How To Remove Watermarks From Images With Photoshop CS3

This is a Photoshop tutorial on How to remove watermarks from images. Check pictures BEFORE and AFTER to see the result of this tutorial.

Although I mentioned Photoshop CS3 in the title the principles remains the same no matter what version of Photoshop you have. The method to remove watermark from the picture can be applied to any image editing program that has the same features as Photoshop.

In this tutorial we’ll use watermarked IPod speakers picture from Dealextreme gadget e-shop. You can find many great and cheap items here.

1. Removing Watermark From White Background

First load the image to Photoshop and select Eraser Tool (keyboard shortcut press E). Then erase all watermarked areas with white background. This is the simplest and quickest part of watermark removal procedure. To make things easier you can adjust the size of the eraser (right click) and try to zoom using Zoom Tool (Z) into more complicated parts of the image like curved edges near objects.

In the end you will get this image that has no watermark in white background.

2. Removing watermark from objects.

Now its time for more complicated removal steps. In the image below you see that watermark is clearly visible on the right iPod speaker.

Select Clone Stamp Tool (S) , now hold Alt key and press on area1. This takes a sample of area1 and you can paint the same sample wherever you want on the image. Off course we need to hide the watermark so we start brushing on the edge1.

The result is:

Repeat this step by taking other samples from nearby areas which could mask the watermark. If you go too far and want to go back just press Ctrl+Z command and start from the beginning.

Don’t forget to resize the tool by right click if needed for narrow areas in the image.

Tip: If you find difficult using Clone Stamp Tool then go to Help->Photoshop Help.. and type in Clone Stamp Tool. You can read more detailed version on how to use clone stamp tool in Photoshop here.

When we’re done with this part of the image it looks like this:

Almost no traces of watermark that has been before. Use Clone Stamp Tool to remove watermarks from other areas in the image the same way.

Smudge the Watermark

Sometimes Clone Stamp Tool may be difficult or time consuming to use. There is another trick in Photoshop to remove watermarks. It’s accomplished by using smudge tool.

Let’s take a look on the area where watermark is printed. It would be quite difficult to remove just using Clone Stamp tool alone. In this case we can use Smudge Tool to smudge the watermark away.

Select Smudge Tool (R ) and adjust diameter and hardness.

Now gently press on the watermarked areas and swing your mouse a little. We need to destroy those linear patterns that are visible on the image. After some time we get this result.

The final result with every watermark removed is:

Using those 3 simple Photoshop techniques you can master the watermark removal art. As I mentioned in the beginning you can use not only Photoshop but other image editing programs as well.

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