Clear Stickers

The white underbase — why it is needed

CMYK inks are semi-transparent: they are designed to be laid on white paper, and it is the paper's whiteness that gives colour its density. Transparent film offers no such backing, so colours come out pale and ghostly — especially against a dark background. The fix is to lay down a white underbase before printing, only where solid colour is needed. This must be marked as a separate layer in the artwork. A logo on white underbase with a transparent background around it is exactly the combination that produces the desired effect.

• CMYK inks are semi-transparent
• White underbase — for solid colour
• A separate layer in the artwork
• Used selectively — solid logo, clear background

Outside or inside — decide before ordering

A sticker can be applied to glass two ways, and this determines the print direction. Outside application is the ordinary case: the print reads normally and the adhesive is on the back. For inside application the sticker goes on the interior face of the glass and reads from outside — which requires the print to be mirrored with the adhesive on the printed face. The advantage of inside application is that the sticker is protected from weather, vandalism and abrasion. This decision must be made before ordering; changing it later means reprinting.

• Outside — normal print, adhesive on the back
• Inside — mirrored print, adhesive on the printed face
• Inside application protects from weather
• Direction must be set before printing

Frosted film — the etched-glass effect

Besides gloss clear film there is a matte, semi-transparent variant that produces a frosted-glass effect. It transmits light while blurring the view — which is why it is often used on office glass partitions, meeting rooms and bathroom doors, where privacy is needed without losing light. A logo or pattern can be printed on this material, or conversely the logo area can be left clear, which gives an even more elegant result.