You’ve known it since you were a kid; stickers are awesome! Everyone loves stickers, and age is no barrier for this. We’ve seen people of all ages designing stickers from their own artwork, logos and using our clipart and images. From bumper stickers to custom-cut shapes it’s very clear to us that stickers are a beloved product. The only thing better than getting a sticker from your favorite band or brand is making your own from scratch! Our designers are at it again with a set of tips to make customizing your stickers and decals.
Pick the right size and shape
Picking a size and shape are the ultimate first step. Stickers can be printed in sizes from super small all the way to storefront size. It’s important to know your application before printing. Most people will be designing stickers from a couple inches to 10-11 inches. We offer stickers in any shape imaginable, so you’ll want to know right away whether you’re looking for a standard round or square decal or if you’re looking for something more unique like a custom cut decal. Custom cut decals are cut to the shape of your design. Our production crew prepares the files before they’re printed so our machines will cut the sticker to the right shape. Just let us know before you’re done ordering that this is what you’re looking for and any special requests when purchasing Full Color Stickers – Any Custom Shape.
For extra large stickers like those used for windows or signs, we recommend measuring the location and adding an inch or so for a bleed area. This will be trimmed away in the end, but allows you some wiggle room when applying it. Smaller decals have a bleed for a “cut area”, but most of the time our product team handles this for you.
Consider the small details
Even though our printers are high-quality, sometimes stickers include little details or text that can be lost in the print. Phone numbers and important information should be big enough that it will be easily read, especially if it’s part of a logo with many colors or low contrast colors. The best way to do this if you’re submitting a pre-made design is to ask our designers about it. They can determine what the final print will look like or if a test print is needed. They can also make modifications to your artwork.
For stickers you’re designing from scratch, you want to keep the above tip in mind from the get go. Larger text is better, but it doesn’t have to be as large as if you were designing a car sign or banner.
Don’t get crazy with images
A lot of the time, customers send us designs with crazy hectic backgrounds. Other than looking messy, they detract from the message or other design elements of the sticker. While it’s great to have fun and upload images to your design, try to keep background simple, subdued or lighter than the overall design so the attention to detail isn’t lost. The more images you add to a single sticker, the more complex it can become. If this is what you’re looking for, it can be cool, but it is definitely a specific look you’ll end up with. Try to stick to a single image or, better yet, ask our designers to isolate important elements in the design if you can’t yourself.
Logos make AWESOME stickers!
GoPro, Apple and other huge companies send their logo in all their products, and they’re super cool. How many cars have you seen drive by with these stickers on them? People absolutely love them! So to borrow a page from their success, try printing simply your logo. We can custom cut to the shape of your logo and we can even print on transparent material like the Apple logo is. With so many options, it’s not hard to make your logo into a unique product all on it’s own!
Other design options include using our Round Stickers and Oval Stickers to work well with round or free standing logos and square logos or logos that are mainly text look great on Squared Corner or Rounded Corner stickers.
Bonus Tip: Know your quantity
Quantity is an important factor in the pricing of stickers and decals. In most cases, the per-item cost is lower when you order many stickers versus when you order just one. We love having the flexibility to sell in large or small quantities, but to get you the best price for your product it’s best to know what you want. If reordering is a possibility, consider making your initial order larger to save on additional shipping and get lower per-item prices.
Hopefully these tips are useful for as you begin your quest to design the perfect stickers. As always, if you need assistance our designers are on hand to help!
