Are you looking to make a statement with your own custom magnet design? Whether for you need custom magnets for business promotions, want to learn how to make magnets to sell or are simply looking to create something fun, displaying your unique magnets can be an exciting way to express yourself.
With the right free online tools and some creative ideas, you can create eye-catching designs that will draw attention wherever they are displayed.
Read on for tips on how to turn your artwork into beautiful magnets! Learn about white layers, custom cutlines, exporting your artwork and which designs work best on magnets. Get ready to make a bold impression with your personalized magnet creations!
Oh, and for more information, read our blog post on "What is a custom magnet?"
Free online tools
If you are an experienced designer, creating artwork will be lemon-squeezy. However, this task can feel daunting for those of us who have never attempted to create a design from scratch. But it does not have to be.
With easy-to-use online tools such as Canva or Graphic, you can have a custom design ready in minutes. You can browse, edit and save hundreds of pre-made design elements and templates and turn them into your creations without any design experience.
White layers
You might want to create white layers when creating a magnet design for any of our effect materials (holographic, glitter, silver or gold).
White layers signify areas on your design with white ink printed onto them. White ink is a magical ingredient when designing for print, primarily when you work with effective materials.
Printing colour directly onto an effect material means that the material will shine through the colour. This is a great way to create coloured chrome or glitter effects. However, you might not want that effect for all areas of your design. If you want some colour to appear opaquely (aka print normally), we print a layer of white ink between the material and your colour. This dilutes the effect and creates a standard colour instead.
In the design stage, you can use white layers to tell us where to print white ink. If you do not know how to do that, do not worry - simply tell us which areas of your design should have white printed behind them, and our designers will create the layers for you.
Custom cutlines
We use a flexible material to create your magnets which gives you the flexibility to create any shape you want for your magnets.
We need a cutline around your design to tell our digital cutter which shapes to create. You can either create your own custom cutline or submit your design as is, and we will add a cutline for you (it will be indicated by a magenta line around your design on your proof).
If you want to create your own cutline, watch our video tutorial below.
Exporting your artwork
After you have designed your artwork, created your white layers and added a custom cutline, you can export and submit your artwork. For the best outcome, submit a print-ready design. That means:
- Your colours are CMYK, not RGB
- Your fonts are converted to outlines
- Your file is a high-resolution vector
If you are using Canva, the video below will show you how to export your design as print-ready artwork.
Which designs work best on magnets?
There is no design that does not work on a magnet. But let's think about how and where your magnets will most likely be used: fridges, whiteboards, message boards or even cars.
That means your design needs to stand out and communicate its message quickly and efficiently. Do not overstuff it with information, text or graphics. Instead, embrace white space and let your design to the work.
This is why logo designs work best on magnets. Your design should feature your logo prominently and include your business and contact information. For extra visibility, opt for a die cut magnets cut in the shape of your logo!
If you are looking for promotional magnets, your design can even include a custom QR code that will lead prospects to your offer page or reveal a personalised discount code for their next order.
So, the key points for a great custom magnets design are:
- Your logo
- Your business or contact information
- Plenty of white space
- A QR code for more information
- And a custom shape
How do you turn a picture into a magnet?
You may not want to create a business magnet, but turn a picture of your pet or best friend onto a magnet. That is no problem at all - and it is surprisingly easy to do.
- Choose the image you want to print. Make sure it has a resolution of at least 300 DPI or otherwise, it might pixelate when we scale it.
- Select your magnet product. We recommend rounded corner or rectangular magnets as they give your picture the most space.
- Enter your size. You can choose any size you want, but the larger you'd like your magnet, the better the resolution of your image needs to be.
- Pick your material. If you want the picture to cover the entire magnet, stick with the standard white vinyl option; it is the perfect canvas for creating vibrant colours.
- Select your quantity. When you order magnets from Sticker it, there will be no minimum order quantity, meaning you can get as little as one magnet. However, for the best price, we recommend checking out our magnet samples.
You see, creating a custom magnet design is easy and fun. To start your custom design today, browse our website for more information about our products and services! Don’t forget to check out our video tutorials if you need help creating cutlines or exporting your artwork as print-ready files. Or let us know how we can help turn your ideas into reality.