Watermarks are a way of protecting your intellectual property. By adding a watermark to your designs, you can prevent others from stealing them and using them without your permission. However, watermarks can also be a nuisance to viewers and can sometimes degrade the quality of your design. So, should you put a watermark on your designs?

In general, it is not recommended to watermark designs. A watermark can be put on any design to protect designers in a digital environment, however, a watermark can hinder the appearance of the work. And watermarks will not stop someone from stealing the design. So, it is typically best to avoid using watermarks altogether.

In this blog post, we will explore both the pros and cons of watermarking your work and help you decide whether or not it is right for you. Keep reading to learn about why you should not have a watermark on any of your artwork and designs.

Reasons You Should Not Watermark Your Designs

There are many reasons why watermarking your designs is not a good idea. The biggest reason is that watermarks can take away from the overall look of the design. If you are selling your designs or using them for promoting your business, you want people to focus on the design itself and not be distracted by a watermark. Here are some more of the most common reasons.

1. Watermarks Can Degrade the Quality Of Your Design

A watermark can take away from the overall quality of a design. It is often seen as a lower-quality option when compared to a design without a watermark.

This is because high-end work does not have watermarks. And high-end artists are not worried about their work being stolen.

A watermark can degrade the quality of a design, especially if it is placed directly in the center of the image. But even designs on the edges

2. Watermarks Can Be Easy to Remove

Often the reason for adding a watermark is that you do not want your design stolen. But if someone wants to steal your design, they will find a way to do it. Watermarks can be removed fairly easily with the right software. Or even sometimes cropped out.

But you should not worry about your work being stolen. If someone wants to steal it they will, and a watermark will not stop them.

3. Watermarks Can Hinder the Appearance of Your Work

A watermark can get in the way of the overall appearance of your work. A watermark can be distracting, making it harder for people to focus on the design itself.

It can also make your work look unprofessional. If you are trying to sell your designs, a watermark can make it less likely that someone will want to buy them.

Often it can be associated that cheap work has watermarks. You do not see high-end artists with watermarks. And there are tons of stock photos with watermarks that hinder the appearance of the image.

4. Watermarks Make It Difficult to Appreciate the Work

A watermark should not be on your designs because it makes it harder to appreciate the work as a whole. A watermark can be very distracting and take away from the overall look of a design.

If a watermark is not placed in an unobtrusive location, it can make a design look busy and cluttered. But place the design in an unobtrusive location and it becomes easy to remove. Your best bet is to not add a watermark, to begin with.

You want someone to be able to recognize your work without a watermark. Creating a professional, consistent style is more important than a watermark.

Reasons You Should Watermark Your Designs

There are also some reasons why watermarking your designs can be a good idea. The most common reason is to prevent theft. If someone does decide to steal your design, watermarking it will make it much harder for them to sell it or use it without crediting you. Here are some more of the most common reasons.

1. A Way to Brand Your Work

A watermark is a way to brand your work. By including your watermark on your design, you are making it more likely that people will remember who created the design.

The caveat here is that you want your work to be recognizable based on the work you are producing, not your watermark. So it is recommended to forgo the watermark and create a distinct style for your designs.

If you are trying to build a name for yourself as a designer, watermarking your work can be a good way to do it. One of the benefits of including a watermark is that you can include relevant information like where to find other works, via a website or social media handle.

2. Protect Your Work from Being Stolen

Another reason to watermark your designs is to protect your work from being stolen. If you share your work online, it is very easy for someone to take your design and use it without giving you credit.

A watermark can help to prevent this from happening by making it more difficult for someone to steal. However, keep in mind a watermark does not make stealing a design impossible.

With this you want to choose where your watermark goes strategically. If you place it at the edge or corner of the design it might be easily cropped out, but if you place it in the center of the design you detract from the design. Choosing where the watermark is placed is just as important as having a watermark if you decide that is what is best for your art.

The Clear Winner: Do Not Watermark Your Designs

When it comes to watermarking, there are more reasons to avoid doing it than there are to go forward with it. You should not watermark your designs. The watermark will damage the quality of your design, it is not an effective way to prevent theft, and it can make your design less appealing to potential clients.