Once an artist is awarded the privilege of having his or her painting reproduced as a duck stamp, the process of stamp creation begins. The painting is first digitized and recorded as a series of thousands of “dots” of colors. It is then resized as a stamp and the type-setting is created. This work is also turned into a digital file, which is used by a stamp printer and is normally printed on gummed paper stock.

During the printing process, serialized numbers may be printed on the stamps, and once drying has occurred the sheets are either perforated or turned into booklets of stamps, and are ready for use as collectible or hunter stamps.

State duck stamps are almost always produced via offset lithography, while federal duck stamps go through an engraving process prior to production.

Steiner Prints receives stamps in sheets of 30 stamps or books of 25 stamps (a booklet consists of 5 strips with 5 stamps per strip). Stamps are also often offered in mini-booklets, single self-adhesive stamps, and a variety of other methods, depending on the contractor specifying the exact requirements of the job.