The watermark is obtained by fixing a brass motif on the wire of the cylinder mould.

There will be less pulp at this place and the motif will be visible when the paper is held up to the light. These are wire watermarks. Shadecraft or shaded watermarks are obtained by impressing a relief image in the metal screen onto which the pulp fixes in the first stage of the papermaking process. The design will generally be a name, a monogram, a date, a drawing or a set of initials. The purpose of a watermark is to authenticate the paper.