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08 January 2009 @ 04:04 pm
Tutorial: Watermark Removal  
» Photoshop Tutorial (Required)
» Watermark Removal
» Steps are precise. Created with image.

»

Choose your image and bring it in to Photoshop. Make sure you have your layer tab out, and start out by duplicating the image twice so that you have three layers as shown.



Select your bottom original base layer. Go to Filter > Noise > Median. Here I've used a radius of 2, but depending on your picture you may want to go a little higher.



Set your upper two layers to Darken and Lighten. It doesn't matter to which order they are arranged, so long as the Median layer is on bottom.



Now here you will need to make the upper darken/lighten two layers invisible so that only the base is visible. Click on the eye icons to the left of them in the Layers window to do so.
Exact execution will vary greatly depending on the image you use, but here I've zoomed in to the chin area and selected a skin color from Blixa's chin with the dropper tool. I used a low opacity, medium-sized brush with very low hardness to go over similar-colored areas of the chin where the watermark is covering, but the type you should use will vary depending on the quality of your picture.

Color over the areas covered only so lightly, and then select another shade with the dropper tool and begin again. Repeat steps until you have managed a convincing enough complexion and palette. Finish by taking the smudge tool at a low opacity and blending together with numerous, short strokes.



Now take the burn tool and set it to a low opacity with a relatively high-hardness setting. Begin to cover out black areas where the watermark overlaps. Change sizes frequently according to the area's needs with the [ and ] key shortcuts. You may come in to contact with some areas where the watermark overlaps quite inconveniently against the light and dark areas, as seen in the area where the “a” and “g” are. For this, you'll need to use a back and forth method of applying the burn tool and using the dropper plus the brush tool to recolor the area appropriately. Be careful not to distort the original shape of the area by much. If you have one, a drawing tablet will help guide the tools with more accuracy than your mouse, so I suggest using it.



Next I'll set to work on the neck area, applying the same dropper plus brush method used on the chin, with the smudging finish. I've gone over the area where the tail of the “y” extends outward with both the brush and the burn tool. I'll repeat this method various times on the leftover areas of the image now, being careful to have a constantly changing and varied color palette.



I've now blotted out the lettering completely. Here I will now take the layer set to “darken” and make it visible. Start erasing the shadows of the lettering on this layer. Be sure to use a relatively small size eraser, changing with the same [ and ] keyboard shortcuts, and be as careful as you possibly can not to get rid of any shadows vital to the image itself.



It is undoubted that you'll have erased some vital shadow, so now take out the brush tool, set the color to black, and make it a soft, low-opacity brush. Restore some of the original shadow in short, frequent strokes. Go over these with the eraser tool set to a low opacity, refining them until they suit the image. You may also try using various colors with the brush tool, as well as the burn tool, if you aren't satisfied with the results.



Once you are finished, set the darken layer back to invisible. Now go on to your lighten layer and make it visible again. Here, employ the same method of erasing, going over the wording, being careful not to rid the picture of any vital highlights. If you feel you have erased too much along with the lettering, do the inverse operation of the last step and choose a white brush, as well as various other colors, and the dodge tool to restore light.



Set all your layers to visible again and flatten the image. You have now successfully removed the watermark.




» Please replace any watermarks with proper credit in some other form to the respective owners.
 
 
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( 75 comments — Post a new comment )
(Anonymous) on January 8th, 2009 10:35 pm (UTC)
Because photographers don't deserve to make money from their work! YAYYYYY!
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 10:43 pm (UTC)
I'm not saying how it should be used. The watermark can be replaced with a different credit, or the tutorial can be used to remove other things in general. If you're against it, don't use it.

You had to post anonymously?
(no subject) - [info]kanthia on January 8th, 2009 10:44 pm (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 10:48 pm (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]vesleskjor on January 8th, 2009 10:48 pm (UTC)
♫ Amaya: Coooool![info]messdestruction on January 8th, 2009 10:43 pm (UTC)
very cool tutorial! thanks ;)
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 10:49 pm (UTC)
Thank you.
Ashley[info]youngthing on January 8th, 2009 10:49 pm (UTC)
great tutorial!
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 10:50 pm (UTC)
Thanks.
Claudia Santiago: fangs[info]hirenkoi on January 8th, 2009 10:50 pm (UTC)
Great Tutorial! \o/
Thank you
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 10:54 pm (UTC)
Thanks, glad to help.
Mrs Mayfair McBitchy: Dana Delany[info]rbkh on January 8th, 2009 10:51 pm (UTC)
Great tut! Adding it to my mems.
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 10:54 pm (UTC)
Thank you.
fiya!~[info]sweetxseoul on January 8th, 2009 10:51 pm (UTC)
great tutorial thank you :)
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 10:55 pm (UTC)
Thanks.
on holiday: Bad Habit[info]lauchlen on January 8th, 2009 11:00 pm (UTC)
Great tutorial! I've been looking for a way to get rid of watermarks for ages. Clone tools and healing brushes just don't cut it. Thanks so much for posting this. *mems*
Bethany: rorschach & prozac & everything's groovy[info]xhellsfirex on January 8th, 2009 11:03 pm (UTC)
Sure thing. Glad to help.
Ambulance[info]angrymobjustice on January 8th, 2009 11:06 pm (UTC)
Much more effective than cloning and smudging.

Thanks :)
Bethany[info]xhellsfirex on January 8th, 2009 11:13 pm (UTC)
Thanks, I hope it helps.
Edie: Mickicon1[info]edienippoli on January 8th, 2009 11:09 pm (UTC)
This should be extremely useful for the Mick Harvey picture from the same photoshoot. I already found Thomas and Blixa minus watermarks, but I haven't been able to find Mick minus watermark anywhere! With this tut I can get rid of that problem myself :D
Bethany[info]xhellsfirex on January 8th, 2009 11:13 pm (UTC)
Ooh, I haven't seen those. Post? Maybe I can give it a go.
(no subject) - [info]edienippoli on January 8th, 2009 11:19 pm (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]xhellsfirex on January 9th, 2009 12:06 am (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]edienippoli on January 9th, 2009 01:18 am (UTC)
gothic_elvis[info]gothic_elvis on January 8th, 2009 11:17 pm (UTC)
This is awesome, thanks so much for sharing! <3
Bethany[info]xhellsfirex on January 8th, 2009 11:19 pm (UTC)
No problem. Thank you.
Lauren: jenna || black[info]6harbours on January 8th, 2009 11:23 pm (UTC)
great tutorial!!
thanks :)
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 11:54 pm (UTC)
No problem.
Jac.: M&S - Endless Sky[info]angelinamoon on January 8th, 2009 11:24 pm (UTC)
Thank you very much for this tutorial.
I've added it to my memories.
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 11:54 pm (UTC)
Glad you liked it. I like the X-Files icon..
little_dumpling: Chuck - Morgan Smile[info]little_dumpling on January 8th, 2009 11:33 pm (UTC)
wow, this is sooo lovely! thanks so much for this tutorial, i've really wanted to know how to use it! hugs all around!
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 11:54 pm (UTC)
Glad to help.
Artemis' Chew Toy: Bale: Tatt Rave[info]tattooedraven on January 8th, 2009 11:42 pm (UTC)
Excellent! Thanks for sharing. :D
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 8th, 2009 11:54 pm (UTC)
Thanks.
treasuresex[info]treasuresex on January 9th, 2009 12:49 am (UTC)
I never thought of doing it that way. I might have to try it. I've been using the clone tool forever and I guess I just got used to it. See?
Nice tutorial though! Totally memming. Although yeah I'm sure Getty wouldn't appreciate it haha
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 9th, 2009 03:22 am (UTC)
Yeah, there are a lot of different methods. This one is the one I've had the most success with/grown the most attached to using.

Nice icon, by the way.
Juana Euphrasie, La Loca: (ZOMGSMILE!) Cloud[info]grimrehyper on January 9th, 2009 01:07 am (UTC)
Wow. Getty watermarks are quite hard to remove. I myself just rely on Clone Stamp, but this is a great, precise alternative. Thank you!
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 9th, 2009 03:23 am (UTC)
I'm glad it helps.
Alexis[info]ice_angel2007 on January 9th, 2009 01:21 am (UTC)
Very nice! Memming!!
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 9th, 2009 03:24 am (UTC)
Thanks.
Alexander[info]andreev144 on January 9th, 2009 02:07 am (UTC)
i steel can see the letters on right image)
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 9th, 2009 03:25 am (UTC)
I'm confused as to what you mean.
(no subject) - [info]mick_harvey on January 9th, 2009 06:02 am (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]xhellsfirex on January 9th, 2009 06:32 am (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]mick_harvey on January 11th, 2009 07:08 am (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]hficons on January 11th, 2009 07:14 am (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]mick_harvey on January 11th, 2009 09:45 am (UTC)
[info]visual_shadow on January 9th, 2009 08:03 am (UTC)
I save this to my favorites who knows I may need to know how to do this one day.
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 9th, 2009 08:07 am (UTC)
You just might.
aitotchideto[info]aitotchideto on January 9th, 2009 08:21 am (UTC)
I'm memming this, thank you so much for your helps :)
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 9th, 2009 08:24 am (UTC)
No problem.
live for something or die for nothing[info]mrs_obsessive on January 9th, 2009 12:07 pm (UTC)
if you take pictures from getty,just copy the link from the pictures,paste it into a new window,delete the last letter/number and type "d" :) et voila,without watermarks xD
Bethany: rorschach & prozac & everything's groovy[info]xhellsfirex on January 9th, 2009 06:01 pm (UTC)
That is quite useful. The tutorial isn't exclusively for watermarks. Just removal of unwanted/unsightly text or other things.
(no subject) - [info]red_bansidhe on March 26th, 2009 05:13 pm (UTC)
(no subject) - [info]mrs_obsessive on March 26th, 2009 05:14 pm (UTC)
Chloé: the tudors>Maria Doyle Kennedy[info]liona5 on January 9th, 2009 04:32 pm (UTC)
Wow,really usefull tutorial,thanks for sharing :D
Bethany: rorschach & prozac & everything's groovy[info]xhellsfirex on January 9th, 2009 06:01 pm (UTC)
Thank you.
Melanie[info]dragonflyxeyes on January 10th, 2009 03:44 am (UTC)
Excuse my french but holy shit, that is amazing. Wonderful job. You make it look so easy. :D
Bethany[info]xhellsfirex on January 10th, 2009 04:25 am (UTC)
Great, I hope it helps out. I feel dumb that my monitor is so ancient an dark I missed part of the lettering (as mentioned in previous comments), but I'm pretty sure I fixed it. It does work very well as long as you can see what you're doing, heh
Anna[info]faded_facade on January 12th, 2009 04:20 am (UTC)
Awesome tutorial! I'm adding it to my memories. :D
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 12th, 2009 04:24 am (UTC)
Thank you.
Lauren Elizabeth[info]pocketfuloflove on January 12th, 2009 04:23 pm (UTC)
THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D:D:D:D:D Adding to mems!
HF Icons[info]hficons on January 16th, 2009 12:43 am (UTC)
Thank you.
 
 

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