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Sticker Academy
Graphic Design Basics
How To Make Stickers, part 1
Products, Shapes, and Sizes: How To Make Stickers, Part 2
Creating stickers isn’t just about slapping a design on a backing paper. It’s a blend of art and tech, pixels and ink. But now that you’ve got the design basics (note: ICYMI, read part 1 here), you’re ready to create custom stickers that truly stick, whether you are making merch, branding your biz, or adding to your water bottle sticker collection.
Let’s go!
TL;DR: In the world of stickers, everything (almost) is possible. To make the best stickers on earth, you must start by deciding three things:
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Products: Your sticky needs help determining the best product for your project. Understand your needs to know how to best serve them.
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Shapes: Stickers can take almost any shape and form you like! Square, oval, squoval (!), or custom contoured die-cut stickers. Play around with your design to unlock all the potential.
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Sizes: Bigger isn’t always better (and that goes for stickers, too)! Design your stickers in real print size. That is: if you want a 3x3“ sticker, design a 3x3” sticker. Easy!
Sticker Products
StickerApp offers a wide variety of sticker products. Click the images below for more in-depth information on each.
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Die-Cut Stickers
Precision-cut to the exact shape of your design, die-cut stickers offer a clean and professional look. Ideal for logos, illustrations, and unique shapes.
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Kiss-Cut Stickers
Kiss-cut stickers are stickers with excess material around the cut, making them easy to peel. The backing remains intact, providing protection and ease of use.
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Sticker Sheets
Combine multiple designs on a single sticker sheet. Great for themed collections, promotional giveaways, or creative projects. Customize to your liking.
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Sticker Packs
Bundle your favorite stickers into a branded sticker pack, complete with a customizable header card. Perfect for retail, events, or limited-edition drops.
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Heavy-Duty Stickers
These thick and robust Heavy Duty stickers are resistant to water, weather, and heavy wear and tear. Ideal for industrial use, outdoor equipment, or any environment demanding durability.
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Hang Tag Stickers
Combine the functionality of a hang tag with the appeal of a sticker. These come with a pre-punched hole, making them perfect for product labeling, merch, or retail displays.
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Front Adhesive Stickers
Sticky side up! Front Adhesive stickers are ideal for window displays or glass surfaces where the sticker needs to be viewed from the opposite side.
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Epoxy 3D Dome Stickers
Featuring a domed, glossy finish, Epoxy stickers have a 3D effect that adds depth and a premium feel. Great for branding or adding a tactile element to your designs.
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Floor Stickers
Durable and slip-resistant, floor stickers are perfect for guiding foot traffic, promoting social distancing, or adding creative elements to your flooring.
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Wall Stickers
Easy to apply and remove, wall stickers are great for decorating spaces, promoting events, or adding branding to walls without causing damage.
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Removable Stickers
Designed for temporary use, removable stickers can be easily removed without leaving residue. Ideal for seasonal promotions or temporary signage.
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Singles on Sheet
Multiple copies of the same sticker, arranged as singles on sheet. Convenient for bulk distribution, packaging, or events.
Sticker Shapes
Whether you're sticking them on laptops, packaging, water bottles, or handing them out at events, shape plays a huge role in how your sticker pops.
Let’s explore the lineup:
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Contour Cut
Precisely cut to your design’s shape, our contour cut stickers are our flagship product for a reason: they are versatile, fully customizable, and made to stand out.
Want your sticker to look like your cat, cactus, or custom character? This is the go-to.
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Square
Choosing a square-shaped sticker does not mean being square. These are super easy to align and stack, making them ideal for labels, branding, QR codes, or shipping boxes.
Pro tip: Square stickers are a breeze to design for, especially if your artwork is already blocky or symmetrical.
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Circle
Circle stickers are basically the Swiss Army knife of the sticker world. They’re smooth, symmetrical, and universally loved. Perfect for sealing envelopes, packages, and boxes, topping off jars, or jazzing up your laptop.
Did you know: Round shapes naturally draw attention and feel more “friendly” to the human eye. Psychology says so!
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Rounded Corners
Just like their square siblings, but with a soft twist. Modern, friendly, and just a little extra stylish.
They’re also less likely to peel up at the edges = super practical if your stickers are going to live rough lives on water bottles or notebooks.
Sticker Sizes
So, what size should I go for? The trick is knowing what you want your sticker to do: whisper or shout? Small stickers add charm and flexibility, while big ones bring presence and punch.
Big vs. Small
Big stickers make bold statements and demand attention, perfect for artwork, windows, and designs that need space to shine. Small stickers are easy to share, budget-friendly, and great for logos, packaging, and everyday brand moments.
The sweet spot? Use both. Big stickers bring the wow, small stickers keep your brand everywhere.
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Big stickers are all about impact. They grab attention instantly, making them ideal for bold logos, statement art, or signage on walls and windows. A larger format gives more room for detail, so your design is noticeable from a distance. They’re a go-to if you want your message loud and clear.
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Small stickers are versatile little gems. Perfect for laptops, water bottles, phone cases, or packaging, they sneak branding or personality without taking over too much space. Their subtle size makes them easy to hand out at events, slip into a goodie bag, or use as seals on envelopes.
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Design Stickers in Real Print-Size
What you see is what you get! When you design at real print-size, like 3"x3" for a square sticker, you’re previewing your art at the exact dimensions it’ll be printed. No guessing, no squinting, no “oops” moments.
Designing at real size helps you to:
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See how small details will actually look, and if they’ll even show up
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Make sure your design and text are clear, readable, and not doing the disappearing act
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Check spacing, line thickness, and overall balance before you hit order
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Avoid any surprises when you open that phresh sticker pack order from us
In short, real size design equals better control, better results, and stickers that look just as good IRL as they did on your screen.
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Precise Control over Placement and Outcome
Working at print size helps you line everything up just right, from centering elements to giving your design enough breathing room. You’re not eyeballing or hoping for the best, you’re designing with intention.
You’ll have better control over:
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Bleed area, that extra 1/8" beyond the cut line that keeps unwanted white edges away
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Safe zone, so important details don’t get trimmed or end up uncomfortably close to the edge
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Cut paths, ensuring smooth, clean die-cuts that follow your design perfectly
When everything is set up at real size, your file works with the printing process, not against it. We’ll cover these topics in more detail in part 5.
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Easier Uploads and Faster Orders
Most sticker manufacturers, like us, ask for artwork at full print size. Designing this way from the start means your file is already print-ready, no resizing, no re-exporting, no last-minute fixes, and no crossed fingers at checkout.
Working at full size helps you lock in all the important stuff early, including:
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Correct dimensions, so your sticker prints exactly the size you expect
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Sharp details and clean edges, without scaling issues
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Proper bleed, safe zones, and cut paths from the beginning
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Readable text and balanced spacing at real-life scale
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Fewer file errors and faster approvals during production
The result? A smoother ordering process, better-looking stickers, and way less back and forth. Design smart from the start, your future self will thank you.
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Eager To Learn More?
Don’t miss the other parts of the How to Make Stickers series! Follow the links below to catch up on previous posts or continue reading.
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Auteur
Annie