Tips & Best Practices for the Creator

The Creator makes designing stickers easy, but knowing a few pro tips will help you get truly professional results. Here's everything we've learned from thousands of custom sticker designs.

Image Quality Tips

Resolution Matters

The most common issue with custom stickers is low-resolution images. Here's what you need to know:

Minimum resolution:

• 150 DPI (dots per inch) at your print size
• For a 3" sticker, that's at least 450 pixels wide

Recommended resolution:

• 300 DPI at your print size
• For a 3" sticker, that's 900 pixels wide

How to check:

• Most phones take photos at 3000+ pixels wide—plenty for most stickers
• Screenshots are often only 1000-2000 pixels—may work for smaller stickers
• Images from social media are often compressed—find the original if possible

Signs Your Image Is Too Low Resolution

• Pixelation or "blocky" appearance in the preview
• Blurry or soft edges
• Visible jagged lines on curves
• Text that looks fuzzy

Fix: Find a higher resolution source image, or reduce your sticker size.

Best Image Sources

Good sources:

• Original photos from your phone or camera
• Exported files from design software (Photoshop, Illustrator, Canva)
• High-resolution downloads

Problematic sources:

• Screenshots of other images
• Images downloaded from social media
• Heavily cropped photos
• Very old photos

Size & Scale Tips

Think About End Use

Before designing, ask yourself: where will this sticker go?

• Laptop: 3-5 inches works well
• Water bottle: 2.5-3 inches is ideal
• Phone case: Keep under 2 inches
• Small notebook: 2-3 inches
• Bumper sticker: Width matters more than height

Text Readability

A common mistake is text that looks great on screen but is unreadable when printed small.

Rule of thumb:

• At 2" sticker size, text should be visible without squinting
• Very small text (under 6pt at print size) may blur
• Test by viewing your design at actual size on screen

How to test:

1. Note your sticker size (e.g., 2 inches)
2. Hold a ruler to your screen
3. Zoom until your design preview matches that size
4. Can you read the text? Is it clear?

Safe Zone

Keep important elements away from the very edge:

• Outline adds margin — Usually enough safety
• But be careful — Critical details right at the edge might get clipped
• Give breathing room — Designs with space look more polished

Color Tips

Contrast Is Key

• Dark text on light backgrounds (or vice versa)
• Avoid similar colors touching (gray text on gray background)
• The outline color affects perceived contrast

Screen vs. Print

What you see on screen uses RGB color. Printing uses CMYK. This means:

• Super bright neons may look slightly different
• Fluorescent colors won't print as intensely
• Most colors translate well—don't overthink it

White and Transparency

• White is printed — If you want white, include it in your design
• Transparency = sticker color — Transparent areas show the Sticker Color setting
• Clear stickers — If you want true transparency, check our clear sticker options

Outline Color Consideration

Your outline (border) color is part of the design:

• White outlines work with everything
• Colored outlines can enhance or clash
• Black outlines add bold definition (great for illustrations)

Die-Cut Tips

Best Images for Die-Cut

Die-cut works best with:

• Transparent backgrounds (PNG)
• Clear, defined subjects
• Simple shapes
• Good contrast between subject and background

Using Background Removal

The AI background removal is powerful, but:

• Works best with clear subjects — Person, object, pet
• May struggle with complex scenes — Multiple overlapping objects
• Hair and fur — Results vary, may have rough edges
• Test first — Remove background before finalizing your design

Adjusting Smoothness

• Too low: Jagged, noisy outline
• Too high: Loses important shape details
• Just right: Clean outline that captures the essence of your shape

Start at medium and adjust based on what you see.

Multiple Elements

When using die-cut with multiple elements (images + text):

• Elements close together may be traced as one shape
• Elements far apart may create separate "islands"
• Consider how you want the final outline to look

Typography Tips

Font Selection

• Thick fonts print better at small sizes — Thin fonts may disappear
• Decorative fonts — Great for titles, hard to read for long text
• Sans-serif fonts — Clean, modern, versatile
• Serif fonts — Classic, elegant, formal

Curved Text

Curved text is powerful but:

• Keep it short — Long text on curves gets cramped
• Check readability — Extreme curves make text hard to read
• Balance the curve — Match curve intensity to text length

Text on Images

When placing text over images:

• Ensure contrast — Text needs to be readable
• Consider a text background — Sometimes a subtle box behind text helps
• Position carefully — Don't cover important image details

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Low Resolution Images

Mistake: Uploading small or compressed images Result: Blurry, pixelated stickers Fix: Use highest resolution source available

2. Text Too Small

Mistake: Small text that looks fine zoomed in Result: Unreadable when printed at actual size Fix: Test at actual print size on screen

3. Ignoring the Outline

Mistake: Designing right to the edge Result: Important elements get cut off Fix: Keep a safe margin; remember the outline adds space

4. Not Testing QR Codes

Mistake: Assuming QR code works Result: Unscannable codes on printed stickers Fix: Always scan and test before ordering

5. Wrong Color Expectations

Mistake: Expecting exact screen color match Result: Slight color differences in print Fix: Understand CMYK limitations; avoid extreme neons

6. Overly Complex Die-Cuts

Mistake: Very detailed images with die-cut Result: Jagged, busy outlines Fix: Increase smoothness or choose a simpler shape

7. Rushing the Preview

Mistake: Skipping the preview step Result: Missing obvious issues Fix: Always check previews, zoom in on details

Workflow Recommendations

Ideal Process

1. Prepare your assets — Get high-res images ready
2. Choose your shape — Start with the base shape
3. Add main content — Upload primary image or add text
4. Refine details — Adjust positioning, add secondary elements
5. Set size — Choose appropriate dimensions
6. Customize settings — Outline, colors, smoothness
7. Preview — Check on laptop/bottle mockups
8. Final check — Zoom in, verify everything
9. Order — Add to cart when satisfied

If Something Looks Wrong

• Blurry? Check image resolution
• Too busy? Simplify your design
• Text unreadable? Increase size or change font
• Outline weird? Adjust smoothness (die-cut) or thickness
• Colors off? Check contrast and sticker color setting

Getting Help

If you're stuck or unsure:

• Preview extensively — The mockups show real-world appearance
• Start simple — Add complexity gradually
• Save progress — Proceed to checkout to save designs to your account
• Contact support — We're happy to help with design questions

Related Articles

• Getting Started — Creator overview
• Choosing Sticker Shapes — Shape options explained
• Working with Images — Image upload and editing
• Adding Text — Typography controls
• Creating QR Codes — QR code best practices
• Design Settings — All settings explained