Why Clear Stickers Need White Ink
At Stomp, many customers have asked why white ink is necessary on clear stickers. We completely understand the confusion, and we are here to help! Let’s take a look at the two most important reasons.
White Ink Increases Opacity
Inks are not completely opaque, meaning they look somewhat translucent – like a stained-glass window when printed on clear material. Printing a clear sticker without white ink leaves even the most vibrant of colors coming out looking dull and muted. At Stomp, we print white ink behind your art to increase the opacity allowing the colors to pop and make your art more visible.
Check out the example below for illustration purposes only. The sticker on the left does not include a white ink base layer. You will notice that you can see through the inks. On the right is a photo of a clear sticker backed with white ink, even though you can’t see it. The colors are solid and remain consistent, even after removing the liner. We print all clear materials with white ink backing up your art to ensure your project turns out beautifully!
White Ink Increases Color Contrast
We have all seen a sticker on the rear window of a car. Have you ever seen one that you cannot read, even from the car directly behind? This is usually due to poor contrast. We recommend adding a white border or “halo” around your art to create a visual break (or contrast) between what we print on your sticker versus where the sticker is applied. Naturally, black ink on a dark tinted car window is going to be problematic, but what about other colors? Light colors like yellow or baby blue may not need it, but most other colors will. Think about where your sticker is going – if applying it to anything with a dark surface or a similar color to your art, then adding that white ink halo will provide a perfect amount of differentiation between your graphic and the surface.
When we talk about adding white ink to your sticker, there are two options here at Stomp. When you are on a clear product page, you will notice a little check box near the pricing area. It says “put a white halo around the art.” This option means that you want the white ink to show as a small border, or halo, around your art (see the difference below). If you leave the option unchecked, we will go with the default – no white showing. So, you’ll get opacity automatically – it’s the contrast that you need to consider adding by checking that white halo box.
Have additional questions about white ink on clear products? The support squad is standing by to help. Start a chat with us directly from the website or visit the Contact Us page for other ways to connect. We love to hear from our fellow Stompers!
- Tags: Stickers
- Marketing Team
