Stickers are great tools for self-expression, product marketing, social campaigns, and other applications. They have been around for a long time and they will continue to be there for decades to come because of their excellent utility. The difference is that they are much easier to make at home today. The materials are widely available online while the equipment is present in nearly every home in the form of an inkjet printable vinyl and a computer. Make sure that you get high quality inkjet printable vinyl so that the output has vivid and lasting colors. Follow these steps to create awesome stickers:

Design an Image with Editing Software

What would you like to make stickers about? Are you handy with graphics tools? Graphics artists use editing software to make their designs. They might play around with photographs or make vector graphics from scratch. If you don’t have one yet, then download any of the free options online. Open source applications work well and are routinely updated. If you have the budget for it, then you can purchase the more popular software. You could also get images online and use these directly. Just cut and paste them on a document editor.

Print on the Vinyl Sheets

It is vital to get the right materials. Find sheets with good reviews. They should not cause printer jams. Ink should dry quickly on the surface. Test a few prints first before buying in bulk. Preview the page and press print if you are satisfied. The printer should be capable of using four colors — CMYK — and a resolution of 1200 dots per inch for nice results. Be sure to load the sheets the right way because only one side is good for printing while the other has the adhesive. Check the first printout and adjust the settings to correct any mistakes.

Laminate the Sheets

Although you can use the printed sheets as is, it is advisable to laminate the stickers to prolong their lifespan. Otherwise, the ink will get smudged or faded pretty soon. You won’t be able to use them for outdoor applications. There are vinyl packs that contain laminate sheets but you can also purchase these separately. You will need to peel off the protective cover, align the laminate with the vinyl, and press down to ensure good contact between the two sheets. Remove air bubbles with fingers or a straight edge. Now you can cut the laminated stickers and use them any way you want.