Bumper stickers are a fun way for people to express themselves.
Bumper stickers are everywhere. Almost a "tattoo" for a vehicle, they express the personal opinion of the driver, whether it be religious preference, bragging about an honor student in the family, or a threat of violence for cell phone use while driving. Bumper stickers are easy to market, fun to create, and can be simple to make at home.
Instructions
1. Choose your paper at any office supply store. You are going to want paper that is waterproof, durable, and will absorb ink well so it lasts for a long time. Most office supply stores sell stick-on sheets designed for this purpose that have "vinyl waterproof bumper sticker paper" on the label. You can also use printable magnetic sheets for removable bumper stickers. The same methods of printing work for both.
2. Design your bumper sticker by sketching a rough idea on a sheet of paper. Many bumper sticker papers come in the average size of 4 ¼ inches by 11 inches, but since you are creating your own, you can make it any size you want. Keep in mind that any font or graphics should be viewable from several feet away.
3. Purchase software to create your bumper sticker (see Resources) or use a standard home publishing program already installed on your computer. Just make sure to set up your page with the correct dimensions for your bumper sticker and that you can easily insert your graphics.
4. Create your bumper sticker by inserting your text in the font of your choice and scanning in or downloading any graphics you want to use.
5. Print a sample on a regular piece of paper to make sure it looks right before you proceed with your finished product. Check your printer's properties to make sure it's set to print the highest quality photo possible. Then print out your bumper stickers.
6. Let your design dry for 20 minutes, then run it under cold water to clean off any extra ink. According to "Bumper Sticker Maker" (see References), this will keep the ink from running.
7. Cut out your stickers with a craft blade or pair of sharp scissors. Smooth out any bubbles (they can sometimes show up when you are working with vinyl waterproof paper).
8. Spray your finished product with a clear acrylic. According to "How 2 Stickers" (see References), this will help protect the ink, especially if you use florescent colors.
