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Marston Makerspace George A. Smathers Libraries
Services Overview

Custom Stickers

If you are interested in making stickers, Marston Makerspace offers several resources to make it easy!

What you will need to bring:

  • Your design(s) ad png or pdf files
    • These can be on your own computer, a USB stick, or accessible somehow online (email, Canva, etc)
  • Inkjet Printable Sticker Paper
    • Due to high demand, we can only provide 1-2 sheets per person. If you are making more than 1-2 sheets, please bring your own
    • You can bring glossy or matte sticker paper

This can come in multiple varieties which will give different appearances. There are many reliable brands of sticker paper

What we provide:

  • Epson 2720 Inkjet Printer
  • Silhouette Cameo Craft Cutting Machines
    • We have both a Cameo 3 and 5
  • Computer with Silhouette Studio installed
    • You can also use your own computer if you download the free Silhouette Studio app. To make the process as smooth as possible, it is best to come in with the app already downloaded and your design uploaded to the program. However, if you are having trouble with any of these steps, a Makerspace employee will be there to help during open hours!

Silhouette Print and Cut

Overview

One option for custom sticker making is using Silhouette’s print and cut feature. This will be especially useful for more intricate sticker shapes, however, can be used to accurately cut out any sticker shape. If you are using print and cut, before printing out your design you need to add registration marks via Silhouette Studio. The registration marks allow the Cameo to know where the cut marks are assigned and accurately cut the design. 

Instructions

Design Your Stickers:

  1. Go into the Design tab
  2. Set up your page with Page Setup to match the dimensions of your sticker paper (most is letter sized: 8.5″ x 11″)
  3. Add Registration Marks to your page: View> Registration Marks> Enable Registration Marks. (or click the Print and Cut icon and select Enable Registration Marks). These marks help the Cameo align your cuts with your print.
  4. If you just want text or simple shapes in your design, you can use the left-hand toolbar in Silhouette studio to add and manipulate your design
  5. If you want to import a PNG file, then go to File > Merge> and select your file (note, make sure your image does not have a colored background if you want to cut around the image and not the background. Choose a file with no background, or a white background).
silhouette studio page setup: custom width is 8.5" and custom height is 11"

Create Your Cut Lines

  1. Once you have your design, you will want to select Trace then Select trace area. You will pull your cursor over the design you want to cut.
    • Depending on your image, you may need to play around with the thresholds to get the area and smoothness you want to cut around. If you do not want the inside of your stickers cut, be sure to select Trace Outer Edge.
  2. To add a border around your sticker, you will want to add what is called an offset. Click your image, then click offset, use the slider to determine the thickness of the border you want, and then hit apply.
    • If this produces a square around your image instead of a white border around the sticker, then, you will need to move the sticker image out of the way, so you see the cut lines, select the cut lines themselves, then select the offset button.
  3. Once you like it, move the sticker out of the way and click on the inner cut lines you don’t want, and hit delete. Then drag your image back into your offset.
  4. Select both the image and the cut line, right-click, and then select Group.
  5. If you want to fill the page with the same sticker, select your sticker, the go to Object > Replicate > Fill Page.
After selecting the trace area, it will show up yellow. After selecting Trace Outer Edge, a red line will appear around the image. Pull the image away to reveal the red line before adding the offset. When you add the offset, you will see two red lines.

Print Your Stickers

  1. Connect your computer to the Epson-ET 2720, put your paper in the printer with the top facing you.
  2. Click the “Print and Cut” button on the right-side panel in Silhouette, select “Print”, then select “Print” again.
  3. If using our computer, you will only see the “SawGrass Utility” Printer. To select the Epson printer, you will need to use the slide bar to slide left to find it.
  4. After Selecting the Epson, you will want to change the Preferences. Select a glossy type of paper to get best results on glossy sticker paper and matte for matte sticker paper.
  5. Select ok, then hit print. The printer will tell you that the paper does not match. Click “ok”, then “change settings” then click “print”.
  6. Another print screen will pop up at some point, but you can hit “Cancel” on that screen.
use the toggle bar to move the bar all the way to the left to show more printers than just Sawgrass Print Utility

Set Up the Cutting Machine

  1. Be sure to plug the cutting machine into both the outlet with the power cable, and your computer with the data cable. Hold the power button until the screen lights up.
  2. Unload the blade by pulling out the little tab marked “1” and pulling up the white casing. Inspect the blade for any debris before putting it back. Clean as needed using weeding tools or aluminum foil.
  3. Place the printed sticker sheet on your cutting mat, aligned to the top-left corner. Use the brayer to roll it flat. If the mat is not very sticky, you may want to add some tape to the edges to hold it down.
  4. Place the left edge of the mat in line with the white rollers on the machine and hit the up arrow or the “load” button on the cutting machine.
There is a white roller to the left on the machine, it needs to be aligned with the far edge of the plastic mat

Cut Your Stickers

  1. When you are ready to cut, select the “Send” button in the top right corner, then click the “Standard” button to get out of guide.
  2. Choose the Cameo that is connected via USB. Verify that the red lines on the left half of the screen are where you want to cut.
  3. Here, you can select your medium, and play around with the blade force, speed, depth. This part may take some trial and error. Be patient. For our sticker paper, we have found that the best settings are: Plain cardstock, force = 35, speed = 2, blade depth = 6
  4. When you are ready, click Send to start the cutting process. The machine will read the registration marks first, then cut your stickers.
  5. Once your sticker paper is cut, you will need to hit the down arrow or the “unload” button to release your mat.
select standard instead of guide, then select Send. Change the settings using the toggle bars.

Tips! For Best Results

  1. Do a test cut first to avoid cutting too deep.
  2. Use a light grip cutting mat for thinner sticker paper.
  3. Use clear laminate sheets for waterproofing your stickers (optional, and more difficult to cut).

Video