ARTWORK REQUIREMENTS
Preparing your artwork by hand?
Good for you -- print out these ordering instructions
and shut this thing off!
COMPUTER USERS
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FORMATS
We accept the following PC & MAC* formats
* When sending MAC files, please be sure to save it with an extension (e.g. "filename.ai" or "filename.psd") on the file name.
Most customers upload their file during the online order process. We also accept files sent by e-mail or snail mail. Your disk must be accompanied by a paper proof. Please be sure to label your disk with filename, format, and your name & phone number.
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STICKER TEMPLATES FOR STANDARD SIZES
Please download one of our sticker templates here. All of our small quantity sticker sizes are offered and they're all scaled to the correct dimensions and minimum resolution.
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SIZE
Size your artwork to the scale of the sticker size or larger. We can easily reduce your artwork to fit the sticker size you specify. We can enlarge artwork, but the quality of the finished product will suffer.
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DESIGN
Make your design simple! Intricate and super-fine lines (less than 1-pt) tend to dry up in the screen and will not show up on your sticker. For your reference, 1pt lines are roughly the same size as what a medium ball point pen will draw. It is a good idea to keep important elements of your artwork at least 1/8" from the edge of the sticker to allow for cutting. Serifed fonts can be a nightmare for us — especially at small point sizes. Set all type to at LEAST 10 points. If you want a negative image printed, we can reverse your artwork — no problem, no extra charge. We screen all halftones at 55 lpi.
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CONVERT ALL FONTS TO CURVES
or include them with your file! This is extremely important -- we cannot be responsible for misprinted stickers if you forget this vital step. (For users of Corel Draw, Illustrator, and similar programs). In Photoshop, using the Flatten Image command before saving will do the same thing.
INK
OPTIONS
Here
are the standard inks we offer. If you need a particular color that
you don't see listed here, we can mix it for you for an additional
$15 / color.
(The
information on this page applies to BULK orders only)
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White |
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Black |
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Yellow |
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Fire
Red |
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Warm
Red |
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Rhodamine
Red |
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Rubine
Red |
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Purple |
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Violet |
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Reflex
Blue |
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Peacock
Blue |
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Process
Blue |
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Green |
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Orange |
Important: The colors you see on your computer screen will vary from the finished
product, because without special equipment, computers are unable to
accurately represent colors. (Because of variables like the brightness
setting on your monitor, or the amount of light in the room.) The
colors are presented here to give you a general idea of our
standard inks. If you are particular about the color you'd like, it's
best to send us a PMS number or a sample of the color you want, pay
the $15, and have us mix the ink.
PMS
Numbers: If you supply us with a PMS number, make sure that you
obtain it from a printed, official, professional PMS swatch
(a Pantone Formula guide). A PMS number obtained from a computer screen
is never going to be accurate (unless you have one of those
very fancy, very expensive monitors calibrated properly in a room
with the proper lighting, etc). If you don't have access to a PMS
swatch, you can alternately send (by postal mail) a sample of the
color you would like us to match.
Please
take this warning seriously! If you supply us with a PMS number from
your computer screen you will very likely be unhappy with the printed
result and will not be offered a reprint or refund.
Also
Important: Depending on the vinyl you print on, and which inks
you use, the colors can come out a bit darker than normal. Please
keep this in mind when choosing your colors. (For example, if you
put white ink on red vinyl, it will have a pinkish tone.)
Silver
and gold ink is available for the $15 mix charge.
VINYL OPTIONS
| Vinyls available for BULK & FULL COLOR custom orders: |
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White Vinyl |
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Yellow Vinyl |
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Black Vinyl |
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Red Vinyl |
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Blue Vinyl |
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Clear Vinyl |
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Foil Chrome Vinyl |
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Prismatic Vinyl |
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Brushed Chrome Vinyl |
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Glitter Vinyl |
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Glow in the Dark Vinyl |
Pricing for BULK ORDERS on all vinyls
Turnaround Times
Depending on what you order, it takes from two to eight weeks for us to complete and send out a sticker order. This means two to eight weeks from the date we receive the order with acceptable artwork until the date we send out the stickers. We can't be responsible for mail delays before or after your order is in our shop.
If you need stickers by a certain date, the only way we can guarantee that you'll have them in time is if you order BULK and arrange a rush order.
Having the cheapest prices on great quality stickers, our services are in great demand. We get every order out as quickly as possible, but unfortunately we're not always able to meet everyone's needs.
Rush Orders
Rush orders are not available for B&W or R&B orders. If you need your stickers by a certain date you must order in BULK. We can sometimes get an order of stickers out in as little as one week. If you need your order by a certain date, there is a rush charge of 15% of order total, minimum charge $50.
To arrange a rush order, you must arrange it by phoneprior to placing your order; our schedule changes every single week dependent upon how busy we are. Give us a call (between 12pm and 5pm PST Monday - Friday) at775-358-7865 and we'll see if we can fit you in!
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
KISS CUT: To custom cut the top layer of the vinyl but not the backing. This allows a custom shaped sticker that peels off of a square or rectangle backing. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2667/4192208014_2bc057991e_o.jpg
DIE CUT: Anything that's not a rectangle or square. A die is like an industrial cookie cutter that stamps out the custom shape from the printed vinyl. The entire sticker (print and backing) arrives in the sticker shape. http://www.stickerguy.com/stikweek/sonicboom-big.gif
SIGN LETTERING: These are non-inked stickers in which text or shapes are cut out of the vinyl - they are typically applied with transfer tape. We do not offer sign lettering at this time. Check your local sign shop.
HALFTONE: This is a process of creating shading using a single ink. Basically, it's a bunch of dots that from far away look like shading (up close, though, they look like a bunch of dots): http://www.stickerguy.com/stikweek/peaceouthonkies-big.gif.
In most cases we recommend against halftones, but we can help provide you direction to make them work in your design. We screen halftones at 55 lines per inch.
SPOT COLOR: This is printshop and graphic design lingo which basically means a solid color produced by a single ink. If you supply us with a Pantone (aka PMS) Number, you'll be using a SPOT COLOR to get a precise and solid color. It's something like the opposite of a PROCESS COLOR, which is created by printing CMYK halftones (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) over each other to create Full Color.
CMYK: This is full color process (the letters stand for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black). With this type of printing process we can print full color designs. Shading is smooth and halftones are unnecessary.
PAPER LABEL: Non-weatherproof stickers that come on a wax roll. Ideal for indoor applications - anything that's not going to be outside in the elements. For an extra charge we can apply lamination to provide a scratch-proof coating and a glossy finish.
VINYL: Weatherproof material meant for outdoor application. These stickers last 3-5 years in the outdoors when applied to a clean, dry, smooth surface.
PMS: This stands for Pantone Matching System (www.pantone.com). Our standard ink colors directly correspond with the Pantone Basic colors.
DPI: Dots Per Inch. For high quality stickers, it's best to provide us with artwork that is sized 100% with a minimum resolution of 300dpi. High resolution raster images will look large on your screen.
VECTOR: These are graphics that use geometric shapes, lines, and curves to create designs. Resolution (DPI - see above) is not an issue since any vector based design can be scaled to any size without loss of quality.
SCREEN PRINTING: First invented by the Chinese around 900AD. Ink is squeezed through a silk mesh screen onto the vinyl. Designs using solid colors typically print best, but we can HALFTONE gradients at 55lpi.
10% OVERAGE / UNDERAGE: All orders are subject to a +/- 10% overage or underage. That's pretty standard in the printing industry. Typically we print 10% more than what you order, to compensate for errors and misprints. So for example, if you order 250, we'll plan on printing 275. The minimum you'll end up with is 225 stickers, but in almost every case you'll receive just over 250.
CUSTOM SHAPES
For
custom shapes (die-cut stuff), please fax or email us an outline of
the size/shape you want the stickers, along with the color/vinyl/quantity
info; it takes a day or two to figure out quotes for custom die-cut
jobs, so please be patient.
Here
are some examples of custom die-cut stickers we've made.
We
also have some other custom dies available, including:
- 4"
x 2" round corner rectangle
- 3.3"
x 3.4" round corner triangle
- 4.25"
x 2.75" oval
- 5.75"
x 2" oval
- 5.75"
x 3.75" oval
- 6.2"
x 2.89" oval
- 2.5"
circle
- 3.5"
circle
- 4.25"
circle
- 6"
circle
- 12"
circle
Type
and Fonts
You
can use any typeface (font) you desire, but be extremely careful when
using serifed typefaces. A serifed typeface has decorative curves
and points that become thicker in places, such as Times New Roman,
Garamond, and Bookman. Avoid using Serifed Fonts, especially in
small sizes. If you wish to use a serifed font, be sure to make
it bold and larger than 12pts. Otherwise you will risk losing
the line of the letter at the thinner points.
examples: 
Note
that Arial is not serifed (the thickness of the letters remains consistent).
These fonts are much more reliable, even at small point sizes. (Others
include Swiss, Humanist, Futura, etc.)
Halftones
Any
image that has shades of a color, as opposed to or in addition
to the solid ink color, must be halftoned. This includes gradients,
photos, and shadows. A halftone is basically a dot pattern that is
created to simulate shades of the printed ink. All halftones are 'screened'
at 55-LPI (lines per inch). TIP: When designing our own stickers,
we tend to avoid using halftones, because they rarely come out perfectly
on every sticker.
 
- example of a gradient (blend) with close-up at 55
LPI
Click
here for more examples
(top) example of a photograph; (bot) halftoned at 55 LPI
Click
here for more examples
This is
an example of a well-designed sticker using color halftone gradient
fills. Different shades and blends of colors can be achieved using
halftones. (This is a scan of an actual sticker we printed). Click
here for more examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
How
should I create my artwork for the best printed result?
Well,
there are a million different ways, but here's some hints:
-
Make your design simple! Intricate and
super-fine lines (less than 1pt) tend to dry up in the screen
and will not show up on your sticker. For your reference, 1pt
lines are roughly the same thickness as what a medium ball point
will draw.
-
Serifed fonts can be a nightmare for us — especially at small point sizes. Set
all type to at LEAST 10 points. (Click the link to learn more
about serifed fonts and view examples.)
-
Don't forget that the ink for your image
will be screened onto your stickers through a 55-lpi (lines per
inch) screen. That means that all halftones will turn out at 55-lpi (Click on the link to learn more about
halftones, see examples of how they screen and how to use them
well.)
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Unless you're really handy with Photoshop, avoid using the Photoshop filters that make your artwork
fuzzy - it will create halftones that tend to not print nicely. More to the
point, if you're not very comfy with your computer skills, keep
your image limited to true blacks and whites and stay away from
greys altogether.
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If you're sending a computer file, please
download one of our templates here.
They're all scaled to the correct dimensions and all have the
correct minimum resolution of 300dpi.
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Please remember, we print directly from
artwork you provide; we don't usually design or lay out stickers
unless you're looking for something extremely simple. (We're just
too busy actually making the stickers to spend time on
design).
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If you want a negative image printed, we
can reverse your artwork — no problem, no extra charge. Our minimum
quantity is 250 stickers for black and white stickers, and 500
for red and black stickers.
What
is the +/- 10% overage/underage?
Due
to unpredictable and unpreventable circumstances in the production
of your stickers, the quantity ordered is subject to a +/- 10% overage/underage.
This means, if you order 250 stickers, you will receive between 225
and 275 stickers. While it is extremely rare that a Sticker Guy! customer
will actually receive a full 10% less than what they order (in fact
it is more likely that he/she will receive a small percentage more),
it is a standard practice in the printing industry to maintain this
policy. If you require a precise number of stickers, it is recommended
that you order at least 10% more than this number. For example, if
you are making 1000 records and need stickers for each record, you
should order 1100 stickers.
Can
you bleed off the edges of the stickers?
Yes,
no problem at all. Be sure to make crop marks at the corners of your
sticker so we know exactly how to orient the art on the sticker. There
is no extra charge for bleeds. You can also send us your art and have
us reverse it (for no charge) to make it bleed.
Can
I email the artwork to you?
Yes,
it's possible for us to check over any artwork prior to any order.
We
don't accept new orders over email or the phone, just through snail
mail or the online ordering form. We can do
reorders over the phone.
Is
black ink considered a color?
Yes,
definitely. If you order stickers with black and blue ink on white
vinyl, that is considered two colors (2c). The color of the
vinyl, on the other hand, is NOT considered a color. Using the same
example from above, black, white, and blue stickers are considered
to be two-color (2c), provided that you print on white vinyl.
If you were to print black, white and blue stickers on clear vinyl,
that would be considered three colors (3c).
What
does R&B stand for?
It
means red and black ink on white vinyl. You can incorporate all three
colors into your design however you want (i.e. you can have a red
background and a white logo with a black outline).
What
does 1c, 2c, 3c stand for?
It
means one color of ink (1c), two ink colors (2c) and
so on.
Can
you print with different shades of black? (sometimes called "grey
tones," "tints," etc)
Yes.
We never recommend it, but it usually comes out okay. The problem
is that we have to make a 55-lpi (lpi means line per inch) halftone
screen of all the shaded colors, and depending on the design it sometimes
doesn't look so hot. If you have Photoshop, you can change the image
mode to bitmap, then select 55-lpi halftone and you'll get an idea
of what the sticker will look like once we print it. Click
here to see examples of halftones and how photos look at 55-lpi.
What
color inks can you use? Can I have a special color ink? Can you make
full color stickers?
We
have several standard
inks that you can choose from. We can also use a certain color
if you can supply us with the PMS number - there is a $15 per color
mixing charge for non standard inks.
We
screen print up to 4 spot colors, and in 2011, we finally got equipment to do full-color stickers, so YES, we can now make full color stickers.
What
kind of press do you use? Where did you get it?
We
have two 1-color presses: one manual and one semi-automatic.
We bought them used from a print shop that closed down.
Can
I split my order and get one half black on white and the other half
reversed?
Yes,
if you order 500 or more B&W stickers. No extra charge for this
service, just please be sure to make clear, explicit notes for us!
We
cannot split orders of 250 black and white stickers.
Can
you print me just one sticker?
Yes we can. See FULL COLOR STICKERS on the Pricelist
I
want my logo to be white and the background to be black. Can I get
white ink on black vinyl?
Yes,
we can, but we recommend using white vinyl with black ink that bleeds
off the edge of the sticker. It's cheaper and the resulting contrast
is better between the white and the black.
Does
the listed price include tax?
There
is no tax unless you live in Nevada. If you are a Nevada resident
please add Nevada State sales tax to your order. (Our online order system will do so automatically)
Can I use my Sticker Guy! customer credit to pay for my order online?
Yes!
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Use our online
ordering system. Please be sure to read the ordering instructions
and artwork requirements on our site before beginning.
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On
the CONTACT INPUT page (where you enter your address), in
the notes section please mention the fact that you have credit with us and the name of the sticker guy or girl you're
working with.
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Choose
"Payment by Mail" as your payment option
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Be
sure to go all the way to the end of the order process and click
the Send Order To Stickerguy button.
Is
shipping included in the prices? How much is shipping? What does "ppd"
stand for?
Shipping
is included in B&W and R&B pricing (as indicated
by "ppd," which means postage paid). Shipping is not included
in the pricing for BULK, FULL COLOR, or LABEL orders.
Shipping
costs for BULK orders are automatically calculated by our online
order system.
What
about international orders? (outside the
USA)
For international orders, shipping costs for all orders
are calculated by our online order system.
The easiest way to figure out how much it will cost to ship your order
is to go through the ordering process during which you will be presented
with all of your shipping options. Alternately, you can contact
us for a quote.
Where
are my stickers?
We
are happy to answer this one all the time. All you need to do to find
out is email or call us and we'll let you know where they are in production. Click here for our contact info. Please
remember that we do not make any guarantees for non-bulk orders and
that all turnaround approximations are just that - approximations.
Can
I make stickers in sizes not included on your pricelist? What about
custom shapes?
We
can easily do custom sizes for bulk orders. We can't usually make
vinyl stickers smaller than our smallest standard sizes (either 4.25"
x 1.38" or 2.13" x 2.75"). We can make paper labels smaller than that; please call us for label quotes. We can't make
stickers bigger than 12.5" x 18".
For custom shapes (die-cut stuff), please fax
or email us an outline of the size/shape you want the stickers, along
with the color/vinyl/quantity info; it takes a day or two to figure
out quotes for custom die-cut jobs, so please be patient. We can't
do plotter cut stickers (the kind where just the letters peel off). (Click the link to view examples of custom shaped stickers we've
made.)
Click
here to go to our online price listings.
Can
I cancel my order?
That
depends on how far your stickers are into production. Up until
the design gets placed on a sheet, you can change or cancel your order. Once they are on a sheet and added to the print calendar, they will print. Please do not contact us after you receive the "your stickers
are scheduled to print" email and try to cancel. If you have
received this email, your stickers are definitely scheduled to print
and it is too late to pull them without facing cancellation fees to
cover our costs.
Can I get a refund?
Our
refund policy is as follows: if the reason you want a refund is because we made a mistake, then we will refund the entire payment amount.
Otherwise, there will be a 3% service charge deducted from the refund.
For
example: you place a $100 order for stickers for your band, but then
you break up the following week. You cancel your order in time (see above "Can I cancel my order?") and would like your
money back. We will kindly send you a refund, but since it is due
to no mistake of ours, the refund will be for $97.
This
3% fee covers the credit card / banking fees we paid in order to process
your payment.
Refunds
can take up to two weeks for processing.
Can
I get printing on the backs of my stickers?
As
of very recently, we've discontinued this option; the ink we have
used tends to bleed onto the front of the stickers and ruins them.
Until we find new ink our printer will be unable to offer this service.
Please contact us for updates.
Can
you bump my order up? Is there any way to move that print date up?
No,
we're very sorry but once you receive notification of your print date, it's often very difficult to change it. Moving
one order up means moving other orders down, which affects our other customers and distracts us from what's most important: printing stickers. No one wants that. Under some circumstances, we can make rush arrangements for BULK orders --but it's always best to let us know ahead of
time -- when you place your order -- so we can plan accordingly.
What
types of files do you accept?
Nowadays, we accept just about any file you can send us. The ones that will work the best are PDF, PSD, EPS, CDR, Illustrator, TIF, JPG (300-600 DPI)... just to name a few.
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