Nu Essence Design - How to Design Cards

How to Design Cards

Whether you need business cards, thank you cards, holiday cards, or simply note cards, you can easily create a custom design that will wow your recipients. All it takes is following a few simple design principles appropriate for any type of card. Here are 5 easy steps for designing professional and impressive cards for any occasion.

1. Decide on a Size - Greeting cards usually come in only two sizes - 4.25"x6" and 5"x6.875". The standard U.S. business card size is 2"x3.5". It doesn't really matter which size you choose; the point is to design in the size you plan to print. One of the most common problems that printing companies see is with customers designing print materials in one size and ordering another.

2. Choose Images - If you are designing note cards for your business, then include the logo and company name on the front of the card. For personal use, brand your cards to match your personality by using an image that describes you. It could be a scenery photograph, a family photo, or a simple graphic design of your initials. No matter the image you choose, be sure to edit it and save it at a high resolution - 300 dots per inch (dpi) at least - before you place it in the template to avoid problems when sending your design to print.

3. Write your Message - This applies mostly to greeting cards and note cards. Greeting cards often have two-part messages that usually start a thought or joke on the front and place the finishing or punch line on the inside. Others may include a message on the front only so that personal messages can be written on the inside. Just make sure to use a message that matches the purpose of your cards. For business greeting cards, you may want to print a standard signature, such as from the president of the company, or a general salutation such as "From your Friends at Such and Such Company." Choose a font that is both readable and that matches the mood of the card. For instance, an elegant typeface is perfect for a note card but too many curves and curls on the letters will make your message unreadable.

4. Choose your Paper Stock - Greeting cards need to be both durable and fold able while business cards just need to be durable. Usually a heavy cover stock works best; 11 pt. up to 15 pt. are appropriate selections. The more important decision is whether to choose a coated or uncoated stock. A coated stock makes images look more brilliant, while an uncoated stock is much easier to write upon. Therefore, it's best to use a gloss coating for cards that rely on images, such as Holiday cards. But for note cards that will require a great deal of writing, an uncoated stock is more practical.

5. Print with a Professional - Unfortunately, there are some who are under the impression that they can save money by printing cards on their personal printer. In reality, between the cost of ink, correct card paper, and the effort of getting your printer to line up correctly, not to mention folding all of those cards if applicable, a professional printing company saves you both money and time. Plus, you get a much higher quality product when you choose a professional than when you try to print on your own. If you need help with templates and/or printing, please contact us. We can help! See our great printing rates for high-quality offset full-color printing.


	How to Design Cards Whether you need business cards, thank you cards, holiday cards, or simply note cards, you can easily create a custom design that will wow your recipients. All it takes is following a few simple design principles appropriate for any type of card. Here are 5 easy steps for designing professional and impressive cards for any occasion. 1. Decide on a Size - Greeting cards usually come in only two sizes - 4.25"x6" and 5"x6.875". The standard U.S. business card size is 2"x3.5". It doesn't really matter which size you choose; the point is to design in the size you plan to print. One of the most common problems that printing companies see is with customers designing print materials in one size and ordering another. 2. Choose Images - If you are designing note cards for your business, then include the logo and company name on the front of the card. For personal use, brand your cards to match your personality by using an image that describes you. It could be a scenery photograph, a family photo, or a simple graphic design of your initials. No matter the image you choose, be sure to edit it and save it at a high resolution - 300 dots per inch (dpi) at least - before you place it in the template to avoid problems when sending your design to print. 3. Write your Message - This applies mostly to greeting cards and note cards. Greeting cards often have two-part messages that usually start a thought or joke on the front and place the finishing or punch line on the inside. Others may include a message on the front only so that personal messages can be written on the inside. Just make sure to use a message that matches the purpose of your cards. For business greeting cards, you may want to print a standard signature, such as from the president of the company, or a general salutation such as "From your Friends at Such and Such Company." Choose a font that is both readable and that matches the mood of the card. For instance, an elegant typeface is perfect for a note card but too many curves and curls on the letters will make your message unreadable. 4. Choose your Paper Stock - Greeting cards need to be both durable and fold able while business cards just need to be durable. Usually a heavy cover stock works best; 11 pt. up to 15 pt. are appropriate selections. The more important decision is whether to choose a coated or uncoated stock. A coated stock makes images look more brilliant, while an uncoated stock is much easier to write upon. Therefore, it's best to use a gloss coating for cards that rely on images, such as Holiday cards. But for note cards that will require a great deal of writing, an uncoated stock is more practical. 5. Print with a Professional - Unfortunately, there are some who are under the impression that they can save money by printing cards on their personal printer. In reality, between the cost of ink, correct card paper, and the effort of getting your printer to line up correctly, not to mention folding all of those cards if applicable, a professional printing company saves you both money and time. Plus, you get a much higher quality product when you choose a professional than when you try to print on your own. If you need help with templates and/or printing, please contact us. We can help! See our great printing rates for high-quality offset full-color printing.	Articles 12 Common Design Mistakes