Need more charm? Introducing custom acrylic charms

We’re thrilled to announce the newest Sticker Mule product – [acrylic charms](https://www.stickermule.com/products/acrylic-charms)!

<YouTubeVideo videoId="O7DaakVvnJA?rel=0" />

We use a solid, transparent, acrylic material that can be printed in full color and cut to any shape. Each charm features a small, 2mm hole, allowing you to convert your charms into keychains, jewelry and more.

![charms-blog-post-image-1](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/821033b526aa7892c3c4abd1e0d11c027b79f147)

![charms-blog-post-image-2](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/f5c91b306d108d05fabec0ac33308b2742871519)

The possibilities are endless, so we’re excited to see what people come up with!

<ButtonCta text="Order custom charms" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/acrylic-charms" />

Custom acrylic charms can be printed in full color and cut to any shape. We include a small hole for keychains, jewelry and more.

Why kiss cut stickers are better than back slit

We sometimes [receive requests](https://stickermule.canny.io/) for back slit stickers (or crack and peel stickers). In the video below, Vinny explains why we don’t sell them and instead recommend [kiss cut stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/kiss-cut-stickers).

<YouTubeVideo videoId="jDhTwBljqy4?rel=0" />

## Why we don’t sell back slit stickers

### Back slit stickers bend
Back slit stickers bend at the slit, adding an unwanted crease in your sticker. This crease gets worse with time.

### Back slit collects debris
Back slit stickers collect dust and dirt at the seam of the back slit, causing stickers to lose their stickiness.

### Kiss cut stickers are better
Kiss cut stickers can be cut to any shape. We use special blades that allow you to easily peel away your sticker from the paper backing. Meanwhile, the sticker backing itself can contain extra information or design elements.

<ButtonCta text="Order kiss cut stickers" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/kiss-cut-stickers" />

Back slit stickers are supposed to make peeling easier, but kiss cut stickers are a better option.

Sticker back printing vs. kiss cut stickers

We heard you wanted more space on your stickers – somewhere to put social tags, coupons, website, and contact details. Traditionally, this would require back printing.

But did you know you can achieve the same goal with [kiss cut stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/kiss-cut-stickers)? Kiss cut stickers typically have a rectangular backing around the design that's bigger than the sticker, which can be printed on.

<YouTubeVideo videoId="qRmXMJdZZGw?rel=0" />

Hey, we don’t want to be accused of being biased so in the interest of fairness, we’ll discuss both options. 

## What is a back print on a sticker?

A back print is when the other side of a sticker sheet is maximized to include details such as company information or instructions on how to use the sticker. 

However, since these pieces of information are printed on the back of stickers, not many people pay attention to it. Worse, they are simply thrown away once the sticker has been used. 

### How do you print on the back of a sticker paper?

Though this is technically possible, printing on the back of sticker papers can be a bit messy. For example, when you get your sticker sheets and you try to manually print on the back of it using an ordinary printer, there is a possibility that your printer can jam or that the ink can also smudge on the sticker side, ruining your design. 

## How do you use a kiss cut sticker? 

Though some people may argue that less is more, with stickers, you are wasting space that has so much potential! Use a kiss cut sticker to promote your brand or cause! The extra space in your kiss cut sticker can be used for informational purposes too. 

Since it’s also part of the sticker, the information printed on these can be used and stuck on surfaces too, unlike back prints!

### What can you print on a kiss cut sticker?

Use the remaining space on your sticker to print your company information or other promotional details. 

- Coupons or discount codes 
- Product specifications or additional information 
- QR code that will lead your customers to your website or a specific landing page
- Company contact details such as phone number, address, etc. 
- Your company’s social media accounts 
- Reminder about an upcoming event or sale 
- Instructions to subscribe or be part of your community 

## Why kiss cut sticker is better than back print stickers 

Kiss cut stickers are a superior alternative to back printing for a few reasons:

### Better visibility

It is counterintuitive to put vital information where people are least likely to see it. Kiss cut stickers display your extra information right next to the sticker itself.

### More printing options

Back printing is typically limited to black and white, and confined to the shape of the sticker. The backing on kiss cut stickers can be printed in full color and full bleed and isn’t dependant on the shape of the sticker.

### Lower cost

Since back printing adds an extra step to the manufacturing process, there is typically a ~20% surcharge. The manufacturing process for kiss cut stickers is [similar to standard die cut stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/die-cut-stickers-vs-kiss-cut-stickers) and so the price is nearly identical.

Overall, the kiss cut design is a better choice for creative professionals.

## How to make kiss cut stickers at home and without a machine?

The good news is you can make kiss cut stickers without the aide of a machine! And you can do it here on the Sticker Mule website!

### Step 1: Create your design

Here’s your chance to let your brand shine by maximizing the space around your kiss cut sticker! Make sure not to overdo it and allow some “breathing space” in your design. Don’t put items too close to the edges too!

### Step 2: Upload your kiss cut sticker design 

Go to Sticker Mule’s kiss cut product page and [upload your design](https://www.stickermule.com/products/kiss-cut-stickers). 

### Step 3: Order your kiss cut sticker 

Choose the size, quantity, and order a proof of your design. You can do some modifications if you’re not completely satisfied with it but once you are, your order will be shipped to you!

<ButtonCta text="Order kiss cut stickers now" size="large" variant="secondary"  align="center" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/kiss-cut-stickers" /> 

We get a lot of requests for sticker back printing. But did you know kiss cut stickers can serve the same purpose?

Branded packing tape vs. regular packing tape 

<YouTubeVideo videoId="JGy4jwR-oqo?rel=0&showinfo=0" />

Custom packing tape is the best kept secret of the Internet’s smartest retailers. It gets your brand exposure while your shipments are in transit, improves deliverability by making your packages more noticeable when delivered and reinforces your brand so customers are more likely to reorder. This is why retailers that switch to using custom tape rarely change back.

Yet many businesses are still relying on clear unbranded tape.  Before we convince you to start using them, let’s take a closer look at custom shipping tapes. 

## What is a custom packing tape? 

Packing or mailing tape is an essential part of your [product packaging](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-packaging-design). Custom printed packing tapes are also called logo tapes (because you can print your logo on the tape for branding purposes), personalized mailing tapes, and custom package tapes. 

You may think that customers just rip them out but your printed packing tape serves more than one purpose. Visually, the difference between a box using branded packing tape and and a box using unbranded tape is obvious. And you might expect to pay a hefty premium for switching to custom tape. But the cost difference is less than you’d expect.

## Why you should use custom packaging tape? 

Aside from the reasons mentioned above, we have prepared more reasons to convince you to use custom printed tapes.

### Cost per roll of packing tape is not that expensive

You can get a 300 foot roll of [custom packing tape](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape) from Sticker Mule for $29.

While a roll of [standard clear packing tape](https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Shipping-Packaging-Dispenser-142-6/dp/B000J07BRQ/) only costs around $2.25.

That’s a big difference. However, at 300 feet, a roll of Sticker Mule custom packing tape is 4.5 times longer than a standard 800 inch roll of clear packing tape.

That puts the price per foot at:

- Custom packing tape = $0.10
- Standard packing tape = $0.03

### Custom tapes save you from a lot of trouble when packing

When using custom packing tape from Sticker Mule, 1 pass of tape is all you need to securely seal your box. Our tape is water-activated which allows it to quickly create a strong bond to your package once applied.

When using standard clear packing tape, 2 or 3 passes are usually necessary to seal your box. And even with multiple strips of standard packing tape, [boxes are still more susceptible to theft.](https://www.stickermule.com/support/how-is-your-packaging-tape-different-from-other-tape)

For a box that is 12 inches long, you’d want to include an extra 3 inches on each side for both the top and bottom with each strip of tape. That puts the length of tape needed for a 12-inch box at roughly:

- Custom packing tape - 36 inches
- Standard packing tape - 108 inches

If we take our cost per foot numbers from above, we can calculate the cost of tape per package at:

- Custom packing tape = $0.30
- Standard packing tape = $0.27

This means __it only costs $0.03 extra per box__ to create branded packaging.

But there is still one more important factor to consider…

### Branded packing tapes cut down your packing time

Since Sticker Mule’s custom packaging tape is water activated, we include a sponge with every order. If you’re only shipping a few boxes at a time, there won’t be a noticeable difference in the time it takes to seal a box with either type of packaging tape.

But if you’re shipping larger quantities, [a water activated tape dispenser](https://www.stickermule.com/support/what-tape-machine-or-dispenser-do-you-recommend) can cut the time it takes to seal your boxes in half. This does require an upfront investment of around $400 - $1,300, but it quickly pays for itself the more you ship.

And when you are shipping larger quantities, you can order custom packaging tape from Sticker Mule for as little as $19.50 per roll when buying in bulk.

In fact, most companies shipping 100 or more packages per day could actually save money by using Sticker Mule’s custom packaging tape, compared to clear packing tape.

## Where to get branded packing tape?

Are you ready to grow your business with custom printed tapes? If you want to improve your brand exposure and your package deliverability, while saving time and money, try custom packing tape for your packaging.

Upload any image and we'll format it for you, or easily [design your own tape](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-design-packaging-tape).

![Custom packing tape applied to box](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/6a27e0973a183c8a09fcd68a0e314d02a3c5d5cf "Custom branded packing tape being applied to package")

See for yourself the difference custom packing tape can make for your business.

<ButtonCta text="Try custom tape for $4" size="large" variant="secondary"  align="center" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape-sample?ref=blog" />

We compared the difference in cost and quality between custom packaging tape and regular unbranded packing tape. 

Branded packing tape vs. regular packing tape: Which should you choose?

The perfect print-ready file checklist 

If you’re a designer, chances are you spend a lot of time in the digital realm. And while you might be the best pixel pusher around, the rules change when it comes to print design. Here’s a checklist of everything you need to do to make sure your design is perfectly print-ready.

## Dimensions: At least 300 PPI
If you’re working with vector artwork, you can go ahead and check this off. If you’re working with raster artwork, you’ll want to make sure it is at least 300 PPI (pixels per inch). You can increase the resolution of any artwork file automatically with [Upscale](https://www.stickermule.com/upscale).

If you plan on using a logo, text, or illustration for print, we recommend tracking down a vector (or high resolution) version of the artwork if possible. If you need help, we recommend checking out our vectorization service: [Redraw](https://www.stickermule.com/redraw).

![raster-to-vector](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/7084286daa27ce03bbfdab7bfd1a6836fcedde98)

To measure your artwork’s PPI, divide the width of your artwork’s dimensions by the width of your desired print size. For example, if your artwork was 600 pixels wide and you planned to have it printed 3 inches wide, you’d only have 200 PPI. This would result in a low quality print and may cause your artwork to look pixelated. In this case, it would be best to either recreate your design at a higher resolution or go for a smaller print.

To figure out the maximum size your artwork should be printed at, divide the dimensions of your artwork by 300. For example, if your artwork was 600 x 450 pixels, the maximum size would be 2" x 1.5".

(Note: DPI *or Dots Per Inch* refers to the resolution settings of the printer, while PPI refers to the resolution of the artwork. Occasionally these two terms get mixed up.)

## Color Mode: CMYK
Digital screens use a combination of red, green, and blue light (RGB) to form different colors, while printers use a combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink (CMYK) to form different colors.

![rgb-vs-cmyk](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/5afdee4db5bfc9c8f1d2e0283687cf1e496118d6)

You can convert your colors from RGB to CMYK (or vice versa) in most applications by simply changing the color mode.

However, while RGB can display a very wide color gamut for screen viewing, the same bright, vibrant colors may not be achieved in the more limited CMYK color space available for printing.

When designing something for print only, it is best to start in CMYK color mode, or at least be aware that some RGB colors might look different when printed.

## Units: Inches
Designing with inches (instead of pixels) will help you in a few ways. First, it’ll help you figure out the exact dimensions of your print without having to do any math. But more importantly, it will help you indicate any cut lines or bleeds in a way that is compliant with most print shops’ requirements.

For example, Sticker Mule’s [transfer stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/transfer-stickers) require that any solid parts of your design be at least 0.07" thick. Working with inches makes this possible to measure.

## Cut lines
Cut lines tell the print shop where to cut your print.

![cut-line](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/dfe4f5f0959a990b8fd79a76d60707e8d5f9a560)

Some print products, such as [die cut stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-stickers), can be cut into any shape. At Sticker Mule we will automatically figure out your cut lines for you if none are indicated. By default, this is usually a uniform offset of the shape of your artwork.

[Indicating your own cut lines](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-create-a-sticker-cut-line) will give you full control over how your print is cut and can often speed up the proofing process. Cut lines should be indicated with a 1pt stroke.

## Bleeds
A bleed is anything being printed that extends beyond the cut lines. Bleeds are necessary whenever you want something to extend beyond the trim edge, leaving no white margin. 

At Sticker Mule, this is another thing we will add for you automatically as needed if possible. However, if you have something that is especially complex that you would like to be printed “full bleed” (to the edge of the print), then you will need to make sure it extends at least 1/16" past the cut lines.

## Outline text
This is a pretty basic rule when it comes to design, but it is often overlooked. Since there’s no way to ensure that a print shop will have all the fonts you use in your design, it’s best to make sure any text used is converted to outlines.

<WistiaVideo videoId="ke3fvba7fj" />

In Adobe Illustrator you can do this by selecting the text then selecting *Type > Create Outlines*.

----------------






With these items complete, your file should be perfectly print-ready. It’s usually best to save the file in it’s native format (Illustrator, Photoshop, Sketch), in case you need to revisit it later. Most print shops (including Sticker Mule) will accept artwork in their native formats.

As mentioned before, certain colors will often look different between digital and print – there’s no way around this. 

If you’re not feeling 100% confident before placing a large print order, order a small run of [custom samples](https://www.stickermule.com/samples), starting from just $9 for 10 custom stickers or labels.

<ButtonCta text="Order custom samples for $9" href="https://www.stickermule.com/samples?ref=blog" />


Here’s a checklist of everything you need to do to make sure your design is perfectly print-ready. 

The making of our new homepage video 

Our [home page](https://www.stickermule.com/) is the first interaction most visitors and customers have with our brand. Our previous home page video showed the ordering process, but lacked a story that focused on our customers. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we created our new homepage video.

<WistiaVideo videoId="qwwgsbtbav" />

## Script
Instead of making a basic “how-to” video, we wanted to make something that was more inspirational and persuasive. To do this, we knew we had to tell a story – one that revolved around our customers. One blessing & curse with our business is that we have all sorts of different customers: big businesses, small businesses, non-profits, hobbyists, do-it-yourselfers, developers, designers... the list goes on. There isn’t just one “target customer” we go after, so we decided to focus our story on three: a startup, a do-it-yourselfer, and a designer.

With our personas selected, we focused on a few key features of Sticker Mule that we wanted to highlight in the script:

### Ease of use
- No file restrictions
- Mobile friendly

### Proofing
- Online proofs within 4 hours
- Unlimited revisions

### Speed
- Quick turnaround
- Free shipping

It was important to highlight the minor differences in how each person used Sticker Mule. For example, if we only showed someone uploading a photo from their phone that might turn away the designer who wants a pixel perfect print. But if we only showed the designer uploading a vector image that might turn away someone who doesn’t have graphic design skills.

After showing the entire ordering process, we focused on how each person used their stickers in real life. Easy ordering and fast shipping are great, but how they plan to use the stickers is the main reason people buy in the first place.

## Storyboard

A storyboard is a scene by scene drawing of how the video will look. We created a storyboard to plan the shoot and fix any potential pitfalls before we shot anything. We kept things simple by limiting the video to 4 different locations: Aaron’s office, Jess’ workspace, Brian’s desk, and a location that would tie in all three of them.

![Storyboard vs finished video](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/2f46e23cb97fb91c553a40b3324fcb9f1df24f76)

## Voiceover
We used the same voiceover pro to remain consistent with our other videos. One big advantage of using a voiceover (as opposed to on-camera dialogue), is that we didn’t have to worry about sound once we began filming. This made shooting and editing much easier and faster.

## Shooting
We shot the entire video in one day. This required a tight schedule for each location and set call-times for the actors. Luckily, each location was relatively close together, and everyone showed up on-time.

We kept the storyboard on hand as a reference to make sure each shot fit what we had envisioned.

<WistiaVideo videoId="rpcmc9d01e" />

For the final scene, we knew the timing was key. So we played the voiceover through an iPhone, which kept our camera movement and actors all in sync.

## Editing
We used a combination of Premiere Pro and After Effects for all the post production work on this video.

Since the ordering process is a key part of this video, we knew that whatever took place on the screens in the video had to look really good. But shooting a screen isn’t always easy and doesn’t always look as sharp as you would want it to. For this reason, we decided to overlay screencasts on top of the screens shot in the video. For the MacBook and iMac this was relatively easy, but the iPhone took some motion tracking and masking work to have it look realistic.

![Editing Sticker Mule's home page video](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/3e55e77faff205857f231219d199327935598642)

Instead of using straight-up screen capture footage, we recreated each scene and animated it in After Effects. This made all the movement perfectly smooth, and helped us with the next step: translating.

## Translating
Since the whole video was narrated via a voiceover this made translating very straightforward. However the on-screen scenes needed to be updated to have the localized versions of the site in each language. To make this easy, we used the Templater Rig After Effects plugin from Dataclay.

![Homepage video text](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/2f826187fe6b95ad4856ba701df6d7719033742c)

The Templater plugin allowed us to update each layer of text via a Google Sheet. We only had to animate the screencasts once, and we could easily change languages with a click of a button.

If you’re interested in seeing our homepage video in different languages here are the links. Just make sure you switch back to English (bottom right) when you’re done!

[Italian](https://www.stickermule.com/it#video)

[French](https://www.stickermule.com/fr#video)

[Spanish](https://www.stickermule.com/es#video)

[German](https://www.stickermule.com/de#video)

[Dutch](https://www.stickermule.com/nl#video)

[Portuguese](https://www.stickermule.com/br#video)

[Japanese](https://www.stickermule.com/jp#video)

## Conclusion
We’re thankful to have 100,000 customers that trust us to print their custom stickers, magnets, and poly mailers. It’s impossible to capture everyone’s unique story, yet we aimed to capture a representation of many stories in one minute and fifteen seconds.

And if you liked this video, you should [subscribe to our channel on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/stickermule?sub_confirmation=1).

A behind the scenes look at how we made the video on our homepage. From script to post-production. 

How to use Image Trace in Adobe Illustrator 

The Image Trace feature in Adobe Illustrator is a quick way to [convert your image to vector format](https://www.stickermule.com/redraw) for high quality printing at any size.

<YouTubeVideo videoId="AUxtDCyaPFg?rel=0&showinfo=0" />

[Unlike raster images, vector images](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/raster-vs-vector-images) are made up of mathematical paths that allow the design to be scaled infinitely while retaining its quality.

![raster-to-vector](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/7084286daa27ce03bbfdab7bfd1a6836fcedde98)

Here’s how to easily convert a raster image into a vector image using the Image Trace tool in Adobe Illustrator:

### Step 1

With the image open in Adobe Illustrator, select *Window* > *Image Trace*

This will bring up the Image Trace panel.

![image-trace-panel](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/619abbac694183e9dc1c3a3b9be10b10097f9fde)

### Step 2

With the image selected, check the *Preview* box. This will give you a live look at your image in vector format. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look great right away – there are more steps to go!

### Step 3

Select the *Mode* drop down menu, and choose the mode that best suits your design.

![color-mode](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/4633434944619e32569b92ebcfdf7b3ccb29e8c9)

![color-mode-options](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/bdffbcf7fce970bef6bb0945c9eac470e044bb37)

### Step 4

Next, adjust the *Colors*, *Grays*, or *Threshold* slider. This slider will change depending on the mode you select, however the functionality between the 3 sliders remains similar.

*Colors* - Maximum number of colors used for tracing.

*Grays* - Grayscale accuracy from 0 to 100.

*Threshold* - Pixels darker than threshold value are converted to black.

If this is too low, it might make your image too plain. And if this is too high, it could make your image too complex. However, this all depends on your unique image.

![colors](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/d6499caf30e5423c75ed5bc7a6a704dbf3710659)

### Step 5

Toggle the *Advanced* menu down to bring up more options.

![advanced-options](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/227adbb1f2baf0d3b0dd8b3c3d456e8bebcd46ae)

### Step 6

Adjust the *Paths* slider.

This sets the number of paths in your design. Fewer paths means a simpler design, but if there are too few of paths it can distort your image or make it appear boxy. Conversely, too many paths can make the edges of your design very rough looking. Again, this all depends on your unique image - so it’s best to find a happy medium.

![paths](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/e72cc6fbe5a8f0cdff5eeefabde8dbd5054eb047)

### Step 7

Adjust the *Corners* slider.

This controls the amount of corners in your design. Less corners will make the curves of your design more rounded, while more corners will make the curves of your design sharper.

![corners](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/2ff4d299985d5edce648f97b932e08a08208f247)

### Step 8

Adjust the *Noise* slider.

The noise slider tells Illustrator to ignore parts of your design that fit within the pixel amount set. A higher amount will result in less noise. This can very useful for eliminating artifacts of your design that aren’t supposed to be there. However, it can also eliminate important parts of your design that are smaller, so as always, find a happy medium that works for your design.

![noise-threshold](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/a71710f369e96889bcd2fe101c3dd5fa1ba6e876)

### Step 9

Click the *Expand* button and save your image as an .ai, .pdf, or .eps file.

Now that you have a vector image, it will look great at any size. You can have it printed as a 1” inch [die cut sticker](https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-stickers)... or an 8 foot [wall graphic](https://www.stickermule.com/products/wall-graphics)!

Simply choose a product and quantity, and upload your file to Sticker Mule as-is. Within a few hours you'll receive a free proof showing you exactly what your design will look like in real life.

### Try Redraw

[Redraw](https://www.stickermule.com/redraw) is a service that upgrades any image into a vector format for a flat rate of $19, regardless of the complexity.

<YouTubeVideo videoId="nr7tGu9yKh4?modestbranding=1&rel=0" />

Upload any image and we'll send you a proof of what your new, vectorized image will look like. You can request changes to the proof for free until you're happy.

<ButtonCta text="Order a Redraw for $19" size="large" variant="secondary"  align="center" href="https://www.stickermule.com/redraw" />

How to quickly convert your image to vector format for high quality printing at any size using Image Trace in Adobe Illustrator. 

How to use Image Trace in Adobe Illustrator

Online custom printing service. Specializing in custom stickers, labels, coasters and magnets. Serving companies and individuals around the world.

Sticker Mule

Adobe Illustrator

How to quickly convert your image to vector format for high quality printing at any size using Image Trace in Adobe Illustrator.

How To

Open Image Trace Panel

With the image open in Adobe Illustrator, select Window > Image Trace

This will bring up the Image Trace panel.

Clip 0

Select The Preview Box

With the image selected, check the Preview box. This will give you a live look at your image in vector format. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look great right away – there are more steps to go!

Clip 1

Select The Mode

Select the Mode drop-down menu, and choose the mode that best suits your design.

Clip 2

Adjust The Colors Slider

Next, adjust the Colors, Grays, or Threshold slider. This slider will change depending on the mode you select, however the functionality between the 3 sliders remains similar.

Colors - Maximum number of colors used for tracing.

Grays - Grayscale accuracy from 0 to 100.

Threshold - Pixels darker than threshold value are converted to black.

If this is too low, it might make your image too plain. And if this is too high, it could make your image too complex. However, this all depends on your unique image.

Clip 3

Open More Options

Toggle the Advanced menu down to bring up more options.

Clip 4

Adjust The Paths

Adjust the Paths slider.

This sets the number of paths in your design. Fewer paths means a simpler design, but if there are too few of paths it can distort your image or make it appear boxy. Conversely, too many paths can make the edges of your design very rough looking. Again, this all depends on your unique image - so it’s best to find a happy medium.

Clip 5

Adjust The Corner Slider

Adjust the Corners slider.

This controls the amount of corners in your design. Less corners will make the curves of your design more rounded, while more corners will make the curves of your design sharper.

Clip 6

Adjust The Noise Slider

Adjust the Noise slider.

The noise slider tells Illustrator to ignore parts of your design that fit within the pixel amount set. A higher amount will result in less noise. This can very useful for eliminating artifacts of your design that aren’t supposed to be there. However, it can also eliminate important parts of your design that are smaller, so as always, find a happy medium that works for your design.

Clip 7

Save The File

Click the Expand button and save your image as an .ai, .pdf, or .eps file.

Now that you have a vector image, it will look great at any size. You can have it printed as a 1” inch die cut sticker... or an 8 foot wall graphic!

Simply choose a product and quantity, and upload your file to Sticker Mule as-is. Within a few hours you'll receive a free proof showing you exactly what your design will look like in real life.

If you're new to sticker design, get started quickly with $10 off your first order. Just sign up by clicking the button below.

Clip 8

A digital image file

Adobe Illustrator Software

A Computer

Raster vs. vector images – what's the difference?

Raster images are made up of a bunch of tiny pixels, while [vector images](https://www.stickermule.com/redraw) are made from mathematical paths.

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Why is this difference important and what does it actually mean?

## What is a raster image?

A raster image is a term in computer graphics and digital photography. A raster, also called a bitmap image, represents a rectangular grid of pixels. 

They are viewable using a bitmapped display or another medium.

### How do you increase the size of a raster image? 

Let's pretend you have a raster image that is 300 x 300.

While it's easy to make an image smaller, increasing the size usually means decreasing the resolution. Although with AI tools, it is possible to increase your artwork resolution.

[Try resizing your image for free with Upscale >](https://www.stickermule.com/upscale) 

## What is a vector image?

A vector image or graphic is a type of image defined on a plane, connected by lines and curves. They form shapes based on mathematical equations. And because of this, if you zoom in or out, the lines, curves, or points always remain smooth.  

### What are the uses of vector graphics? 

Vector graphics are used by artists who are creating illustrations, logos, and other designs that are going to be printed on big surfaces. This is why a lot of designers prefer to [convert their images to vector](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-convert-any-image-to-vector) before printing them out. 

### How do you increase the size of a vector image?

Now let’s pretend you have a vector image that is 300 x 300.

Because a vector image is made up of mathematical paths, you can increase the size of the image as much as you want and it would never decrease in quality. You could literally increase the size to 3 million x 3 million and all the details would still look sharp (assuming your computer could handle a file that big).

This difference usually makes vector images a superior option, especially when it comes to print. However, there are times when using raster images might be your best option. For example, photographs are always raster images. Converting a photograph to a vector image is possible, but will usually result in a drop in detail.

![Raster vs. Vector Images](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/18e4623450fdddec21bd7b6bc0ded052ce0e562a)

## Raster vs. vector comparison 

In this case, you might want to keep your image a raster file. As long as the resolution is [at least 300 pixels per inch](https://www.stickermule.com/support/artwork-ppi), your image will be able to be printed just fine.

[Do you want to print your images as stickers? Try it out here >](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers)

It's also common for vector images to be converted to raster images to make them more accessible on the web. For example, Google’s standard logo on Google.com is actually a .png file, while the design itself was originally created using a vector editing software. The .png file is very small (16kb) and makes for a quick loading page. But when it comes to printing, Google would want to use a vector version of their logo.

If you plan on using a logo, text, or illustration for print, we recommend tracking down a vector version of the artwork if possible. Otherwise, try to get the highest resolution version of the artwork possible.

### What are the common raster file types?

- [.png](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-convert-png-to-svg)
- .jpg or .jpeg
- .gif
- .tif
- .psd

### What are the popular raster-based image editors?

- Adobe Photoshop
- GIMP
- Photo-paint

### What are the common vector file types?

- .eps
- .ai
- .pdf
- [.svg](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-convert-png-to-svg)
- .sketch

### What are the popular vector-based image editors?

- [Adobe Illustrator](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-design-stickers)
- Sketch

### How do you convert raster images to vector images? 
[Redraw](https://www.stickermule.com/redraw) is a service that upgrades any raster image to vector format for a flat rate of $19.

Simply upload your artwork and checkout. Within a few hours we’ll send a proof showing how your new artwork will look. You can request changes to the proof for free until you’re happy (or cancel if you’re not happy).

<ButtonCta text="Order a Redraw for $19" size="large" variant="secondary"  align="center" href="https://www.stickermule.com/redraw" />

Raster images are made up of a bunch of tiny pixels, while vector images are made from mathematical paths. Learn more about their differences here..

Raster vs. Vector: what's the difference?

Die cut stickers vs. kiss cut stickers 

What's the difference between a die cut sticker and a kiss cut sticker?  Although they look similar, a die cut sticker has a backing that is cut to the exact shape of the design. A kiss cut sticker typically has a square backing around the design that's bigger than the sticker. 

When using the same artwork, both types of sticker can be cut into any shape and they both look exactly the same when applied to a surface. So, which should you choose?

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Die cut stickers are cut straight through the vinyl and paper backing to fit the exact shape of your design. This makes for a great looking sticker even before it's applied.

Kiss cut stickers are only cut through the vinyl -- the paper backing stays intact. You can print on the vinyl around a kiss cut sticker to add extra style to your design.

![die-cut-stickers-vs-kiss-cut-stickers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/1d8fffe31ef19dc89d0ff887e624ccca66f63e2c "Die cut stickers vs. kiss cut stickers")

When should you order die cut or kiss cut stickers? [Die cut stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-stickers) are more popular because people tend to prefer their presentation.

[Kiss cut stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/kiss-cut-stickers) are ideal for delicate designs as the backing helps protect your sticker while it's being transported. Kiss cut stickers also tend to be easier to peel so they're worth considering if you need to quickly peel lots of stickers. Because you can print on the vinyl around the sticker, they're great for adding extra design detail or information.

## Examples of die cut stickers

![die-cut-stickers-dayton-clean-coders](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/61375789b3d21fccd586524b2f03b1e22206aec4 "Example of die-cut stickers") 

![die-cut-stickers-dropbox](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/d26fa5a1d5731a2630032ea9a3c3b519c44dbff8 "Example of die-cut stickers")

## Examples of kiss cut stickers

![kiss-cut-stickers-append-to-js](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/a6757134158aab38fa0720adb3084429028b54f3 "Example of kiss-cut stickers") 
![kiss-cut-stickers-jill-and-nathan wedding](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/fe6c029630c9f1ad8b5451bbead0436462e62724 "Example of kiss-cut stickers")

Looking for some sticker-making inspiration? [Check out the different ways people use our stickers.](https://www.stickermule.com/uses "Uses for die-cut stickers and kiss-cut stickers") 

Then get started making your own, with $10 off your first order. Just sign up using the button below.

<ButtonCta text="Get $10 credit" href="https://www.stickermule.com/unlock?ref_id=7980330701&ref=blog" />

A die cut sticker has a backing that is cut to the exact shape of the design, while a kiss cut sticker includes additional backing around the actual sticker. 

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