What is a watermark? A watermark is an image (normally the logo or other branding asset) that is put on the card with a transparency so it doesn’t stand out in full color. It is typically used as a design feature to make the ID card look more professional, and further shows the authenticity of the employee. It can either be in the foreground of the card, where it overlays the rest of the features, or it can be put in the background where the rest of the features are on top of it. Normally it is used in the background to make up the dominant part of the ID badge design.
The style of a watermark on your card also varies. There are a lot of people that like it big in the background and others that like it small and repeated across the employee ID card. Depending on the type of logo you have, one might be better than the other. If you have a logo with a big symbol as its most prominent feature then it could work both ways. If you have a logo with just words and no symbol then having it repeated in the background will complement the ID card more than having it as one big watermark. Normally, for it to be one big watermark it should have an appealing design element with it.
When would I use a watermark? A watermark is best used on a more simple background. If you have an elaborate design for your ID badge then the watermark will typically make it look cluttered. As you can see in the examples, we tend to use the watermark with dominantly white backgrounds; however colored backgrounds (like the blue) can also work. It just depends on your logo, the color, and what you want done with it. If you do decide to use your logo as a watermark there are some things to be aware of.
- Your logo must be a large size and good quality. As you can see in the examples we have the logos pretty large in the background most of the time. The only way for this to work is if you provide us a high-resolution logo.
- Transparent Background. It helps us tremendously if you provide your logo with a transparent background in any circumstance, but more-so if you want it to be used like a watermark and still want a color background. We do not cut logos out and apply a transparent background unless the logo is simple enough to do so.
Watermarks can add a great design element to a card and can really liven a simple ID card template up. If you are interested in using your logo as a watermark on your employee ID badge, please consult one of our designers and they will let you know if it would be a good idea for your design.
