How do I make a custom stamp transparent?

Question

I recently created a series of text-based custom stamps as previously discussed on this thread. I now need to find a way to make the background of the stamp transparent, since each stamp has a rectangular white background that blocks whatever document text it may be stamped onto.

While Adobe offers an opacity function, I do not want to make the stamp itself opaque, which is what happens when I adjust the opacity after applying the stamp to a document.

Thom Parker · Accepted Answer

The last 2 steps are the problem.

You'd already created the complete dynamic stamp before these steps. When you used the Acrobat stamp tools, i.e. "Custom Stamp > Create", to create a new static stamp, that new static stamp had exactly zero features you'd spent all that time creating. Basically, the tools destroyed all the previous work. So don't do that. Delete anything you created with the Acrobat stamp tool. And by delete, I mean go to the Acrobat stamp folder and delete the files.

So, to fix the stamp. On the 3rd to last step, "I reopen Adobe using a standard PDF". Add a document Title to the Stamp PDF. This will set the stamp category. Now you have a complete stamp. Save the stamp file locally to your project folder, and then copy it to the Acrobat Stamps folder.

Restart Acrobat. Now you will see your new stamp in the stamp list. And if you did it all correctly, the background will be transparent when placed on another PDF.

Thom Parker · Answer

That thread doesn't cover how you created the stamp? If the stamp was made from an imported image then Acrobat will re-sample it, changing both the scale and adding a solid background. If you want the stamp to look the way you want, then some extra work is required.

I'm assuming this is a static stamp, so I'll be giving instructions for the simplest method for a static stamp.

1. Create the initial stamp design in an application that will create a vector graphic, such as word or InDesign. If an image is involved, then that image must be in a format that allows for transparency, and actually has transparent parts.

2. Save to design to PDF. Don't print to PDF. Use the actual Export to PDF tool that is included in that application.

3. Now you will have your design in a PDF. The design will be one page with transparent parts.

4. Use the Custom Stamp tools to create a new stamp. Select the PDF you just created as the stamp image.

Because the design is already in PDF format, Acrobat will import it verbatim, scaling and transparent bits will remain the same.

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