Using Your Watermark in OpenOffice.org Draw

I have included a video to help SHOW you how to do this. But first the step by step instructions.

• Open OpenOffice Draw.
• Insert your photo onto the OpenOffice Draw document. I like to use the drag method for insertng images to the document.

--How to drag: As you can see I have the photo I want to watermark (DSC_1391...) and the Waterark file (Cindy.png) sitting on my desktop. All I do is click the mouse button on the file I want to drag, in this case the photo comes first. While keeping the mouse button pressed drag the file onto the OpenOffice Draw document. Release the mouse button to drop it on.

--If you don't like dragging: Click on Insert located at the top of your OpenOffice Draw document and then click on Picture and From File. Locate your photo and double click it.

• Insert the Watermark file. Again I like to use the drag method. When you drag it make sure you drag it under the photo and NOT on top of it. It seems to get "lost" when doing that. Once it's on the document THEN you can drag it on top of the photo. And if you don't like dragging you can use the Insert>Picture>From File method. You will still need to drag the watermark on top of the photo.
• Resize the Watermark. When you move the mouse over the watermark you will see the mouse change to a cross hair. When it does Click and hold the mouse button while moving the mouse to resize. To keep proportions press the Shift key while resizing!
• Now to save your watermarked Photo. You don't want the whole page just the picture so you need to select the watermark and the picture first. The Watermark should still be selected from the resize. If not just click on it. Press the Shift Key while clicking on the photo. This will select the watermark AND the photo.
• Click on File in the upper left corner of the document.
• Click on Export.
• Select the location where you want the file to be saved, I selected Desktop. Then click the Selection option at the bottom of the export dialog. Type in the desire name for your photo and then click on Export.
• Your freshly watermarked photo should appear on your desktop!

Hosted on Photobucket:

http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e385/sarajwil/Tweaks%20and%20Designs/?action=view&current=OpenOfficeHelp.flv

Download and Install GIMP

There are currently newer versions of GIMP available. These instructions will not be the same for some of these newer versions. If you need more help with a more recent version please email me...be sure to include where you got stumped and the version you are using.

**If you are a MAC user here is a link to installing GIMP for MAC: http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/**

I’ve provided direct links to the file downloads below. If these do not work for some reason (they should) here is the site where they can be found. http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/

If you have Windows 2000, 2003, XP or Vista you need this download:
http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?groupname=gimp-win&filename=gimp-2.4.4-i686-setup.exe&use_mirror=internap

If you have Windows 98, ME or NT you will need to download this file:
http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?groupname=gimp-win&filename=gtk%2B-2.6.10-20050823-setup.zip&use_mirror=superb-west

• Once you click on the appropriate link above you a new window will open for soundforge.net and a message should pop-up. Click on Run. If you get an ad, just skip it. You can also close and try again. Also, if you have everything locked down like I do you will have to install the ActiveX control.


• The file will download and then a message will appear asking if you’d like to run the software, click on Run.


• Click Next, Next (yes, yes, you agree) then the all important Install now.


• When the install is complete a message will pop up, the Launch The Gimp option will be checked. If you’re ready to move on to using your watermark leave it checked and Gimp will open when you click Finish.


• Click on Finish. Congratulations you are now the proud owner of Gimp for Windows! Be patient the first time the program loads takes a while!

Using Your PNG Watermark in GIMP

There are currently newer versions of GIMP available. These instructions will not be the same for some of these newer versions. If you need more help with a more recent version please email me...be sure to include where you got stumped and the version you are using.

**If you are a MAC user and are using GIMP 2.4.4 for the MAC these instructions should work for you as well..please comment with suggestions/corrections if you have any. I don't have a MAC.** :)

Click on the screenshot animations for a closer look.

• First you will need to download and unzip your watermark files. If you need assistance with this please send me email. Be sure to remember where you saved your attachments. For my example my picture AND watermark are both in a folder called GIMP Help I made on my Desktop.



Open Gimp (you should have a GIMP shortcut on your desktop). The Gimp Tip of the Day will appear…you can choose to show this each time you open or not right here, then click Close.

• Open your photograph in GIMP. You can Click File, then Open, locate your photo, click your picture once to select it and then click Open OR you can just simply drag your picture onto GIMP. To drag click and hold the mouse button on the file while. Move the mouse and you will see the file moving with it, drag your mouse over GIMP and release the mouse button.
  
• That being said I do the same thing with the watermark file. Simply drag it onto the picture like so. I had to click the window on the side to bring it to the front.
  
• Now to place the watermark click on the Move Tool on the GIMP toolbar. You may have to click the top of the toolbar to bring it to the front. Click Move active layer to ensure you move the watermark and not the photograph.
  
• To resize the Watermark select the Scale Tool from the GIMP Toolbar. Select Keep aspect so your watermark does not lose its proportions while resizing.
  
• The watermark is made white at 100% opacity so that you can completely control it based on your photo. To change the opacity you will need to select the watermark layer and move the Opacity slider.
  
• Click File, Save as shown above. If you want to save a COPY click on Save As instead. Be sure to give it a NEW name. You're done!