How to Create Custom Sticker Sheets in Adobe Illustrator

Make Your Own Custom Sticker Sheets

Are you looking for a fun and creative way to add some personality to your printable or digital planner? Creating your own sticker sheets can be a great way to do just that. In this article, we'll show you how to create sticker sheets using Adobe Illustrator.

Step 1: Create a New Document

Open Adobe Illustrator and create a new document. Choose the size of your sticker sheet, for example, an A4 size or letter sheet will work with both printable and digital stickers.

Step 2: Design Your Stickers

You can use the shape and pen tools in Adobe Illustrator to design your stickers from scratch if you are creating your own vector graphic stickers. Or use pre-made graphics, digital papers and seamless repeating patterns for your stickers. 

If you are using raster images as your stickers go to file > Place and select the images from your computer or hard drive, place them on your artboard.

When designing printable sticker sheets, make sure to leave enough space between each sticker so they can be easily cut out with a Cricut or cutting machine. To do this you should create a cut-line - also known as a keyline or Die-cut line - you will use the offset path tool to achieve this. I have created an in depth tutorial about creating die-cut outlines for stickers for you to follow.

You should also leave a margin around the edge of the artboard that matches with your label papers cut edge.

Of course if you are creating digital stickers for use in note taking apps such as Goodnotes leave enough space to easily lasso the individual sticker and not select its neighbor.

Step 3: Create a Background to your Sticker Sheet

Next thing you can do is create a background for your sticker sheets. You could just leave the background as the paper color and save on ink, but you could also take this opportunity to fill the background with a coordinating pattern that you could also use as smaller mini stickers.

If you are creating a digital sticker sheet then why not have a pretty background for your stickers to be placed upon later.

Step 4: Export or Print Your Stickers

If you're printing your stickers, make sure to use sticker paper that's compatible with your printer. You can purchase sticker paper from stores like Officeworks or Amazon if you prefer to shop online. I have had good results from using the Avery sticker sheets as they are a good option for inkjet printers.

If you are using your stickers as digital stickers be sure to export each sticker individually without the background therefore ensuring that your stickers are pre-cropped PNGs with transparent backgrounds for Goodnotes. 

Once you have them all as individual stickers, you can then Export just the background Artboard as a PDF to be opened up in Goodnotes and arrange your stickers on it or simply import them into a custom elements folder in Goodnotes.

Why Use Adobe Illustrator to Create Sticker Sheets?

Adobe Illustrator is a powerful graphic design tool that's great for creating vector graphics, which are scalable without losing quality. This makes it the perfect tool for creating sticker sheets that can be printed or used digitally.

If you don't have Adobe Illustrator, you can download a free trial or purchase a subscription from the Adobe website.

What is a Sticker Sheet?

A sticker sheet is essentially a collection of individual stickers printed on a single sheet of adhesive paper. Think of it like a sheet of stamps, but with different designs that you get to choose and create yourself! This means you can have multiple designs on a single sheet, making it more cost-effective and efficient than printing each sticker individually. Sticker sheets are great for creating themed sets, promoting your brand or business, or just for expressing your creative flair.

Types of Stickers You Can Create

Some popular sticker types include date covers, to-do lists, habit trackers, basic shapes with repeating patterns, activity icons, days of the week, months, reminders, medical, health and fitness, special occasions, and cute characters. These sticker types can help you stay on track with your goals, make your planner more functional, and add a touch of personality to your pages. Consider which sticker types would be most useful and enjoyable for you.