B-J said:
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Should I have a different colored background for it? What do you think?


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## mmaria (May 7, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> Should I have a different colored background for it? What do you think?


- no background at all
- pay attention to fonts, google a bit
- pay attention to the tones of colors in it
- imagine how would your logo look on a photograph that's hanging on someone's wall


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## Braineack (May 7, 2014)

CdTSnap said:


> I like Braineack's logo better but change the font



thanks, I'd do the font differently, more like this:







and then when watermarking photographs I'd only use the logo.


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## D-B-J (May 10, 2014)

Braineack said:


> CdTSnap said:
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> > I like Braineack's logo better but change the font
> ...




I love that logo and spent 2 hours trying to recreate it and failed... Any insight on how you made it?  I don't really like the words, and I'd rather have just the logo as a watermark. 

Cheers!
Jake


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