First we'll show you a step-by-step guide to applying ordinary domestic stickers, & then we'll move on to vinyl lettering systems, commercial stickers (with somewhat more detailed application instructions), & some further examples.
- How to Apply a Sticker
- Commercial Stickers — with Instructions
- Letraset Action Stickers
- Vinyl Sticker Lettering
- Other Sticker Examples
How to Apply a Sticker
STEP ONE: Choose Your Weapon.
Since this is just a demonstration, we've selected some really unfortunate examples. The adhesive is weak on these; they're coming away from the backing, & probably won't stick very well. Of course, the opposite problem — the adhesive being too strong — could have been worse…
STEP TWO: Detach the Sticker.
Having made sure everything is clean & dry (recipient surface, hands, etc.), bend the backing paper to release the sticker. In this case, no great effort was required.
STEP THREE: Attack.
Place the sticker lightly in position. With large stickers, start from the centre to avoid bubbles or creases.
STEP FOUR: Squish.
Rub the sticker down, working from the centre outwards. If at any point a bubble or crease should form, gently lift the affected portion of the sticker away from the surface, straighten it, & try again.
If bubbles persist, you may be able to drive them away from the centre to the outside edge — at which point they should escape into thin air, leaving your sticker flat & smooth. Pushing the bubbles from behind with your thumb (etc.) should achieve this, which is a task not dissimilar to chasing a wasp out of a window.
Or a cat.
(Chasing a cat out of a window — not chasing a wasp out of a cat.)
In this case, the sticker is small, & a thumb is sufficient for smoothing; for larger stickers, a clean dry cloth, a plastic comb, a stuffed elephant's foot, or whatever tool strikes your fancy can be used.
STEP FIVE: Detach the Second Sticker.
Repeat the previous procedure, step by step.
STEP SIX: Fly Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease.
It's not rocket science, people.
STEP SEVEN: Position.
(Although this does remind me of the Rosetta mission to land Philae on a comet. Perhaps slightly less difficult.)
STEP EIGHT: Press & Smooth.
Flatten out those bubbles.
STEP NINE: Finished!
Now you can be really proud of your gorgeous newly-decorated pencil case, made out of an old plastic jar of screenwipes.
Before:
Where are those lovely stickers?
After:
— There they are!
Commercial Stickers — with Instructions
Here is a commercial sticker (or 'emblem') made by Eagle Transfers of Lichfield. You will see it comes with excellent detailed instructions on the back. This sticker is 208mm wide, not including the backing sheet. (The accompanying 'Michelin' sticker is just a freebie for you.)
- Application Instructions:
- Clean surface to which emblem is to be applied.
- Starting from any corner, bend backing paper sharply to release emblem. Peel off backing paper.
- Place emblem on the surface, being careful to touch the centre down first.
- Using a squeegee or stiff piece of cardboard, smooth the emblem down flat, working from the centre to the outside edges.
CAUTION: Do not apply to cold surfaces.
Letraset Action Stickers
From the Thomas Salter 1981 trade catalogue. Note that one variety consists of sheets of stickers on a background…
…Whereas the other type is of pre-cut individual stickers.
Vinyl Sticker Lettering
Letraset's system of vinyl sticker lettering was called Letrasign. This photo of various sizes in their packets was kindly supplied by Doris and Wilf (eBay Seller 'dorisandwilfs').
Below is another sign lettering system.
By spacing the letters correctly before use, whole words could be peeled off the backing (shown here in white) while kept in position on their carrier sheet (the ivory-coloured strip). Once the letters had been applied, the carrier could be peeled off; you can see that a small area at the bottom of each letter protrudes from the carrier, so that they could be safely held in position throughout the peel. Very simple, effective, & most important of all, accurate.
Other Sticker Examples
Puffy Stickers from Japan; the image is printed on embossed foam shaped to the die-cut.
It's hard to know what can be intended by the term "Laser" in "Laser Stickers", but it seems to mean that heat-resistant paper is used because they're printed on a laser printer. Or perhaps it's because they're related to Holographic Stickers, which are used for security passes & suchlike. This example is a typical combination of reflective glitter & embossed metallic seams.
Of course, if you can put adhesive on something, & put a waxed protective sheet behind the adhesive, then you've got a sticker.
Finally, here are some stickers in official use on a London Transport tube carriage; plus underneath them, a less official addition, applied & photographed by Daniel Nicholls.
Here are the links to those "What are Transfers?" article pages again in full:
- "What are Transfers?" (Main Page) ↑
- Temporary Tattoos, including "How to Apply a Vintage 1960s Temporary Tattoo" →
- How to Apply a Waterslide Model Kit Transfer →
- Waterslide Transfers Applied to Drinking Glasses; plus Golly Transfers →
- The Letraset Type Lettering System →
- How to Apply Vintage 1959 Letraset Waterslide Lettering →
- Letraset's dry rub-down "Instant Lettering" →
- Heat Transfers, including "How to Apply a Vintage 1970s Iron-On Transfer" →
- How to Apply Letraset Dry Rub-Down Transfers →
- How Dry Rub-Down Transfers Work →
- Topps Rub-Offs, Hasbro Rub-Ons, & Trans-Action →
- Some Lovely Décalcomanies →
- How to Apply a Sticker (& other Sticker treats) (this page; see above ↑)
- Stick'N'Lift →