How to make digital stickers (2026)

Digital stickers are getting more and more popular, not just among digital planner enthusiasts but also for social media graphics and all kinds of digital products. They're also called digital clipart, and making them is a genuinely fun creative hobby. It can also turn into income if you decide to start selling them.

If it's your first time here: Hi, I'm Amada! I sell digital stickers on Creative Fabrica, and have a lot of fun with it! I love experimenting with different styles and making everything from very realistic digital stickers to holographic washi tapes. In this post, I'll tell you everything you need to know to start making digital stickers!

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My actual stickers look way better than these, I swear!

How do I make digital stickers?

Making digital stickers usually begins with a color palette or theme in mind. Whether you draw inspiration from pop culture, trends, or just a color you have a knack for, defining a clear theme sets the tone for your entire sticker set.

From there, consider the visual style, whether you prefer minimalist designs, intricate illustrations, or a vibrant mix of colors. Once your vision is clear, the creation process involves using a design software to bring your ideas to life. A good place to start could be to make a mood board of colors and patterns or textures in the program you want to make your stickers in. 

A digital sticker is easy to make. It is simply some kind of graphic saved as a .png file on a transparent background. Before you start, it can be helpful to brainstorm what you would like to make before deciding on where to start. Do you want to make Memo pad note stickers? Washi tapes? Ripped paper pieces? Hearts? All of these are fairly easy to start with.

A screenshot for my clipart shop. All the sets are made with the AI tool mentioned below, except the ripped paper pieces, which I've made myself in Photoshop with real scans from old Scandinavian antique books, and brush techniques to make them look ripped in the edges.

What software do I need to make digital stickers?

I prefer to make digital stickers with an amazing AI called Ideogram, Photoshop and Keynote, but you can also make stickers in Canva or Procreate (more about this one in the next section) If you don't have any of these programs but have a Mac computer, Keynote is already on your hard disk! It's a great place to start creating your first digital stickers.

If you're interested in seeing what kind of digital stickers AI can make for you, check out my shop on Creative Fabrica.

For those aiming to get into advanced features and intricate designs, Photoshop remains a powerhouse in graphic design. I actually use all three of softwares, depending on what kind of sticker I'm making.

Beginner's guide to Procreate

Can I draw my own digital stickers?

Absolutely! Hand-drawn stickers are really popular and have a charm that AI-generated ones don't always replicate. You can draw stickers by hand, scan them, and clean them up digitally, or draw them directly on an iPad (this one is new and pricey, but remember that you don't need the newest version) using a stylus pen (just make sure it fits your generation of iPad) in Procreate.

Procreate is very popular in the digital design world. It's powerful, cheap ($12.99 dollars for a one-time purchase) intuitive, and used by a huge number of digital artists to make illustrations, digital stickers, patterns, and backgrounds. It's a one-time purchase and lives on your iPad. Procreate is unfortunately only available for Apple iPad.

If you already have an iPad but have never touched Procreate, this beginner's guide to Procreate is a great place to start. But please check that you can actually run the program (my iPad from 2012 can't, it's way too old).

Where can I find graphics to use for my digital stickers?

The graphics you use make a big difference to how your stickers look and feel. Platforms like Creative Market and Creative Fabrica have a large library of graphics, fonts, and illustrations to work with. If you love bright colors, The Digital Paper Library is a great starting point if you love color and want commercial use textures without hunting for them one by one. You'll get 100 beautiful textures for commercial use with a lifetime commercial license and no limits to the amount of end products.

What can I use digital stickers for?

Digital stickers work for a lot more than just planners. Think social media graphics, digital scrapbooking, or just adding a personal touch to your digital notes and annotation apps.

Where can I sell digital stickers?

If you want to start selling your stickers, you have a few good options. Platforms like Etsy, Creative Market and Creative Fabrica are all worth looking into. I prefer the last one because of the affordable price.

Psst: You should check out my post 8 reasons to start a digital crafting hobby, if you are considering to start making digital stickers! I also recommend checking out my post on selling on Creative Fabrica, where I tell you all about my early beginnings until today!

What should I keep in mind when I create my first digital sticker set?

If you want to sell them, I would focus on choosing a color palette or theme and make many stickers that fit together. The sticker sets that sell best are usually ones with many stickers in them. Consistency in style across the set ensures visual cohesion, making your stickers more appealing to users. Try to make something that feels like you, but that other people will also actually want to use.

Have fun with it, experiment with different styles, and don't worry too much about getting it perfect the first time. That's what the process is for!

Have you tried making digital stickers before? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!