If you don't know what digital stickers are, I don't blame you. In this post I'll tell you all about what it is, how people use them, and how they are made.
When I tell friends and family that I run an Etsy store, and that I sell digital stickers, clipart and digital textures, the common reaction is: Huh? What is that, how do people use them?
…So I'm pretty well-versed in explaining this to people!
Some of the stickers I sell in my Etsy store. *This post contains affiliate links
What is a digital sticker exactly?
A digital sticker, also known as a digital clipart, is a digital image or graphic element on a transparent background, which is designed to be added to digital projects. They are often used to decorate and enhance digital spaces, just like traditional stickers would be used in physical spaces like notebooks or to decorate your belongings.
Clipart come in a wide range of designs, styles, and themes, catering to different preferences and purposes. They may include illustrations, typography, icons, patterns, and many other graphical elements. And just like stickers in real life, they can have different looking textures, like for example glitter or holographic stickers.
How to use a digital sticker?
If you buy a set of digital stickers, (for example from my Etsy store Cute Digital Stickers), you simply download the file. Here you'll find the stickers ready to use. People often use them in their digital planners/journals or scrapbooks. Sometimes you can simply drag and drop the sticker from the folder into the digital planner, and then resize it and place it where you want it. Other times, depending on the app you're using, the process is a bit more complicated (but not necessarily difficult).
They can also be used for your social media posts, Keynote or Powerpoint presentations, or even website design. If you want to use a digital sticker in an Instagram post for example, you upload the sticker to a program like Canva, and include the it in your Instagram graphic, or on top of the photograph you want to use.
👉 Want to understand how digital planners work? Check out this post for tips on resources on how you can make your own for personal or commercial use.
How do you make digital stickers?
A digital sticker can be an illustration either hand-drawn and scanned, or drawn digitally in a program like Procreate or Adobe Illustrator. But it can also be made purely digital, without any type of drawing or painting at all. Technically a digital sticker can also be a photograph, but in this case, it might have been put in a round frame or something else that alters the shape of the traditional photograph. Another way is if the background is removed, and the main object of the photo is made into a digital sticker.
I personally make most of my stickers in Keynote or Photoshop. Simply put, I make my designs on a transparent background, and then export it as a .png file. And voila, clipart is born!
Can I get digital stickers for free?
Yes, there are plenty of free digital stickers online, but the quality varies. In some cases they are also published for free on sites without the creator's consent. If you want high-quality free digital stickers and obtain them in a legal way like a good person would, your best bet is to try Creative Fabricas free trial, where you can download ten products of your choice for free.
Remember that "digital stickers" and "clipart" are used synonymously, so try to search for both, followed by what you are looking for. For example "Christmas digital stickers" or "watercolor flower clipart". Make sure to check that the stickers are pre-cropped (they usually are).
Where can I buy digital stickers?
You can buy them on Etsy, Creative Fabrica or Creative Market, but there are also other marketplaces online where you can find them. Clipart sets are typically not pricey, and you can find beautiful and unique stickers from $ 2-5 dollars, depending on the size of the sticker set.
What are pre-cropped digital stickers?
Most digital stickers are pre-cropped (sometimes also called "pre-cut"). This means that all the stickers in the sticker set are separate PNG files on transparent backgrounds. So if you download a pre-cropped sticker set of 13 realistic fall leaves, you can be certain that you actually get a folder containing 13 stickers, not one file with all the stickers.
On the other hand, pre-cropped stickers is the norm, so it might not always be mentioned. You can almost take it for granted that they are, the seller should state it in the product description if they are not.
Where to find beautiful seasonal stickers
I've written several posts showing you beautiful sticker sets for different seasons, both by me and by other sticker creators. Maybe you are looking for fall digital stickers, the perfect summer digital stickers, or maybe some Christmas digital sticker sets? Check out these posts to get more tips!
I hope this post helped you understand what digital stickers are! Got more questions? Write them in a comment down below.