To make your own sticker in Procreate, draw the artwork on a 300 DPI canvas, add a white border on a separate layer beneath it, hide the background, and export a transparent PNG. Print that file on sticker paper and cut it by hand or with a Cricut, or send it to a print shop with a cutline. If you work in motion, the same PNG or layered PSD can go into After Effects as an animated sticker element.

Set Up the Canvas for Print

Most sticker problems start with the canvas, so set it up before you draw anything.

• Size in inches, not pixels. Create a custom canvas and switch the units to inches. Make it larger than the finished sticker. A sticker that prints at 3 to 4 inches can be drawn on a 10 x 8 inch canvas, which leaves room to reuse the art later.
• 300 DPI. Procreate is raster-based, so you can't scale up later without losing detail. 300 DPI is the standard for print.
• Color profile. Procreate defaults to RGB. If a print shop asks for CMYK, set the profile when you create the canvas, because converting later can shift your colors. For home printing or screen use, RGB is fine.
• A size guide. Procreate has no ruler, so many sticker artists import a sizing reference image on its own layer, trace a box at the target size, and keep it at low opacity as a guide. Turn it off before export.

If you plan to cut with a Cricut, check the maximum print-then-cut area in Design Space first and size your canvas to match. Otherwise you'll be rescaling later.

Draw the Artwork on Separate Layers

Keep the art non-destructive.

1. Sketch on its own layer and lower its opacity once you start inking.
2. Put line art, base colors, and shading on separate layers. Clip shading layers to the color layers with Clipping Mask so they can't spill past the edges.
3. Use a reference layer for fills if your line art is open. Set the line layer as a Reference, then drop color on a layer below, and the fill will respect the lines.
4. Stamp brushes work for speed if you want to focus on color and texture rather than redrawing common shapes like mugs, leaves, or flowers.

Group your art layers into one folder when you're done. You'll need that group for the next step.

Add the White Border

The border is what makes it look like a sticker. It also gives a cutting machine a margin to work with, so it doesn't slice into the artwork.

Artists use a few workarounds to build the border:

• Outline brush. Trace a thick white brush around the silhouette on a layer beneath the art. Some creators sell or give away brushes made for this.
• Silhouette method. Duplicate and merge the art into one layer, lock its alpha, fill it with white, then unlock it. Blur it slightly, then use Selection > Automatic on the blurred shape and fill the selection with white. This gives you a larger, hard-edged shape.
• Draw it by hand. For simple shapes, a steady stroke with StreamLine turned up is often faster than either method.

Whichever you pick, test it on a basic circle first. Check that the border is an even width and that there are no holes or notches inside the shape, because those become awkward cut paths. Fill any interior gaps with white.

Optionally, add a faint gray shadow layer under the white border. This is useful for a "faux sticker" look in digital-only use, but leave it out of a print file, since a printer will print the shadow.

Export a Transparent PNG

1. Hide the background color layer and any guides.
2. Tap Actions > Share > PNG. PNG keeps the transparency.
3. If you're building a sheet, either arrange several stickers on one canvas with enough space between them for cutlines, or export each one individually.
4. Save a layered PSD or the native .procreate file as well, so you can revise later.

For a sheet, leave a consistent gap between each sticker so the cutting machine has room. Stickers placed too close together can cause cuts that clip the white border.

Turn the File Into a Physical Sticker

There are three practical routes.

Print and cut by hand

Print on inkjet sticker paper at your printer's highest quality setting, let the ink dry, and cut out each sticker with scissors or a craft knife. This is a low-commitment way to test a design. Choose between matte and glossy paper for the finish, and use laminate if you need durability.

Print then cut with a Cricut

Upload the PNG to Design Space as a print-then-cut image. You print it, then the Cricut cuts along the edge of the white border. A kiss cut leaves the backing paper intact, which makes sheets easier to peel. A die cut goes through the backing as well and gives you a standalone shape.

Order from a print shop

Professional printers offer vinyl, holographic, glitter, and clear materials. Send them the transparent PNG or follow their template. Before ordering, confirm:

• whether they want CMYK or RGB,
• the cutline or dieline format they expect,
• whether you want a kiss cut or die cut, and
• bleed and margin requirements.

Order a small proof run first. Colors on screen and on vinyl may not match exactly.

Use Your Procreate Stickers in Motion Projects

Stickers aren't only physical objects. Sticker-style graphics can work as social overlays, lower thirds, UI callouts, collage-style edits, and hand-made title cards.

Bring them into After Effects

• PNG for static or transform-based animation. Import the transparent PNG and animate position, scale, rotation, and a drop shadow. A slight wobble and a quick scale overshoot sells the "slapped on" feel.
• PSD for layered animation. Export a PSD from Procreate and import it into After Effects with layers retained. You can then animate individual parts, such as a character's eyes, a leaf, or a highlight, instead of treating the sticker as one flat image.
• Color management. Make sure your After Effects project's color settings are consistent with your Procreate file's color profile so the sticker doesn't shift in tone when it lands in your timeline.
• Resolution. A larger canvas gives you more pixels to work with. If you drew small, you may see softness when you scale up in a high-resolution comp.

Where Styleframe Fits in a Sticker Workflow

If you're extending a sticker style into motion, Styleframe is an AI video and motion tool you can consider alongside Procreate and After Effects.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Drawing at screen resolution. Low-DPI canvases look soft in print and in 4K comps.
• Uneven borders. A wobbly white outline gives the cutter a bad path and looks amateurish.
• Flattening too early. Keep layered versions so you can adjust borders, colors, or animation parts later.
• Forgetting transparency. Check that your export is PNG and that the background layer is hidden.
• Skipping a proof. Print one test sticker before running a full sheet or placing a bulk order.
• Crowding the sheet. Leave space between stickers for the cutline.

Quick Checklist

1. Create a 300 DPI canvas in inches, larger than your final size.
2. Draw on separate layers and group them.
3. Build an even white border on a layer beneath the art.
4. Fill any interior holes.
5. Hide the background and export a transparent PNG, plus a PSD or .procreate backup.
6. Print and cut by hand, with a Cricut, or through a print shop.
7. For motion, import the PNG or layered PSD into After Effects and animate.

Once the workflow is set, the same assets can work for print, social, and motion.

To make your own sticker in Procreate, draw the artwork on a 300 DPI canvas, add a white border on a separate layer beneath it, hide the background, and export a transparent PNG. Print that file on sticker paper and cut it by hand or with a Cricut, or send it to a print shop with a cutline. If you work in motion, the same PNG or layered PSD can go into After Effects as an animated sticker element.

Set Up the Canvas for Print

Most sticker problems start with the canvas, so set it up before you draw anything.

• Size in inches, not pixels. Create a custom canvas and switch the units to inches. Make it larger than the finished sticker. A sticker that prints at 3 to 4 inches can be drawn on a 10 x 8 inch canvas, which leaves room to reuse the art later.
• 300 DPI. Procreate is raster-based, so you can't scale up later without losing detail. 300 DPI is the standard for print.
• Color profile. Procreate defaults to RGB. If a print shop asks for CMYK, set the profile when you create the canvas, because converting later can shift your colors. For home printing or screen use, RGB is fine.
• A size guide. Procreate has no ruler, so many sticker artists import a sizing reference image on its own layer, trace a box at the target size, and keep it at low opacity as a guide. Turn it off before export.

If you plan to cut with a Cricut, check the maximum print-then-cut area in Design Space first and size your canvas to match. Otherwise you'll be rescaling later.

Draw the Artwork on Separate Layers

Keep the art non-destructive.

1. Sketch on its own layer and lower its opacity once you start inking.
2. Put line art, base colors, and shading on separate layers. Clip shading layers to the color layers with Clipping Mask so they can't spill past the edges.
3. Use a reference layer for fills if your line art is open. Set the line layer as a Reference, then drop color on a layer below, and the fill will respect the lines.
4. Stamp brushes work for speed if you want to focus on color and texture rather than redrawing common shapes like mugs, leaves, or flowers.

Group your art layers into one folder when you're done. You'll need that group for the next step.

Add the White Border

The border is what makes it look like a sticker. It also gives a cutting machine a margin to work with, so it doesn't slice into the artwork.

Artists use a few workarounds to build the border:

• Outline brush. Trace a thick white brush around the silhouette on a layer beneath the art. Some creators sell or give away brushes made for this.
• Silhouette method. Duplicate and merge the art into one layer, lock its alpha, fill it with white, then unlock it. Blur it slightly, then use Selection > Automatic on the blurred shape and fill the selection with white. This gives you a larger, hard-edged shape.
• Draw it by hand. For simple shapes, a steady stroke with StreamLine turned up is often faster than either method.

Whichever you pick, test it on a basic circle first. Check that the border is an even width and that there are no holes or notches inside the shape, because those become awkward cut paths. Fill any interior gaps with white.

Optionally, add a faint gray shadow layer under the white border. This is useful for a "faux sticker" look in digital-only use, but leave it out of a print file, since a printer will print the shadow.

Export a Transparent PNG

1. Hide the background color layer and any guides.
2. Tap Actions > Share > PNG. PNG keeps the transparency.
3. If you're building a sheet, either arrange several stickers on one canvas with enough space between them for cutlines, or export each one individually.
4. Save a layered PSD or the native .procreate file as well, so you can revise later.

For a sheet, leave a consistent gap between each sticker so the cutting machine has room. Stickers placed too close together can cause cuts that clip the white border.

Turn the File Into a Physical Sticker

There are three practical routes.

Print and cut by hand

Print on inkjet sticker paper at your printer's highest quality setting, let the ink dry, and cut out each sticker with scissors or a craft knife. This is a low-commitment way to test a design. Choose between matte and glossy paper for the finish, and use laminate if you need durability.

Print then cut with a Cricut

Upload the PNG to Design Space as a print-then-cut image. You print it, then the Cricut cuts along the edge of the white border. A kiss cut leaves the backing paper intact, which makes sheets easier to peel. A die cut goes through the backing as well and gives you a standalone shape.

Order from a print shop

Professional printers offer vinyl, holographic, glitter, and clear materials. Send them the transparent PNG or follow their template. Before ordering, confirm:

• whether they want CMYK or RGB,
• the cutline or dieline format they expect,
• whether you want a kiss cut or die cut, and
• bleed and margin requirements.

Order a small proof run first. Colors on screen and on vinyl may not match exactly.

Use Your Procreate Stickers in Motion Projects

Stickers aren't only physical objects. Sticker-style graphics can work as social overlays, lower thirds, UI callouts, collage-style edits, and hand-made title cards.

Bring them into After Effects

• PNG for static or transform-based animation. Import the transparent PNG and animate position, scale, rotation, and a drop shadow. A slight wobble and a quick scale overshoot sells the "slapped on" feel.
• PSD for layered animation. Export a PSD from Procreate and import it into After Effects with layers retained. You can then animate individual parts, such as a character's eyes, a leaf, or a highlight, instead of treating the sticker as one flat image.
• Color management. Make sure your After Effects project's color settings are consistent with your Procreate file's color profile so the sticker doesn't shift in tone when it lands in your timeline.
• Resolution. A larger canvas gives you more pixels to work with. If you drew small, you may see softness when you scale up in a high-resolution comp.

Where Styleframe Fits in a Sticker Workflow

If you're extending a sticker style into motion, Styleframe is an AI video and motion tool you can consider alongside Procreate and After Effects.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Drawing at screen resolution. Low-DPI canvases look soft in print and in 4K comps.
• Uneven borders. A wobbly white outline gives the cutter a bad path and looks amateurish.
• Flattening too early. Keep layered versions so you can adjust borders, colors, or animation parts later.
• Forgetting transparency. Check that your export is PNG and that the background layer is hidden.
• Skipping a proof. Print one test sticker before running a full sheet or placing a bulk order.
• Crowding the sheet. Leave space between stickers for the cutline.

Quick Checklist

1. Create a 300 DPI canvas in inches, larger than your final size.
2. Draw on separate layers and group them.
3. Build an even white border on a layer beneath the art.
4. Fill any interior holes.
5. Hide the background and export a transparent PNG, plus a PSD or .procreate backup.
6. Print and cut by hand, with a Cricut, or through a print shop.
7. For motion, import the PNG or layered PSD into After Effects and animate.

Once the workflow is set, the same assets can work for print, social, and motion.