How to Make Stickers: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide (Digital + Printable Stickers)

Mohith K M

4 weeks ago

Stickers are everywhere — from laptops and water bottles to iMessages and social media chats. They’re fun, expressive, and surprisingly powerful in marketing and communication.

Whether you’re an artist, small business owner, or just someone who loves cute designs (like Kiana 🐘 from the Kiana Stickers app), this guide will show you exactly how to make stickers — digitally and physically — step by step.

What Are Stickers, Technically?

Before we dive in, let’s define what a sticker really is — both digitally and physically.

Physical stickers: Printed graphics on adhesive vinyl, paper, or transparent material that can be peeled and applied to surfaces.
Digital stickers: Image files (often PNGs with transparent backgrounds) used in messaging apps (like iMessage, WhatsApp, or Telegram) to express emotions or reactions.

Both types share the same foundation — a creative design, a transparent background, and high-resolution output.

Step 1: Designing Your Sticker

1. Choose Your Style

Decide what kind of stickers you want to make:

Cute characters: Like animals, food, or chibi-style people
Quotes or typography: Inspirational or funny phrases
Minimal icons: Clean shapes and patterns
Brand stickers: Logos or product-based designs

2. Select Your Design Tools

Here are the best tools (for both beginners and pros):

Tool	Best for	Platform
Procreate	Hand-drawn art	iPad
Adobe Illustrator	Vector designs	Windows/Mac
Affinity Designer	Affordable vector tool	Windows/Mac/iPad
Canva	Quick designs with templates	Web
Figma	Collaborative design	Web/Desktop
Clip Studio Paint	Anime-style art	Windows/Mac

Pro tip: Use vector tools (like Illustrator) if you want to resize your stickers without losing quality.

Step 2: Prepare the Sticker for Printing or Digital Use

After designing, you need to export your sticker properly.

For Digital Stickers:

File format: .PNG (transparent background)
Resolution: 512×512 px or higher
Color mode: RGB
File size: < 500 KB (for iMessage, Telegram, or WhatsApp)
Naming: Use clear names like happy_elephant.png or sad_heart.png

For Printable Stickers:

File format: .PNG or .PDF
Resolution: 300 DPI (for crisp prints)
Color mode: CMYK
Bleed area: Add 3–5 mm margin beyond your design edges
Cut line: Optional vector outline for cutting machines

Step 3: Printing Physical Stickers

There are two main ways to print stickers: DIY (at home) or professional printing.

Option 1: Print Stickers at Home

You’ll need:

Printer: Inkjet or laser printer
Sticker paper: Matte, glossy, or transparent vinyl sheets
Cutting tools: Scissors or Cricut/Silhouette cutting machine

Steps:

Load sticker paper into your printer.
Print your design using high-quality settings.
Let it dry (especially inkjet prints).
Cut around each sticker manually or with a cutting machine.
Optionally, laminate to make stickers waterproof.

Option 2: Use a Printing Service

If you prefer professional quality, use:

Sticker Mule
Redbubble
Zazzle
Printify
Vistaprint

Just upload your PNG/PDF files, select size, shape, and finish (matte, glossy, holographic, etc.), and they’ll handle the rest.

Step 4: Making Digital Stickers for Apps (Like iMessage or WhatsApp)

Digital stickers are an amazing way to make your art interactive.

For iMessage (iOS):

Create 512×512 PNGs with transparent background.
Use Xcode on Mac to create a Sticker Pack App.
Add all PNGs to the asset folder.
Test on your iPhone or simulator.
Publish to the App Store.

👉 Example: Kiana Stickers by Fluntro is a baby elephant sticker pack available on iMessage with 53+ adorable expressions!

For WhatsApp:

Prepare 3–30 PNGs (512×512 px, transparent).
Use Sticker Maker apps or Android Studio for developers.
Add them to WhatsApp using “Add to WhatsApp” feature.

For Telegram:

Open Telegram > Search for “@stickers” bot.
Send /newpack command.
Upload your PNGs.
Get your sticker pack link instantly!

Step 5: Formatting & Export Settings

Purpose	Format	Resolution	Background	Color Mode
iMessage / Telegram	PNG	512×512 px	Transparent	RGB
Printable	PDF / PNG	300 DPI	White or transparent	CMYK
Web / Merch	PNG / SVG	Variable	Transparent	RGB

Step 6: Essential Tools and Resources

Category	Tools
Drawing tablets	iPad Pro + Apple Pencil, Wacom Intuos
Software	Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, Canva
Fonts	Google Fonts, Creative Market, Font Squirrel
Stock graphics	Freepik, Envato Elements
Cutting machines	Cricut, Silhouette Cameo

Step 7: Adding Personality (and Branding!)

To make your stickers stand out:

Use consistent themes or color palettes
Add a logo watermark subtly
Include border outlines for clean cuts
Create packs (sets of 10–50 stickers) around a concept (e.g., emotions, doctors, photographers, animals)
For digital stickers, add expressive animations or layers to make them interactive

Step 8: Sell or Share Your Stickers

Once your stickers are ready, you can:

Sell physical stickers on Redbubble, Etsy, or your website
Distribute digital sticker packs on the App Store, Play Store, or Telegram
Use stickers for branding — giveaways, packaging, or marketing visuals

For example, Kiana Stickers started as a fun baby elephant pack and now features on T-shirts, mugs, and hoodies on Redbubble!

Step 9: Protect Your Sticker Designs

If you’re creating original designs:

Add copyright notices
Keep your source files (PSD, AI) safe
Use metadata protection (tools like EXIF Viewer by Fluntro) to ensure ownership information remains intact in your digital files

Step 10: Promote Your Stickers

Once you’ve created your sticker pack, you need people to find it!

Here are some ideas:

Post sticker previews or short animations on Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Pinterest
Use hashtags like #stickershop, #cutestickers, #kawaiiart, #handmadestickers
Offer free downloads or samples to attract attention
Create themed collections (e.g., Christmas, Doctors, Photographers, Students)
Run collaborations with small businesses or creators

Bonus: Quick Checklist

Task	Done
Design in high resolution	☐
Export as transparent PNG	☐
Maintain file under 500 KB	☐
Create multiple expressions or themes	☐
Test on device before publishing	☐
Add branding and copyright info	☐

Final Thoughts

Making stickers isn’t just about drawing — it’s about blending creativity and technical precision.

Whether you’re printing cute elephant stickers like Kiana 🐘, or designing digital packs for messaging apps, the process follows the same golden rule: clear design + proper export = perfect sticker.

Start small, refine your style, and soon you’ll have a whole collection that people love to use, print, and share.