Add Stickers to Any 3D Model in Blender
Adding decals, such as stickers, graffiti, or text, to your 3D models is an excellent way to enhance realism. In this article, I’ll demonstrate three different methods to achieve this in Blender, each with its own advantages.
Method 1 - UV Mapping
The first method lets you place a sticker (or any other decal) directly on your model without adding new objects or meshes. Everything happens within the same object, but you’ll need to create a separate UV map for the sticker to avoid disturbing the existing material and its textures.
This is a widely used method and works perfectly in most scenarios. The node tree provides endless possibilities to blend the sticker with the underlying material. However, this approach can become messy if you add numerous decals to the same object or if the decal overlaps multiple materials. Precise placement can also be challenging.
I explain this method in detail in the following video (starting at 00:56).
Method 2 - Shrinkwrap
The second technique uses the Shrinkwrap modifier. Here, the sticker exists as its own object and material, which allows it to stick to any other mesh. Be sure to add enough subdivisions for sufficient resolution to handle the distortion.
This method is probably the quickest to set up. It’s ideal for situations where you need to add multiple stickers to the same object, even if they overlap different materials. However, it’s harder to blend the decal with the underlying material and introduces additional objects and materials into your scene.
I explain this method in detail in the following video (starting at 05:47).
Method 3 - Empty Coordinates
The final method is my personal favorite. It leverages the object coordinates of an empty to control the placement of the sticker. This approach allows you to keep the sticker within the original material while intuitively positioning and scaling it using the empty. When combined with surface snapping, it becomes a powerful and efficient way to place decals, graffiti, or any other decorations on your 3D models.
The key advantage of this method is its flexibility. You can easily adjust the sticker's placement, and since everything stays within the same material, blending with the underlying textures is straightforward. However, like the first method, it can become cumbersome when dealing with numerous decals or overlapping multiple materials.
I explain this method in detail in the following video (starting at 00:35).
I hope this blog post answered your questions and gave you a clear understanding of how to add decals to your 3D models in Blender. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses, so feel free to choose the one that best fits your project.
For more useful Blender tutorials, be sure to check out my YouTube channel.