Introduction: How to Make Peel-and-Stick Stickers!
Hello. This is my first Instructable! I will be showing you how to make homemade peel-and stick stickers.
*Important Note: All pictures and artwork featured in this were taken/ created by me, unless otherwise stated. Please don't use any picture featured in this Instructable without my written permission.
Since this is also my entry for the Make-to-Learn Youth Contest, I will answer the questions for that here:
What did you Make?:
I was bored one weekend, and decided to make some stickers to decorate my notebooks. After searching the internet high and low, i couldn't find a good peel-and-stick tutorial that didn't use special materials. So with a bit of thinking, I came up with this design, which uses clear packing tape and address labels.
How did you make it?:
I used several different ideas combined to come up with this specific method, and I'm sure that I'm not the first person to come up with this. I ended taking small parts from different tutorials around the net together to make this tutorial. I made these stickers by myself.
Where did you make it?:
I made my first batch of stickers at home. A week later, I shared this idea with my friends at school during lunch and after school at my school's Comic Making Club.
What did you Learn?:
While I was making these stickers, I needed to find a way to keep the labels together when I would peel the backing off.
*Important Note: All pictures and artwork featured in this were taken/ created by me, unless otherwise stated. Please don't use any picture featured in this Instructable without my written permission.
Since this is also my entry for the Make-to-Learn Youth Contest, I will answer the questions for that here:
What did you Make?:
I was bored one weekend, and decided to make some stickers to decorate my notebooks. After searching the internet high and low, i couldn't find a good peel-and-stick tutorial that didn't use special materials. So with a bit of thinking, I came up with this design, which uses clear packing tape and address labels.
How did you make it?:
I used several different ideas combined to come up with this specific method, and I'm sure that I'm not the first person to come up with this. I ended taking small parts from different tutorials around the net together to make this tutorial. I made these stickers by myself.
Where did you make it?:
I made my first batch of stickers at home. A week later, I shared this idea with my friends at school during lunch and after school at my school's Comic Making Club.
What did you Learn?:
While I was making these stickers, I needed to find a way to keep the labels together when I would peel the backing off.
Step 1: Gather Materials
To make the stickers, you will need the following materials:
White or Clear Inkjet Address Labels:
This is what is going to act as our sticker paper. You can get this at most office supply stores, such as Staples or Office Max.
Clear Packing Tape:
This is going to make our stickers laminated and keeps the labels from falling apart when you peel them off of the backing. You can get this at a 99 cent store if you don't have any lying around.
Scissors:
Any kind of scissors that cuts paper cleanly will work. You will use these to cut out the stickers.
Markers, Pens, Crayons, Colored pencils, ect:
You can use anything that makes a mark on paper. I used crayons and ink pens to make the stickers in this tutorial, but you can use markers, colored pencils, or whatever you like. However, I'm not sure if paints will work, because the moisture might cause the "glue" on the labels to become weak.
Printer (optional):
As long as you are using Inkjet labels and an Inkjet printer, you could easily print out a picture onto the labels and make it into a sticker.
I am a fan of using what you have for projects, which is part of the reason I even came up with this idea. If you have something that will work in place of something i listed above, feel free to try it!
If you have a circle punch, then you can use that to replace the scissors; if you have printable sticker paper, feel free to use that in place of the labels; the point is, before you go out and buy something, make sure that you don't have an alternative lying around your house somewhere that you could use instead.
White or Clear Inkjet Address Labels:
This is what is going to act as our sticker paper. You can get this at most office supply stores, such as Staples or Office Max.
Clear Packing Tape:
This is going to make our stickers laminated and keeps the labels from falling apart when you peel them off of the backing. You can get this at a 99 cent store if you don't have any lying around.
Scissors:
Any kind of scissors that cuts paper cleanly will work. You will use these to cut out the stickers.
Markers, Pens, Crayons, Colored pencils, ect:
You can use anything that makes a mark on paper. I used crayons and ink pens to make the stickers in this tutorial, but you can use markers, colored pencils, or whatever you like. However, I'm not sure if paints will work, because the moisture might cause the "glue" on the labels to become weak.
Printer (optional):
As long as you are using Inkjet labels and an Inkjet printer, you could easily print out a picture onto the labels and make it into a sticker.
I am a fan of using what you have for projects, which is part of the reason I even came up with this idea. If you have something that will work in place of something i listed above, feel free to try it!
If you have a circle punch, then you can use that to replace the scissors; if you have printable sticker paper, feel free to use that in place of the labels; the point is, before you go out and buy something, make sure that you don't have an alternative lying around your house somewhere that you could use instead.
Step 2: Draw Your Picture
Once you have your materials together, it's time to actually make your stickers.
The first thing that you have to do is draw your sticker design onto the label sheets. Use your art supplies and your imagination to make a design for your stickers.
Note:
If your sticker is too big for your clear tape to fit over, you will have to use multiple strips of tape lined up edge to edge to laminate your stickers. This can be tricky, so if you want to avoid it, just make sure that your stickers are small enough to fit entirely under the tape.
The first thing that you have to do is draw your sticker design onto the label sheets. Use your art supplies and your imagination to make a design for your stickers.
Note:
If your sticker is too big for your clear tape to fit over, you will have to use multiple strips of tape lined up edge to edge to laminate your stickers. This can be tricky, so if you want to avoid it, just make sure that your stickers are small enough to fit entirely under the tape.
Step 3: OPITIONAL: Prepare Your Images and Print Your Stickers
If you are going to print out stickers, you will need an Inkjet printer and Inkjet address labels, along with a photo editing program.
Free photo edit programs:
Paint.net- http://www.getpaint.net/
GIMP - http://www.gimp.org/
Get the pictures that you want to print, and use your photo editing software of choice to print out your stickers.
If you are printing on clear labels, please keep in mind that Inkjet printers don't print out the color white. If your chosen image has any white areas, you will have to edit them to be a light gray color instead, otherwise they will come out clear.
Important Notes: If you find an image on Google Images, then it does not belong to you. If you are going to use images off of Google Images or other image sharing sites, do not claim that you drew/made the images unless you did. The Images i used for the picture above were found on Google Images. I did not draw them, and I am not claiming that i did.
Free photo edit programs:
Paint.net- http://www.getpaint.net/
GIMP - http://www.gimp.org/
Get the pictures that you want to print, and use your photo editing software of choice to print out your stickers.
If you are printing on clear labels, please keep in mind that Inkjet printers don't print out the color white. If your chosen image has any white areas, you will have to edit them to be a light gray color instead, otherwise they will come out clear.
Important Notes: If you find an image on Google Images, then it does not belong to you. If you are going to use images off of Google Images or other image sharing sites, do not claim that you drew/made the images unless you did. The Images i used for the picture above were found on Google Images. I did not draw them, and I am not claiming that i did.
Step 4: Roughly Cut Out the Sticker
Now that you have your sticker all draw (or printed) out, it's time to cut it out!
But before you cut out the exact outline of your sticker, you should cut roughly around your sticker. While leaving a good boarder around your sticker, cut around your sticker so that it is free from your label sheet.
Be careful not to cut yourself with the scissors.
But before you cut out the exact outline of your sticker, you should cut roughly around your sticker. While leaving a good boarder around your sticker, cut around your sticker so that it is free from your label sheet.
Be careful not to cut yourself with the scissors.
Step 5: Laminate Your Sticker
On to the next step!
You are going to use the tape to laminate the sticker. This will make the sticker last longer, and keep the design from rubbing off.
Use your scissors to cut a strip of tape big enough to cover your sticker.
Now you are going to place the stick the tape sticky side down on to the front of the sticker. That means that the sticky side of the tape is going to be touching the side of the labels that you drew on.
Use a blunt object to smooth out the tape. You can use a finger nail or another blunt object, like a credit card.
You are going to use the tape to laminate the sticker. This will make the sticker last longer, and keep the design from rubbing off.
Use your scissors to cut a strip of tape big enough to cover your sticker.
Now you are going to place the stick the tape sticky side down on to the front of the sticker. That means that the sticky side of the tape is going to be touching the side of the labels that you drew on.
Use a blunt object to smooth out the tape. You can use a finger nail or another blunt object, like a credit card.
Step 6:
Once you've laminated the sticker, all you have to do is cut it out; only this time you will cut it precisely.
Use the scissors to cut away the excess label paper and tape, leaving only your sticker left.
Congrats! You've made your first sticker!
Use the scissors to cut away the excess label paper and tape, leaving only your sticker left.
Congrats! You've made your first sticker!
Step 7: Stick Your Stickers!
Now that you've finished your sticker, stick it on something!
You can use your sticker to decorate school books, your laptop, your camera, or anything you want! Just peel off the backing and place it like any other sticker!
I ended up putting this sticker on my cell phone.
And now that you know how, you can go make more stickers!
Note: Make sure not to put your stickers anywhere that you would get in trouble for stickers, like on anything that doesn't belong to you.
You can use your sticker to decorate school books, your laptop, your camera, or anything you want! Just peel off the backing and place it like any other sticker!
I ended up putting this sticker on my cell phone.
And now that you know how, you can go make more stickers!
Note: Make sure not to put your stickers anywhere that you would get in trouble for stickers, like on anything that doesn't belong to you.