Complete Guide to Creating LINE Stickers | Hand-Drawn, DIY, and Sales

'I want to make my own original stickers.' 'I'd love to turn my hand-drawn illustrations into LINE stickers and sell them.'—Have you ever thought that? With the official app 'LINE Sticker Maker,' creating LINE stickers for free using just your smartphone is now a reality. Even without drawing skills, you can easily create stickers using photos and decorative frames, and for those with illustration talent, professional-grade stickers can be created using drawing apps like Procreate or CLIP STUDIO PAINT.

This article breaks down sticker creation into three methods: 'using LINE Sticker Maker,' 'using hand-drawn illustrations,' and 'using digital tools for professional results.' We also cover the entire process from LINE Creators Market registration to review and sales. If you're interested in creating your own stickers, read on to the end.

LINE Sticker Basics

LINE stickers are illustration or photo-based expressive assets used in LINE chat rooms. Their appeal lies in conveying emotions and nuances that are hard to express through text alone, using character expressions and gestures. Anyone can create and sell their own stickers, and by registering with LINE Creators Market, your stickers can be used by LINE users worldwide.

The main types of stickers include static stickers, animated stickers, custom stickers (with text input), and message stickers. Static stickers are the most beginner-friendly and can be submitted in sets of 8, 16, 24, 32, or 40. Prices range from 120 to 610 yen, with 35% of sales distributed to creators. Keep in mind that even if you only want to use stickers for yourself, they still need to pass review.

Check the Image Specifications

Before diving into creation, let's review the image specifications. LINE sticker image sizes are: sticker images up to 370×320 pixels (even numbers only), main image at 240×240 pixels, and chat room tab image at 96×74 pixels. The file format must be PNG with a transparent background. A margin of about 10 pixels between the image edge and illustration is recommended—illustrations extending into the margin may be rejected during review.

Note that when creating with the LINE Sticker Maker app, these specifications are automatically adjusted, so you don't need to worry about exact image sizes. You only need to export images according to specifications when creating on PC or with illustration apps.

Method 1: Create with LINE Sticker Maker (Easiest)

The easiest way to create stickers is using LINE's official 'LINE Sticker Maker' app. Available for both iPhone and Android, it's free to download. The app handles everything from sticker creation to review submission and sales, so you don't need a computer.

After launching the app, tap the '+' button at the bottom to start creating stickers. Choose from options like 'Take a Photo,' 'Select from Album,' or 'Draw an Illustration.' For photos, the auto-cutout feature cleanly extracts subjects, and you can add decorative frames, stickers, and text. If you want to draw your own, select 'Draw an Illustration' to access brush tools for drawing stickers directly in the app. Once finished, tap 'Save,' and you can submit for review once you have at least 8 stickers.

Creating stickers from pet photos or memorable photos with friends makes it easy to create 'our exclusive stickers' to enjoy with family and close friends. Setting the privacy option to 'Private' keeps them from appearing in new arrivals, rankings, or search results.

Method 2: Create with Hand-Drawn Illustrations

For those skilled at hand-drawing, we recommend photographing illustrations drawn on paper with your smartphone and turning them into LINE stickers. Hand-drawn stickers remain enduringly popular as a creation method, with their warm lines and textures that digital art can't replicate being well-received by users.

Start by drawing illustrations on white paper with pens or markers. The key is to draw with thick, bold lines. Since stickers appear small on smartphone screens, thin lines and fine details tend to get crushed. Photograph the completed illustration with your smartphone camera and adjust brightness and contrast. Next, you need to make the background transparent. Free apps like 'Background Eraser' or 'Remove.bg' can make white backgrounds transparent with one tap. After transparency processing, adjust the image size to within 370×320 pixels, save as PNG, then import into LINE Sticker Maker to add text and decorations.

When creating hand-drawn stickers, be aware that shadows and unevenness from photography may affect review. Take photos in natural light from directly above to avoid shadows, or use a scanner app for clean capture.

Method 3: Create Professionally with Digital Tools

For higher-quality self-made stickers, we recommend using illustration apps like Procreate for iPad, CLIP STUDIO PAINT or Adobe Illustrator for PC. These tools offer layer functionality and a rich selection of brushes, enabling professional-quality sticker creation.

Create a 370×320 pixel (72 dpi) canvas, leave about 10 pixels of margin around the edges, and start drawing. Since stickers appear small in LINE chat, expressions and gestures should be exaggerated. Focus on simple, easily understood designs. When finished, export as PNG (transparent background) and upload to LINE Creators Market.

With Canva, even design beginners can create good-looking stickers using templates. Creating original characters with AI image generation and using them as a base for stickers is also gaining attention. However, using Canva assets directly as stickers is prohibited—you must always add your own modifications.

Tips for Creating Popular Stickers

If you're creating your own stickers, you naturally want them to be used by many people. Popular stickers share several common traits. First, they should be 'useful in everyday conversations.' Stickers with phrases like 'Thank you,' 'Got it,' 'Good work,' and 'Good night' are popular because they're frequently used in daily communication.

Next, they should have 'rich expressions and gestures.' The strength of stickers is conveying subtle nuances that text can't express. Cover not just basic emotions like joy, sadness, anger, and surprise, but also everyday feelings like 'mixed feelings' or 'low energy' to create a versatile set. 'Consistent design' is also important. Maintaining uniform character proportions, color palette, and line weight across the set significantly elevates overall quality. Promoting on social media and participating in LINE STORE features and campaigns are also effective for building awareness.

From Review Submission to Sales Launch

Once your stickers are complete, it's time to submit for review. If submitting directly from the LINE Sticker Maker app, simply follow the in-app instructions. If submitting through LINE Creators Market (web), log in with your LINE account, complete creator registration, select 'New Registration' then 'Stickers,' fill in required fields like title, description, and price, then upload your sticker images.

Confirm sales area settings and privacy settings (whether to make them private), then request review. Review typically takes about 2 days, sometimes as fast as a few hours. Once approved, press the 'Start Sales' button on your dashboard to list your stickers on the LINE Sticker Shop and LINE STORE. If rejected, the reason will be communicated, so make corrections and request re-review. Common rejection reasons include insufficient margins, non-transparent backgrounds, copyright or portrait rights issues, and hard-to-read text.

Tips for Passing Review

To pass review smoothly, keep the following points in mind. First, 'follow image specifications.' Non-compliance with size, margin, background transparency, and file format requirements will result in rejection. Next, 'respect copyrights and portrait rights.' Unauthorized use of other people's characters or celebrity photos is prohibited. Handmade stickers should fundamentally be based on original illustrations. 'Content containing violence, sexual content, or discrimination' is also explicitly prohibited in the review guidelines.

'Ensuring visibility' is also important. Since stickers appear small in LINE chat, overly detailed illustrations or tiny text are not acceptable. When adding text, use bold fonts and ensure sufficient contrast with the background. Additionally, each individual sticker must function as an independent expression. Designs where the entire set forms a single image are not intended.

Conclusion: Creating Stickers Is Easier Than You Think—Give It a Try!

LINE sticker creation has become so accessible that beginners can complete their first sticker in minutes using LINE Sticker Maker. The hand-drawn method of photographing illustrations with your smartphone works great for those uncomfortable with digital tools, while Procreate or CLIP STUDIO PAINT can achieve professional-level quality.

All you need for self-made stickers is an idea and a little time. Start with private stickers to enjoy with family and friends, or take the challenge of selling them for some extra income. Use this article as your guide to create your own one-of-a-kind original LINE stickers.