How to design custom buttons
Designing your own custom buttons enables you to create a unique marketing tool to boost your business or bring your design to life. With just a few simple steps, you can create one-of-a-kind designs that will make your message stand out from the crowd. Whether you’re designing for professional or personal use, these tips will help you start creating the perfect button design.
From brainstorming ideas and finding inspiration to choosing a theme for your artwork and using free online tools – we’ll walk through the essential steps required to craft an eye-catching button design. So let's start crafting!
Professional vs personal use
When designing custom buttons, the process can differ drastically depending on whether you create something for professional or personal use. For instance, if you want to create a logo for your business, you will need to think more strategically and ensure that your design conveys the right message about your company. You may want to research current trends in logo designs and consider how different colour combinations and motifs could be used effectively.
On the other hand, when crafting custom buttons for clothing or unique decorations for yourself or as gifts for friends and family members, you have much more freedom around style choices. You can experiment with bolder colours and shapes that reflect your personal interests or tastes rather than worrying about corporate branding guidelines.
Brainstorm ideas and find inspiration online
The first step in creating a successful button design is brainstorming ideas and getting inspired by what’s already out there. Spend some time perusing websites such as Pinterest or Instagram, where you can find an array of creative works that may give you a new perspective on your project. You may also want to check out popular online stores to see what kinds of designs they are selling. This can give you a good indication of what’s in demand and help you decide on the type of artwork that will best suit your needs.
Choose a theme for your artwork
Once you have some ideas flowing, it’s time to choose a theme or subject for your artwork. This could be something simple like a cartoon character, a pattern, or an inspiring quote. It can also be more abstract and describe your aesthetic - reaching from minimalist over romantic to modern. If you are designing logo or promotional buttons, pick something that will capture people's attention and make them want to learn more about you or your business.
Use free online tools
Creating a custom design can be a daunting task, especially if you have no graphic design experience. But with the help of free online tools such as Canva or Graphic, even complete beginners can create stunning designs for buttons and other products. Canva offers an array of pre-made templates and design elements that allow users to customise their designs quickly and easily. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can choose from thousands of images and fonts to create something truly unique that reflects their personal style or brand identity. Plus, it's totally free!
Stick to a simple motif
Less is usually more when you make custom buttons. Your design should be simple and easy to read and understand. By keeping the design simple, you can ensure that your message is clearly conveyed within the limited space of the button. A complex design can be difficult to decipher at a glance, potentially leading to confusion or potential customers turning away.
Experiment with colour combinations
Colour is an important element of any design and can convey a particular mood or message. When creating custom buttons, it’s important to experiment with different colours and find a visually appealing combination that communicates the right message about your brand or product. Create a few different combinations of colours and see which looks the best. Remember that certain colour combinations can invoke different feelings or emotions, so make sure your palette reflects what you want to convey.
Determine what button size will fit your artwork
Once your design is finalised, it’s important to determine the right size buttons for your artwork. Custom buttons are usually available in set sizes based on how they are made. It is essential to research the available sizes and look at your design at those sizes before making a purchase. This will ensure your design fits properly and looks its best when printed onto the button. Knowing what size you need can also help save time and money, as you can avoid buying buttons that are too small for your intended use.
Recommended reading: Why custom buttons are great marketing tools.
Export a high-res design
Before you order your custom buttons, you need to export a high-resolution version of your artwork. A high-resolution design ensures the final product looks crisp and clear, with no pixelation or blurriness. High-resolution designs are usually exported in vector or raster formats such as JPG, PNG, and PDF. These files have higher resolution than standard images and can be enlarged without losing clarity or sharpness. When creating a high-resolution design for your custom buttons, it’s important to use the right software tools to ensure that the colours remain vibrant and accurate when printed.
Test out your design by making a prototype
Now that you've made it this far, the last thing you want is for your design to be printed incorrectly or look different than expected. That’s why testing your design before committing to a bulk order is important. Professional printers offer low-cost custom sample options that make this easy and affordable. By ordering a few samples, you can ensure that your artwork looks great when printed onto the button and check for any flaws in the design or printing process before investing in larger quantities.
Designing custom buttons is a fun and easy way to add personality to any outfit or project. Just remember to brainstorm ideas, choose an appropriate theme for your artwork, use free online tools, stick to a simple motif, experiment with colour combinations, and test your design before ordering. With a little creativity and effort, you can create some amazing button designs that will turn heads!