Last Updated on October 16, 2022 by Hamna Nouman
You’ve arrived at the right place if you’re curious about holographic stickers or want to learn more about them. We’ll show you how they were created and how you may make your own custom stickers.
To begin, what specifically is a holographic sticker?
The word ‘holographic’ essentially reflects the fact that your artwork is printed on a colorful radiant effect vinyl.
Production of Holographic Stickers
Holographic vinyl is produced by applying a tiny layer of metal to a polyester sheet and then embossing it slightly. You won’t be feeling the embossing since it is so thin, but you could see it! Because of the embossing, light diffracts off the metal surface, creating an iridescent effect.
The embossing design may provide a number of different effects. This is why holographic vinyl comes in a wide range of styles, including glitter, matte iridescent, iridescent, and several others.
How to Make Your Holographic Stickers: A Step-by-Step Guide
You’re in fortune if you’ve been wondering how to custom stickers holographic for your business or personal usage. Here’s a demonstration of two distinct methods of manufacturing laminate holographic custom stickers. Here’s how to do it step by step.
Grab your materials.
To construct these holographic stickers, you’ll therefore need sticker paper, particularly waterproof matte sticker paper. This type of paper maintains its integrity and stability until it is washed. It’s comprised of a synthetic polymer that resembles vinyl paper in appearance and feels.
However, you’ll need a set of holographic laminate sheets. These laminate sheets fall into two main categories: self-adhesive and foil-on-transfer. For this task, neither option will suffice.
You’ll need to have a laminator depending upon the type of laminating sheets you’re utilizing. The self-adhesive sheets cling to themselves and do not have to be laminated. A laminator is necessary for the foil-on-transfer sheets to adhere to the stickers. (Whether you’re going with the foil-on-transfer technique, you’ll still need a sheet of white printer paper — one page should be enough.)
You could use traditional media, such as a pen and paper, or modern ones, such as an iPad, to design the stickers. II This step is optional; however, I prefer to format my stickers on my computer as it is much easier.
You’ll need to have a printer to turn your artwork into stickers. Any printer will suffice. You could use a Cricut machine or cut the stickers out by hand to make the stickers.
That concludes the materials. Now it will be a chance to get artistic!
It’s time to Originate Your Custom Stickers
Initiate by doodling out your Custom Sticker design. On my iPad, I do use the Procreate software. Since my style is quite sketchy, I ought to create a solid layer outline backdrop for my work so that the edge is smooth and not abrupt when I design it.
I Airdrop it to my computer after I finalize the backdrop and complete the formatting there. I prefer Photoshop for all of my formattings and outlining, but you can also use the Cricut software to do so.
Print Stickers
So, I’ll be printing my drawings on waterproof sticker paper, and I’ve modified the print settings to guarantee they print exactly how I wanted. To do just that, launch the Cricut app and toggle on the Use System Dialogue option, then press the Print button.
Depending on the printer, everyone’s print settings will be slightly different. With my printer, I came across that printing with the Matte Photo Paper setting on high quality generated the best results.
You should laminate and cut out your designs.
Based on the lamination you utilize, the technique you implement to punch out your holographic stickers will be different. Here are two methods.
Method 1
Foil-On is a method of applying foil to a surface.
We’ll use our Cricut machine to cut out the stickers from the foil-on sheets first. With the waterproof sticker paper, I like to use a light cardstock setting.
Then, once the stickers are clipped, turn on the laminating machine to heat it up – I have it on the hot setting. Fold a piece of printer paper in two with your hands. This is the container in which the stickers will be placed before being laminated. Arrange the stickers on the bottom half of the printer paper, after which measure the hollow laminate to assure it covers all of the stickers before cutting to size. Next, lay the freshly cut piece on top of the stickers and fold the upper half of the printer paper over to cover everything. Put it in the laminator with the folded end side up. (I like to pass it through the laminator twice to ensure the lamination completely adheres.)
The best part is yet to come: ripping off the covering!
Method 2
Laminate with self-adhesive backing
You’ll need to place the self-adhesive hollow laminate onto the sticker paper before cutting out the stickers if you’re using it. Just like foil on laminate, take off the self-adhesive laminate to form it to accommodate your stickers adequately. So, because self-adhesive laminate is more like a clear holographic sticker sheet, you’ll like to put it first before cutting out the sticker sheet so that the Cricut machine may cut everything all at once.
Apply the laminate on the contact paper in the same way you would the contact paper. I remove a small part of the backing, adhere the laminate to the sticker, then gradually remove and soften the laminate down.
Discover further about Cricut’s cut parameters.
Pro-Tip
Even though a protective spray seems to be the only method to make stickers fully waterproof, it moreover destroys the self-adhesive laminate’s hollow impression. Although the holo could be seen through the foil lamination, it made the stickers appear dull. Unless you want the full hollow appearance, I’d suggest eliminating the spray with these hollow stickers.
I examined the resilience of both types of laminated holographic stickers underwater after fully skipping the protecting spray. To my astonishment, both kinds of hollow stickers went perfectly and without leaving any marks.
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