You can use cmyk color and the Pantone Matching System when extra colors are required by setting up extra spots colors as plates in your digital file.

You can also use cmyk color as opposed to RGB to print images but the colors may fluctuate. Cmyk inks can be used for your presentation cover with a protective coating. Utilize it color with the sliders or selectors when working on screen for truest representation of printed product. You can make cmyk printing files and save as either a tiff or an eps for best results when going to a commercial printing press.

A Quick Low-Down on CMYK (Cyan/ Magenta/ Yellow/ Black)

Four-color print colors are shown in RGB so that what gets printed looks the same as what appears on the monitor depending on calibration. Four-color printing can be used with a color wheel that you learned in school to design aesthetically pleasing colors. Four-colour print can be successfully used to print a single color brochure from a digital file that you prepare. It is used to create an unlimited number of colorful printed looking pages but using the inks shown below only.

An Explanation of Aqueous Coating

Aqueous coating is produced in one pass through the press which saves you the cost of an additional press run. A coating that also offers “spot” coating options where specific graphic areas are coated only. The coating is clear but should not yellow over time as varnish does. This coating can be printed on both Color Sides easily. This is a covering that can be applied on two sides for any type of paper, higher gloss materials present a greater challenge. Aqueous coating can have impact on its print performance over time.

Illustrator for Real Easy Vector Art

We use illustrator and Adobe Photoshop to prepare best files for inclusion in HTML files. You can use it for corporate design services where vector artwork may be a requirement. Adobe illustrator is our #1choice as the basic tool used for all print and direct mail requirements. It is easy to learn and implement into the commercial printing process. I use illustrator for sample templates that can often inspire some great ideas. Adobe’s ai remains our favorite due to its ability to make our printed sheet reality; quickly and accurately. Illustrator uses can include automated graphics programming, batch processing, create effective print designs and screen output through computer-based composition and vector Ripping devices. We use it day in and day out because of for designing entire graphic productions from concept to output there is no more stable program.

A Few Effects for Artists in Illustrator

• PDF creation
• Layer And Masking
• Using Guides
• Diffuse Glow
• Filters and effects
• Selection Coloring
• Drawing Straight Paths

Tips for the Company Business Card

When you design business cards consider producing web graphics as a branding phase to your website at the same time. This way your work can be utilized 2 fold and a consistent marketing images begins to form. During the design, planning your business card is your ticket in and out of meetings with new people so it makes sense to spend the necessary time now to make it right. While putting your business card together let the experts help you by providing the best online design tools (free). At the design planning point use templates to help get you on track , pre-made to help you with planning. By taking the time now you can transform a Business Card design into a gold nugget!

On the net today you’ll find so many choices of template designs, many have a similar look;  few of them have their own style and flare. Printing business cards in full color on your own color printer is a good way to decide on what personal presentation you fancy. Just simply design them and print them at home on your computer printer to get a good idea of what commercial print will look like. The color language you use to out put and type of color printer will effect .

Another option is to utilize a company that has web-based tools so you can design your own cards online and then they will print them in true CMYK Inks for you. With this approach will be able to select a design that you like and click through many other possibilities that you are interested in.

There are some things today that your local printer just can’t do. If you have shopped the net before you know what I am talking about. Many online printing and design companies have found specialty niches that they build on.

Steps for Getting Cards Printed Without the Internet

Imagine what life would be like without the communication of the internet. For me, I do not have to imagine it; I lived it. Without having the convenience of electronic communication here are the steps in getting your business cards printed;

1. Get in your car, drive to your local supplier of choice, Explore options
2. Place your order- make deposit payment
3. After a few days your proof is ready to view. Go to your local printers operation and approve your proof or make changes.
4. If you make changes (most people do on first draft) return again to approve the revised draft
5. Wait 5-10 days for a finished product and finally pick them up

All of these steps are necessary in creating your unique business card if there was no internet.

They can all be done in a few minutes by going to your kitchen, making a cup of coffee and relaxing. Now, on your computer you leisurely create a business card that pleases you, FREE. Whether you design your own business cards using computer software or buying business cards online, dealing with the right company will make your buying experience a pleasure and one that you will pleasantly repeat.

Make the Right Choice

When you are making your business cards, there are fonts, colors, sizes, paper types, backgrounds and objects to chose from. There are simply millions of possible variables that can sometimes make your choice an overwhelming one. Some customers may not have the time and patience to carry out this task. However, most online printers are more than willing to work with you to help build your own unique business card.

How do you choose the best business card for you?

Customers can always choose who they want to do business with but I recommend this only after seeing what’s out there. After all, your business card is a reflection of you and getting the very best value for your dollar while not affecting quality should be your goal.

Here are a few tips to help you make the right Choice:

• Look between the cracks, see what prepress techniques are being used. Specifically the line screen measure (LPI). LPI is how many dots per inch the printer uses. The more dots the printer can clearly print in one area the more photos realistic your business card will appear. You also want to ask if they use FM line screen
• Ask about protective coatings. Find out if FREE coatings are being offered.
• Look for the best place to get business cards printed based on the above points
• You want to feel as though the business cares for your order
• Are there rewards programs if you choose their service?
• Make sure the card design you choose is unique and personalized without infringing on copyrights.
• The thickness of card stock not less than 12 point for coated or #100 for uncoated cover stocks.
• Get multiple quantity Prices
• Online you also can add your own photos and custom images if you desire
• Don’t forget about the backside design

Paper Based Business Card Printing Options

The printing of your business card can be done a few different ways:

• Buy Perforated (tear out) sheets from your local office supply outlet and print them on your own printer. This can be used for a presentation that you have forgotten to get professional business cards for. Although this method is easy and cheap I do not recommend it as these cards will not stand up to wear and tear or moisture contact. Warning : Inkjet printing smears and runs if exposed to moisture – this does not leave a positive impression with your prospect after sitting in their sweaty pocket for a few minutes
• Digital- this means that your card is printed on some sort of digital printing machine, usually toner based. If you consider this option it is important to understand that your print quality will not compare with true print and litho, especially when you factor in technologies such as FM line screen and Aqueous Coatings. The reason one might consider this option is due to time constraints, but the truth is this style of card will not stand up against lithography.
• True Print and Litho- You may want to choose the design options that support a greater array of color that offset print and litho delivers. There are 2 basic colors styles of sheet fed offset printing, spot color and CMYK color. Spot Color or CMYK printing is where a printing press is used to produce your business card. The ink is actually absorbed into the paper a certain degree. The amount of absorbency depends on whether you are using a matt or glossy finish. In either case the ink is absorbed into the material which creates a better bond between ink and paper. You may also opt in on a protective coating which will further enhance the longevity and colors of your card. Professional printing is the best way to produce your business cards, although some digital gurus may argue that point, I gladly invite any comments on this blog.

When all projects are completed storing info electronically makes for easy and color-consistent reordering.

Here are a few ideas for printing and using your business cards

• Print labels describing your current promotion and stick them to the back of your card
• Attach them to business bulletin boards
• Print Double sided business cards to increase your mileage
• Get magnets from your local office supply store that can be attached to your business cards

Always consider printing the back-side of your card. Some ideas include mission statements, promotions, map to location, calendar or a metric conversion ruler. If you are printing on the back of your card you want to plan on ordering no less than 1,000 business cards if commercially printed. Most online companies have a minimum order of 1000 when the business card is getting professionally printed. In digital printing there are no real minimums although 1 sheet (8 ½ “X 11″) contains 10 business cards and that would likely be the way your digital printer of choice would produce a digital business card.

Do you think you may have thank someone for something but

Job Interview- Did you say thanks?

are not quite sure how to? Have you been feeling really grateful lately for a good deed a friend or stranger did for you? If you have experienced that warm and fuzzy feeling you do when a helping hand is offered here are some ways to figure out how to thank them.

Thank You for Wedding Shower Gifts

Not all of your guests bring gifts to your wedding shower. As long as people attend it is always worthy of a big thank you. In the body of the e-mail enter an appreciation verse:

Appreciation Verse Example

Your unconditional friendship and warm presence is appreciated

It is thoughtful people like you that really make this world go around.

You gift of ____________ will go to great use

The happiness you bring to us cannot be measured.

Your kindness is truly appreciated and will be remembered forever. Thank You Again.

Create a Free Signature Image

Use this signature image to include on both email and snail mail thank you greetings. For email create a picture image sig block and for snail mail; print your email to your color printer after you have set the body text.

Personal Thank You Notes for Gifts and Good Deeds

During the holiday season many gifts of kindness change hands. You may feel it’s worth acknowledgement. If so one way to do it is with an email message. And if you want to send a thank to the people that were kind to your family with gifts.

Vertical Thank You Signature Example

Horizontal Thank You Signature Example

Free Printable Wedding Thank You Cards

Add a unique touch to your wedding day with an email signature announcement. Sharing your picture is easy with Outlook and one click email signature changing. Don’t worry about shortage of font styles, colors or what you want to truly express you can do it in one image combined with text.

Thank you for adding to the most glorious day in our lives You always bring joyful spirit to our day Just you being with us means a lot more than any gift May God’s blessings be with you and your family -Robert & Jan

In the above example I have used the background transparency so the text doesn’t clash with the background. When you start design with the free business card design software you need to think out of the box. The following are the fields that you are presented with when designing with WePrintColor’s free web based software.

• Company Name
• Slogan
• Your Name
• Your Title
• Address 1
• Address 2
• State/Province
• Tel/ Other
• Fax/ Other
• Email Address
• Website Address

So you have 11 fields to play with. It does not matter what information you put in each text field. If you look at the wedding thank you email signature above it was created online using the fields listed above.

The image used will aid in brand marketing. Email signatures deliver professional impact by a branded email personalized for the receiver.

Email Stat Station

Thank a Policeman

You often hear stories abut brave policeman putting their lives on the lines to save a loved one. A warm thank you goes a long way!

Hockey Coach Thank You Card

As we grow we always remember certain mentors that helped us through important parts in our lives. For me it was my hockey coach that gave me inspiration and motivation when I needed it. This card is for you coach Glenn.

Thank You for Being a Great Teacher

Showing teacher appreciation is an individual effort. Each student feels differently about their teacher and some would not even consider saying thanks or wishing them a happy birthday. The thank you card above is designed to be presented on behalf of the class. It can be sent via email or printed on your printer. If you want to say Thank you for inspiring my life and tell your mentor they are the Best Teacher Ever make a custom card!

Other Thank You Card Uses

Thank you cards can be made for countless occasions if you think about it.

Example of A Logo Icon For our Templates

Logo Design First

A professional logo usually takes at least 3-5  hours to create. Logo designs are often originally used in stationery, then go on to assume larger marketing and branding roles. That’s right; they can play together with branding campaigns to advertise a product by making it feel more secured with a larger entity. Designing company logos and business stationery includes consideration of ink colors, typography, paper colour, and type of paper. Be sure to give your company a feeling of a notch up on your competition with a consistent set of stationery and clean logo.

If you need help with a stationery design package for your business start with our free business card design tools. You can literally carve $100’s in graphic design costs if you do the grunt work (development). Your new custom logo may actually be a few clicks away or have a corporate image logo custom designed with your stationery package. If the logo package is made at the same time of the business card layout you can get a far better visualization at the click of a mouse. Use free online tools to make professional files for your local or online printer. NO LOGO = no identity & no face.

Look Professional

Card Created Online at WePrintColor from Scratch

It has often been thought that professional services of needed to design and print a classy stationery set was for big business. These days, there are plenty of companies providing economical and innovative stationery design e to small business. Getting your professionally designed stationery printed in small runs like 50 or 100 can be performed at companies like Kinko’s for a small fee and usually while you wait. It can make huge difference in your company imagery! Get Professional stationery designed and printed at a fraction of the cost using modern digital reproduction technology. Don’t’ worry If you don’t have a logo, you can try out 1 of 1000’s we have in our stock logo collection found in our free business card template design software. If that doesn’t work for you we can modify any of the artwork you find to suit your precise requirements on this site. A simple set of rules like stationery, a custom logo, business card, and envelope go along way.

Business Letterhead, Envelopes and Business Cards

Matching Stationery Set Skin Care

There are so many different ways to market ideas and products today it takes a special touch to stand out from what is already an eye candy world. Your letterhead, envelopes, and business cards are a matching set that work really hard for you if you design with intelligence. They will promote your business in ways you never imagined. You will never know the miles your stationery set will travel, starting right from mail handlers of your crafty envelope to the recipients who will see the components contained within. If it’s impressive it’s easier to pass along to other concerned parties. Your business stationery set has one main chance to grab the attention of the intended recipient. It is up to you to make that first impression impressive.

Type of Printing and Getting it Printed

CMYK Printing on Cast Coated

If you are going to opt in on commercial printing it will take around 5-7 working days working days give or take a few days, depending on your printer. Most commercial printing companies support digital file formats like Quark, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, or any popular desktop publishing program. Remember that a digital file is only as good as the way it is made. If you have chosen to use low resolution bitmaps they will likely pixilate when they print. On the other hand you may want to print a small quantity of your business set. Although digital printing is not quite as nice as commercial printing the quality margin is becoming narrower. Look for printers like HP or OKI Data High end printers. Printing of high quality looking stationery is still attainable in short run digital printing. And for some business meetings may be the best solution for you.

In both digital and commercial printing paper stock plays a strong role in how your image will appear to the human eye. Low quality paper will affect the look and feel in a negative way. Low grade papers can also cause problems with. Using this method of printing you want to explore the finest paper available to you for your laser or commercial printer. Do every little thing you can do to increase the chances of impressing your audience, they all add up!

Making Business Cards

Craft Business Cards

When you create Business cards they can be printed in spot colours or CMYK Colors. It is a choice you will have to make from the start because it affects the color menu you design the card with. Your Business card usually consists of choices of card stock paper, ink colors, printing on the front and/or backside along with the information you want to appear. Whatever you do, avoid mistakes like putting a lot of information on the front of your card. Consider the back or a folder over style.

Choosing Colors

4 CMYK Inks

I am sure you’ve heard it again and again; color can make a big impact on your graphic design. Not only the colors of ink but how you compliment them with a color of paper. But first, you may want to read about the moods of color. If you design with the knowledge of how certain colors influence mood, color psychology can be applied to your design.

Selecting Images

It’s a debate I am sure you could have with anyone in graphic design; should I use images or not? My thought is – Image is everything in today’s world. If you can offer me an image that captures what you do at a glance you have saved me a lot of time. Images can be easily tied into stationery designs by background tints of incorporated into layout. Design will include a nice logo and matching stationary to make it power-pack with that first punch. Imagine how happy your clients will be when your communication is on custom designed matching stationery set with definitive imagery!

A great item for any business to own would have to be custom matching stationery. On the market today, I personally use a very uniform set of business promotional pieces that are instrumental in branding the company. Creating your own identity is like having the whole world of creativity at your fingertips. Throughout your design process you will encounter many design options that will all play like instruments in an orchestra. There are three basic Elements to good stationery design. Let me see if I can help you with the basics.

Layout Options

I like to start designing a business card. This is where all the important information in usually printed. The first thing you will  do is write down all the information you want on your business card. This usually includes:

1. Company Name
2. Slogan
3. Your Name
4. Your Title
5. Address
6. State/Province
7. Tel/ Other
8. Fax/ Other
9. Email Address
10. Website Address

Vertical Layout Front Only

Vertical Business Card Front Only

Required Commercial Print Operations

-          Graphic Design

-         Commercial printing, 1 side

-         Finished coated like UV or Aqueous coating (recommended)

-         Guillotine cutting

Vertical Layout Front and Back

Print your own cards with a good color printer at home

Vertical cards are rarely seen compared to horizontal layouts. That’s another reason why vertical may be the right answer for you…just for uniqueness! If you are going to use a vertical layout the back side is also available. For a small extra fee your printer can print on the reverse side of your business card. Alternatively you can print your own with the right color printer and template.

Required Commercial Print Operations

-          Graphic Design

-         Commercial printing, 2 sides

-         Finished coated like UV or Aqueous coating (recommended)

-         Guillotine cutting

Horizontal Layout Front Only

Layout is a design choice

Most business cards printed assume the horizontal layout. For commercial printing companies the format does not matter, it is a design choice. Horizontal formats are easily stored in rolodex or business card storage folders.

Required Commercial Print Operations

-          Graphic Design

-         Commercial printing, 1 side

-         Finished coated like UV or Aqueous coating (recommended)

-         Guillotine cutting

Horizontal Layout Front and Back

Use a Metric Conversion Chart on the Back

It is not expensive and is seen as high quality when getting creative with the back side of your business card. Shown above I have used a metric conversion chart along with a real ruler. This adds value to the business card and may be the sole reason someone you gave it to decides to keep it.

Required Commercial Print Operations

-          Graphic Design

-         Commercial printing, 2 sides

-         Finished coated like UV or Aqueous coating (recommended)

-         Guillotine cutting

Fold- Over Layout Front and Back

Fold over business cards serve a greater purpose than your standard business card

Now we are entering into the realm of true creativity. Fold over business cards serve a greater purpose than your standard business card. They are actually 4 times larger than a standard business card. They can be folded in ½ as shown above or “shingle folded”. A folded business card can also be folded the opposite way so when it is opened it is long and narrow. When you print a folded business card it is a good idea to plan on printing both sides because of design intent. Fold-over business card can also serve as tradeshow hand outs, information pieces, direction maps plus many more practical uses.

Required Commercial Print Operations

-          Graphic Design

-         Commercial printing, 2 sides

-         Finished coated like UV or Aqueous coating (recommended)

-         Letterpress Creasing (scoring)

Die-Cut Printed Front and Back

A Die-Cut Special Shape Will Draw Attention

If you really want to kick it up a notch think “shapes”. In the design above a steel rule die will be required to apply a radius corner to 1 corner only.

Required Commercial Print Operations

-          Graphic Design

-         Steel rule die line art

-         Steel rule die

-         Commercial printing, 2 sides

-         Finished coated like UV or Aqueous coating (recommended)

-         Letterpress Die cutting

Now I have given you a few options but not all. There are other printing options such as raised printing, embossed stationery, foil stamping, spot colors, varnishes, and spot coatings. I have also assumed that all examples above are printed in CMYK inks. The truth is when you weigh out all your options in commercial printing a business card design is a great way to get started. They are inexpensive and will give to an opportunity to feel reactions. Sometimes comments people make about your business card can improve the final design when you complete your stationery set.

Creating a Matching Stationery Set

Once you have road tested your amazing design, accepted compliments and criticisms let’s build a stationery set. Here’s a quick slideshow of matching stationery sets that include CD sleeves, bookmarks, labels, fax cover letters, video labels, book covers, letterhead, envelopes, websites and business cards.

You don’t need to produce all items in commercial printing format and you may have other items such as presentation folders to add. What we are doing, above all else, is creating a consistent identity.

Layout

There are two standard sizes of mainstream (not executive) letterhead; 8 ½ X 11” and A4 Metric. For your letterhead, the layout will always be portrait. The idea is to create a nice corporate shell design that is complete when your personalized message is distributed via printed letterheads. In the world of digital art it is very easy to illustrate options before you etch it in stone (get it printed). I like to start with my letterhead, following the notes I made from the business card test period.

Paper Type and Ink

The world of fine papers in wide opened. As a printing veteran dating back to the seventies I have seen my fair share of exquisite papers. Over time I have taken snapshots of papers I have come to appreciate. These papers range from thick cover stocks.

Paper and inks should be considered at the same time because paper colours and textures can influence ink and the way it lays down on paper. You can also use shades of solid ink colours to create countless variations of a color. Here is an ink swatch to illustrate what you can do with pantone colors.

Pantone Spot Color

Paper and inks should be considered at the same time because paper colours and textures can influence ink

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The colors you see are printed on white paper. If you print those same colors on an off-white color it will influence the color that prints. The darker the color of paper, the more it will influence the colors of ink.

CMYK Color

In terms of paper influencing ink colors the same rule applies in CMYK printing. This style of commercial printing relies on the white paper to reproduce true-to-life images. In the illustration below you can see the light hitting the white paper surface to reflect back into our eyes as a visual image.

See how light works reflecting from the paper surface

Here are the four primary colors of ink used in CMYK printing:

4 CMYK Inks

Armed with these solutions to creating your own stationery you now move forward with some education. Figuring out who you are and how you want to communicate it takes a bit of soul searching and guidance from industry professionals. You’re not alone with this exciting challenge and the more you arm yourself with information, the better you will look on paper.

Business Card Tip Think Reverse

Although it seems easy to set up or configure a company business card, there are many options you must explore first. In fact, what you are going to read about here is not discussed often. Before you settle on your business card design, consider this…

Have you ever wished that more people kept your business card? What I am about to tell you will open you eyes to ther eye catching ideas for your business card design. Did you consider the fact you can increase the advertising real estate on your business card by looking at the back and front? Why add life to your business cards?

As a design firm we help you discover the options with a natural selection of business card back and front design ideas. We believe the best customer is an educated one. From the perspective of a retired business card printer, I have been a part of many brilliant creations in print. I began my journey in the late 1970s, as a press operator —believe it or not. In those days we would sometimes use a rubber stamp to print on the back of business cards. Then I went on to develop a printing and design company in the 90’s. In 1999 we made our first website. It happens to be the one you are on right now.

Filed under roledex or G for Garbage

The Death of A Business Card

At networking meetings we exchange business cards back and forth. Being creative with business cards adds to the cards ability to live and die. Death of a business card is when your recipient tosses it out or has no value for possessing it. So, we must sell the card and provide a positive memory hook to the receiver. If you want to make them an effective marketing tool think out of the box and flip the card over—there’s a lot you can do on the back of your card to add value.

Things to Put on the Back of Business Cards

• Create sticky back business cards
• A Magnet on the back side of business cards
• Metric Conversion charts on the back of business cards
• Calendar on the reverse side of business cards
• Business cards with appointments on back
• Business cards with a Mission Statement
• Business cards with metric measurements on the backside
• Vista Print’s free business cards no logo on back
• Take important numbers down
• Write notes to missed meeting prospects
• Cute Cartoons
• At the pub when you meet someone special
• Printed as discount coupons
• Encourage other to write on the back
• Translate to other languages you serve (Bilingual)
• Religious buildings
• Emergency Numbers
• Area codes within XXX radius
• Your Offerings, before and after
• A Meaningful Bible Verse
• A Printed body mass index calculator
• Store Locations and branches
• Companies product logos you sell
• Calorie Counter
• Caricature cartoon of you
• charities you support

Cartoon on Business Card Backs

I often use the back side of business cards to make notes. Don’t forget you can have printing placed on the back side of business cards especially when it serves a helpful purpose. In fact some people design the back of their business card as a separate element. Remember some of the people you hand cards out to have the habit of writing on the back of business cards. Take a look at gapingVoid.com (authorities in cartoons drawn on the back of business cards). Now that’s some pretty cool doodling! The idea of hand drawing on the back of a business card was invented (online) by the blogmaster for this site. Hugh Macleod draws cartoons of purple cows, wireframe funny ideas, stickman, or pretty well any hand drawn concept you can think of. He receives well over 1 million visitors each month from loyal followers who just love his art (myself included)

Have you ever thought about selling ads on the back of your business cards? Believe it or not there are people doing exactly that. Putting pictures on the back of business cards for other organizations can be a good way to promote a related business. I personally think it’s a crazy, unless it is a co-branding arrangement—but if it works for you, more power to you. The point I am trying to make is explore your options! Get some creativity tips to learn how to inspire people to hang onto your business card; it’s a matter of life and death.

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How To Make Business Cards

When is the last time someone handed you a knockout calling card? What was it about that card that turned you on? It used to require the aid of professional graphic designers to create mind blowing card designs. The good news is you get to do it all yourself for free at WePrintColor.com.
Powerful online design tools with point and click technology put a lot of creative juice in the hands of the average layman. It’s the old right brain/left brain thing! There are some people that are good at what they do but lack a creative mind set. With this user friendly, 2 click card design system the average Joe can be an ALL STAR graphic designer.

Hey Joe, Let me Help You!

• It only takes a couple of minutes to see countless variations of your image.
• Play with backgrounds and text colors to fine tune your card layout.
• Introduce your own graphics by uploading your own images.
• Don’t forget you can email your design to a friend.
• Change Backgrounds
• Import your own Background
• Change the font Size, color and style
• Import a stock logo/ change placement
• Text movement

Making business cards from home has it’s distinct advantages. It’s easier than making business cards in Adobe if your are a novice. Join our club of exclusive art creativity novices who come out looking like design pros every time.

Indulge yourself in our business professionalism icons that are free to use.
Add a logo, custom artwork, own background, text, drop-shadow, colors, add different colors to text, be selective choosing colors. Our system will generate Corner Crop Marks and 1/8″ bleed for you on the finished product. Your commercial printer uses crop marks to cut your project to final trimmed size and requires appropriate bleed to do so.

By having thee options available to you making business cards at your local printer is no sweat. In the past, you may have experienced problems ordering business cards because the artwork was an uncertainty. Now you can create mind blowing business card artwork and get the best format to print high quality business card wherever you like. So you see, making new business cards really is not the confusion some people think it is.

When you are done Click “OK” and your press ready file it being constructed according to all design parameters you used. You are now the proud owner of your own fully editable, professional company artwork!

Congratulations

This section is customized backgrounds that are ideal for unique photo cards. Often a card style will help you get the creative juices flowing. Make design explode with a bang. Simply choose a free business card template below and make a personalized photo business card in about 5 minutes. Once you are completed your custom layout your download will be sent to you in commercial printing format.
Black satin	Blue bar	Blue red bar
Sea	Brown blue	Crinkle
Globe	Green and gray	Green bar
Light bar	Notebook	Paper

You can adapt out artwork to a flyer design or any other graphic  you see fit. Many of our clients use our fully formatted formats as an illustrator business card template and edit it even more. You can photocopy the template onto paper if you want first to get a good general idea on the look.Your print design template will look much more vibrant when you get it commercially printed.

Take your time and look through our sample library. Find a style that fits your business thoughts and model.

Commercial Printing Files for Full Color Business Cards.

High quality to your specs!

Graphic Designer Concept

If you wonder what is graphic design this article may help you understand the role of a graphic artist. A Graphic designer’s general task is to prepare concepts, sketches or layout concepts. There are several techniques that are generally used to do this; by hand with pencils and or Pantone rendering markers, with a computer using programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Quark Xpress or by verbal instruction to illustrative hands.

To provide a vision for the design a designer will select sound effects, colors, mechanical artwork,animation, photography, font style, and other graphic depictions for the complete design. It is a highly satisfying form of art that requires a high degree of creativity, imagination and intellect, often employing the work of a team. When you elect to use professional graphic design services you purchase the design from a designer unless otherwise stated in a license agreement. In order to ensure your message is clearly communicated to your recipients, graphic design companies are often called upon.

What Graphic Design Companies Provide that Freelancers Don’t:

• An art director with staff
• A production manager
• A computer artist / paste-up technician
• Collective problem solving
• Multiple angle original concepts

Do not misunderstand, freelance graphic designers are also very talented and useful. It’s just that full production graphic design services tend to be more encompassing with a clever integration of creative/collective thinking.

What is Graphic Design for Print?

A World of Colors to Consider

With so many colors and color combinations to choose from there are only 2 basic choices of ink applications to paper; Spot Color or CMYK color. In simple terms you can print almost any color in CMYK inks. The only exceptions that apply are metallic and fluorescents, although I do not recommend fine line art in CMYK it can be pleasing to most human eyes. If you take a loupe (magnifying glass) you will likely see that the colors do not line up…

Watch This Video of CMYK and SPOT Color Basics to Learn Why!

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.weprintcolor.com/flash/cmyk-spot/cmyk-spot.swf" height="318" width="400" /]

There are other design elements to consider besides the visual appearance.

Printed items also can have a functional purpose:

• Scratch ‘n win
• Mail order Catalogues
• opt-out/in
• Return Mail
• Unique numeric serialization

Depending on the nature of your printed piece, paper is also instrumental in design. Designing for print is a lot different tan creating web-based designs. It is a colorful, clean and crisp form of graphic design that requires a trained eye. First, you’ll have to decide whether you will print your piece in spot color, CMYK color, embossed, raised, foil stamped, die cut or combinations thereof. All of these unique printing techniques become incorporated into graphic designs to create unseen masterpieces.

Use today’s technical digital execution programs to integrate complexity and simplicity.

Popular Computer Aided Graphic Designs include:

1. Composite layouts
2. Video productions
3. Web pages
4. Interactive multimedia
5. Graphic designs
6. Page layouts

Print Design Architecture Tip

Artistic Design

Headlines are key “attention getting” design features. It is best to make powerful headlines that play on your target audience’s minds. Obscure alignments of graphics and typography can put emphasis on other elements to create a transitional flow.

In today’s world of business it hard to gauge how important a printed business card is to you. I mean people can email you, phone you or visit your site to get in touch with you. So why all the fuss and expense around getting a personal business card printed? My take is business cards are always going to be a requirement. Like any product, they must move with the times. The personalized business card has advanced over decades with new products such as CD business cards, short run full color business cards plus many other options.

Your Business Card- Portable, Transportable …Your Partner

Think about where we are in time. Many corporations have lightened up on dress code. Having a real meeting (in the flesh) is a rare privilege with a prospect. But let’s look at simplicity and ask three questions, what, where and when? The answer is your business card. It can go anywhere with you, anytime and can be applied to almost any situation where contact info is required. In a matter of seconds you can casually reach into your pocket and pull out a trusty business card to hand to the person you are talking with. Many folks spend a ton of time making the perfect business card because they know what I am saying!

Get the Right Prep for your Business Card

Now for those of you that also understand the power of your own personalized business card I want to caution you on a few of the mistakes I see commonly made in the design and printing of business card today. You see, making a business card can be compared to getting your car old car painted. The similarity is “in the prep” as they say in the body shops. You can have the best painter if your car’s preparation was not done properly then you end up with fish-eyes (Specks in the finish) or orange peel finish (Course looking paint). When you set out to create your own business card, the printing can only be as good as the design. If the design is not professional then the finest printing equipment in the world is not going to help you.

Gain Knowledge by Making Mistakes

On planet earth we all make mistakes. Mistakes provide the highest level of learning, they are opportunities to improve. Here are a few of the common mistakes I see in the full service production of business cards;

• Do not make the font size so small that you cannot read the text. Assuming that you do want to take full advantage of the real-estate offered on a business card then make sure it’s not over-populated with so much text that it can’t be read. Save that for your marketing material.
• Do not choose colors that are blah or just a plain eyesore. Play with color schemes, learn what colors mean to the human eye
• I was given a card yesterday by a door-to-door- water filter salesman that he had printed on his inkjet printer. When he handed it to me the image was unreadable from the moisture of his last demo. For the $49 it costs to getting professional business cards ones it’s a no brainer.
• I think that image is everything!! You are judged somewhat by your appearance, demeanor and matching business. It is part of you and is not an item to cheap out on. If it looks like junk them it must be symbolic of you!
• Spend a little extra on a custom logo. It is an item that you can reuse over and over not to mention a magical way to build brand awareness.
• Do make me read!! Develop a catchy phrase or slogan that encompasses what you do and what you are about. Print that line in a bold typeface so it smacks me in the face at a glance. There’s nothing worst then sorting through my business card organized wondering what half of them do.
• Have you ever heard the term “card bombing” ? There is a time and place to network with others and hand out business cards but I have seen many eager business people handing out dozens of cards at social functions, church and family outings and find it irritating.
• Develop a nice, easy going, well balanced graphic layout that is aesthetically pleasing.
• Once you are satisfied with the appearance of your business card think about matching stationery, company marketing, etc. If you made your business card as we suggested then the design and logo can be easily adapted to letterheads and envelopes.
• Proof read your business card intensly. When you have proofed it hand it to someone else. It never hurts to have more that 1 set of eyes proofing the same project. Remember, there’s always time to do it again!
• Don’t run out! Once you establish the fact that these puppies are actually your partner in crime to compliment your business. To help prevent this we put one of these cards near the end of your order as a reminder to order in advance. Although we do offer 5-7 day shipping!

Armed with the solutions to improve your business card quality you can resolve the problem of looking cheap on paper. You’ll find yourself breathing a little easier at network meetings and not worrying about ink jet printed, frayed edged business cards any longer.