Guide · 5 min read
How to Prep Your Card Art for Printing
Good print starts with good files. A little prep up front avoids blurry art, trimmed edges, and surprises in the final deck. Here is what to set up.
Resolution
Design at 300 DPI at the final card size. Art that looks crisp on screen can still print soft if it is low resolution, so start high rather than scaling up later.
Bleed and safe zone
Bleed is extra art that extends past the trim line, usually about 1/8 inch (3 mm) on each side. It means that if the cut shifts slightly, you still get color to the edge instead of a thin white sliver.
The safe zone is the opposite: keep text, logos, and anything important a little inside the trim line so it never gets cut off.
File formats
Send press-ready PDFs or high-resolution PNG or TIFF files. Vector art (logos, type) stays sharp at any size, so keep it vector when you can.
Name files clearly and keep fronts and backs organized, especially for a full deck with many unique faces.
Not sure? Send what you have
If files and bleed are not your thing, that is fine. Our design service can prep your artwork, add bleed, and get everything press-ready, or design the cards from scratch.
Done for you
We can design and develop your cards, or the content
Have it ready? We design, lay out, and structure the cards from the content and artwork you provide. Need help with the content itself? We can develop that with you too, then prototype it fast. Either way, you get finished, print-ready cards.