Custom acrylic pins are an ideal way to reward employees, promote your brand at a tradeshow, or sell fan merchandise online. No matter the purpose, these pins can help you reach a specific target market.
Before you can begin creating custom pins of your own design, however, you must first find the ideal template.
Start with a Purpose
Your custom pin collection should begin with a purpose. This idea was popularized by Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor who developed an effective therapeutic method to assist people in discovering what they want out of life.
In recent years, a sense of purpose has become increasingly popular in Western society as an approach to finding alignment between your passions and what the world needs. Aligning your business and its brand with your values will make customers more likely to buy from you in the future.
Start by placing your purpose at the forefront of every decision, from your marketing strategy to hiring and training procedures. Doing so can motivate your team to do the right things and create the best experience for customers.
Setting goals and staying focused throughout the design process can help you set objectives, ensure your final product is something you’re proud of and that resonates with your audience. It also serves as a useful way for deciding which elements of your pin designs work best together.
Once you have a clear goal in mind, it’s time to generate ideas for pins. Draw them out by hand or send them off to an artist for assistance; whatever option you select, be sure to be as descriptive as possible when sharing these designs.
You can draw inspiration from places like Pinterest, Etsy and other pin shops. Additionally, your customer base provides invaluable insight that can be used to create pins that customers love and want to show off on hats, jackets and other merch items.
Next, decide on colors for your acrylic pins. Remember that using too many shades may make them costlier, so opt for a few contrasting hues instead. After you have your design perfected, it’s time to begin production!
Keep It Simple
Designers seeking inspiration or entrepreneurs creating custom pin or acrylic stand collections should adhere to one design principle: keep it simple. This concept, known as KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), originated in America and remains relevant today.
KISS can be applied in a number of ways, such as software development, interface design and product design. The KISS principle is particularly helpful when designing systems that work well for end users.
When designing custom pins, keep things straightforward to ensure the design is user-friendly and doesn’t look cluttered. Furthermore, keeping things minimal helps guarantee that the pins you create will be both functional and eye-catching.
When designing your custom pin, the first step is to have a clear vision. This could be in the form of an artist’s sketch or simply providing detailed instructions to your design team. Doing this will enable them to get closer to understanding exactly what you have in mind.
Once you have your vision in mind, it’s time to find a company that can craft it into reality. Your best bet for finding such a service is online where many specialty manufacturers specialize in custom pins. Most will have an easy form you can fill out to describe what type of pin you have in mind and receive an estimate accordingly.
You may use websites that enable you to upload a picture of your design so the company has an idea of how it will appear. They then reply with their quote and how the process will unfold.
Another crucial aspect when designing custom pins is size. Larger pins may look better, but they require more materials and labor to produce. If you only plan on selling the pins, a smaller version might work better for your purposes.
Think About Texture
When designing a custom pin collection, texture is key. From sandpaper to glass mirror, there are various textures you can use – it’s all part of creating the ideal design for your pin collection.
For instance, rough textures on wood can be highly desirable and make it appear more realistic than smooth ones. This is particularly true if you opt for a natural aesthetic in your design.
Texture can be found in a wide variety of materials, from sand to rocks and even toy animals. It plays an integral role in any art creation and is often shaped by other elements like color, shape and form within an artwork – not forgetting its own symbolic value!
Texturing your pins adds depth and dimension, which can be an excellent way to create a standout design that will attract attention.
Another way to add texture to your custom pin is through the type of metal mold you select. Hard enamel or 3D mold (die-cast metal) both offer different textures with raised areas and recessed areas, respectively.
These recessed areas become essential elements of your design and can be filled with vibrant color when enamel is baked at a lower temperature. This different process from other metal pin types produces some intriguing textures that are more tactile than others.
Your pins can be made of a range of metals, such as zinc and pewter. These classic options provide a timeless aesthetic, while brass offers more contemporary appeal.
For a brighter design, you could try printing your pins using offset print – similar to what magazines use for their pins. This process allows for bleeds and subtle color blends which give the design more complexity.
Don’t Forget the Backer Card
When designing a custom pin collection, keep in mind the backer card. Not only does it make your pins appear more polished and professional, but it also allows you to share more information about your brand and product with potential customers.
A superior backing card for your pin can make it stand out and draw more customers to your brand. They’re also an effective way to stay in touch with existing and potential customers, keeping them engaged throughout the journey.
Backing cards, whether sold online or at a nearby craft fair, are an easy way to promote your business and gain attention for it. Include important contact information, social media handles, and website URLs on these cards and it will be sure that people remember who you are and what type of product or service you offer.
Some designers opt to personalize their backer cards by adding signatures at the top. This is especially beneficial for artists who sell their artwork in collections or bundles. Meg Jacovino has done just this, adding her signature to make it a recognizable part of her artwork.
Additionally, including your brand’s logo is a great idea. While having all of your brand image on one piece of paper may seem intimidating at first glance, having the correct logo helps build brand recognition and makes custom pins more memorable.
When designing a backer card, size and thickness are two important factors to consider. A larger card allows for more design elements to be displayed and creates an eye-catching presentation; however, going too big may make the piece appear awkward or unprofessional.
Are you unsure how to design the perfect backer card for your pin? WizardPins offers a vast selection of options that will suit any need and make sure that your design stands out. Whether it’s an award-winning pin or part of an impressive gift set, our team can assist in crafting the ideal backing card to showcase your artwork.
Selecting the ideal colors for your backing card is another essential step in the design process. Utilizing complementary colors – opposite each other on the color wheel – can add an exciting splash to your pin’s packaging. Alternatively, surrounding the backing card with white space helps it blend in with the rest of the design.