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Printing Stickers

Correctly making your cut-lines is REQUIRED for all assignments printed as stickers.

How to Prepare Your Artwork to Be Printed as Stickers

We have a sticker printer in our classroom named Rolanda. Rolanda is a Roland BN-20, and she can both print and cut our stickers. But for your designs to work properly, you need to follow some important steps.

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What’s a Cut-Line?

Every printed sticker needs a cut-line. This is an outline around your design that tells Rolanda where to cut. The cut-line MUST be made in a very specific color-- which you can download by clicking the red button above. Once you have downloaded the file, open it in Illustrator, and copy the scissor-graphic onto your own files.

 

The cut-line must be offset from your design --- giving it that white border --- in order to protect the ink and prevent the laminate from peeling off.

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Vector vs Raster: What’s the Difference?

You’ll follow slightly different steps depending on what kind of image you're using. See below for details.

Vector Graphics

Are made in Illustrator. They are made of paths and shapes.

How to Stickerize a Vector Graphic:

  1. Open your Illustrator file.

  2. Open the Rolanda Cut-Line file and copy-paste the scissors into your file.

  3. Make sure all of your layers are unlocked, and then select everything (CTRL+A)

  4. Size your graphic to how big you want your sticker. Use a ruler.

    • With things selected, you should see a W: and H: box in the top bar. Make sure the link-icon isn't crossed out between between them, then change accordingly.​

    • If you want multiple sizes, just hold the ALT key while you click-and-drag your graphic+blob combo to create a new copy.​​

  5. Select everything, Copy (CTRL+C).
  6. Open your Layers Panel and lock all of your layers. Then make a new layer.
  7. Paste (CTRL+SHIFT+V) onto your new layer. Everything should be in the same spot.
  8. With everything selected, go to Object > Path > Offset Path

    • Set it to 0.2cm​

    • Joins = Round

    • Click Ok.

  9. Window > Pathfinder, and Unite.​
  10. ​Use the White Arrow tool to delete any internal gaps that you do not want as holes in your sticker. 

  11. With your blob(s) selected, switch to the eyedropper tool and click the path of the pink scissors from the cut-line file. 

    • You'll know its the right colour if it has a white triangle in the corner on the stroke colour icon.

  12. Unlock all of your layers. And you're done!​

Raster Graphics

Are photos or drawings. They are made of pixels.

How to Stickerize a Raster Graphic:

  1. Open Illustrator and create a new file

  2. Open the Rolanda Cut-Line file and copy-paste the scissors into your new file.

  3. Find the image you want to turn into a sticker and either​

    • Drag the file into illustrator​

    • Copy-paste (from online)

  4. Open your Layers Panel and make a second Layer.

  5. Without moving your picture, copy it (CTRL+C) and then click Layer 2

  6. Paste it (CTRL+SHIFT+V) in the exact same spot

  7. Hide your Layer 1

  8. Open the Links Panel (Window > Links)

    • If you see a chain-link icon next to your image, click the row and then the "More Options" icon in the upper right of the panel. Select "Embed Images". Do this for all of them.

  9. Select your copy, and click the downward v next to Image Trace. Pick "6 Colors".

  10. Click the Expand button that is now where Image Trace used to be.

  11. Deselect your new vector graphic (CTRL+D, or click anywhere outside of it). 

  12. Switch to the WHITE Arrow Tool. click the white area around your graphic and delete it.

  13. Open Pathfinder (Window > Pathfinder)

  14. Select the whole graphic by clicking it with the BLACK Arrow Tool. In pathfinder, click the Unite button.

  15. You may see some specks in your new blob.

    • If there's a few, you can switch to Outline Mode (CTRL+Y to toggle it, or View > Outline), then use the White Arrow tool to select and delete these​

    • If there's LOTS: with your graphic selected, go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Set it to 0.01 with Round Joins. Then unite it all again. If there's still specks, repeat.

  16. If you have any parts not connected to the main blob, select the whole thing and go to Object > Compound Path > Make​

  17. COPY YOUR BLOB

  18. Unhide your Layer 1 (with the original image)

  19. Select everything (CTRL+A)

  20. Right Click and choose "Make Clipping Mask". Then press OK.

    • If everything disappears, undo (CTRL+Z) and see step 16.​

  21. Click Layer 1, and paste your copy of the blob (CTRL+SHIFT+V)​. You won't see it, because it is on the layer under your graphic.

  22. Select Everything (CTRL+A)​

  23. Size your graphic to how big you want your sticker. Use a ruler.

    • With things selected, you should see a W: and H: box in the top bar. Make sure the link-icon isn't crossed out between between them, then change accordingly.​

    • If you want multiple sizes, just hold the ALT key while you click-and-drag your graphic+blob combo to create a new copy.

  24. Hide Layer 2 (so you only see your blob(s)).​

  25. Select the blob(s).

  26. Object > Path > Offset Path

    1. Set it to 0.2cm​

    2. Joins = Round

    3. Click Ok.

  27. This leaves the original path too. Select All and Unite with Pathfinder.

  28. With your blob(s) selected, switch to the eyedropper tool and click the path of the pink scissors from the cut-line file. 

    • You'll know its the right colour if it has a white triangle in the corner on the stroke colour icon.

  29. Unhide Layer 2. And you're done!​

If you do not make your cut lines properly...

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I will find you.

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