Stickers, regardless of how you use them, can be a great way to promote your business, event or product. If you’re thinking about designing one, you’re going to want to make sure it’s done right the first time. Whether you’re a professional or a first-time creator, here are four tips to consider when creating your next sticker:
Beware of the Bleed
If uploading any material via an online service, it’s important to add a bleed of at least one-eighth of an inch to the edges to prevent either a subtle shift or a sliver of white showing around the edges on your final product. Online printing services, when they print your sticker, will print with a white padding around the edges to prevent your design from being trimmed off. With this bleed, you can be assured your stickers print to your satisfaction.
Be Aware of the Materials You’re Using
A sticker is more than just a sticky piece of paper. If you don’t choose the right sticker material, it may not stick as you imagined. Before printing, know how you’re going to apply the sticker, and ask yourself the following questions: Will this sticker be used outdoors and need to be laminated to prevent it from the elements? Do you want the sticker to be removable or permanent once applied? To get the best results possible, know there are a lot of options and it’s essential you’re choosing the right material.
The Resolution Will Matter
If you were to create a sticker and saved it as a smaller image file, it would appear very grainy or distorted if you needed a larger-than-average sticker size. The wrong resolution size, unfortunately, can create blurred edges or even look lower in quality. Any reputable service that can print custom stickers will tell you to use a 350 dpi print file as a minimum requirement.
Using the Right Colors
The right color combinations, just like the sticker material, is crucial as well. When choosing your colors, make sure you’re using the right colors for your graphics and the text surrounding it. If at all possible, try to avoid dark and thin text on darker backgrounds. Instead, consider a scheme that’s able to compliment each other.
Stickers, if created right, can hopefully create a buzz for your promotional efforts. Asking the right questions, using the right colors and creating the right file size should be able to create a sticker you’re envisioning.
