Designing business cards

Your client just ordered business cards (score!) but you’ve got some questions. No fear, we’re here. Read on for specifications, design do’s & dont’s, and a glossary of design terms. It’s everything you’ll need to hand-off an awesome design.

Size and specifications

Yes, “sizes and shapes may vary,” but most business cards fit the mold. Standard business cards are horizontal and rectangular with slightly different sizes for American and European printers. Follow these specifications to ensure your cards print correctly. But if your client wants a special business card shape, you’ll need to request specifications directly from them.

US horizontal business card

Standard dimensions: 3.5 x 2 inches
Bleed size: ⅛ extra (total size inc. bleed would be 3.75 x 2.25 inches)

Download a template
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EU horizontal business card

Standard dimensions: 85 x 55 mm
Bleed size: 3 mm (total size inc. bleed would be 91 x 61 mm)

Download a template

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Submitting to your client

Once your client has approved the final design, send them all of the design files. Here’s what they need:

A layered, editable source file of the final design (AI, PSD, EPS or INDD)
A print-ready PDF file with all the fonts outlined
All web preview images (JPEG or PNG)
A link to purchase any commercial fonts used in the design

Make sure all files are saved in the CMYK color mode and 300dpi resolution.

Do’s and don’ts

Great design never came from following rules. So, break ‘em! Except for these. They’re pretty important. Stick to these guidelines to ensure your text, images and layout are perfect.

by sheva™

DO make the company name/logo larger than 12pt.
DON’T use any font sizes smaller than 8pt.

DO outline fonts for permanent text such as company name and slogan.
DON’T outline fonts for editable text such as contact information in your source files.

DO stretch your design to the edge of the bleed area.
DON’T use borders because they’ll probably look lopsided after printing.

DO erase guide layers before submitting your file to the client.
DON’T submit more than one design in a file.

The dictionary of design

CMYK and RGB... droids from Star Wars, right? Design lingo can be a little tricky, but we can translate. Here are some design and printing terms you’ll need to know.

Color mode

How colors are represented in your design

CMYK: An ink-based mode used in print.
RGB: A light-based mode used on-screen.

by Owley
by A&V

Resolution

The amount of pixel detail in an image

Low resolution: Few pixels make the image pixelated.
High resolution: Many pixels make the image sharp.

Print guidelines

Measurements to ensure top-notch printing

Trim Line: Where the printer will cut your image.
Bleed: The area beyond the trim line that extends printing to the edge.
Safety Line: The border that contains all printable text.

by Widakk

Shape and orientation

How your design physically appears

Horizontal: Short, wide, and landscape-style. The classic card.
Vertical: Tall, skinny, and portrait-style. Turning normal on its side.
Folding: Rectangular with a crease. Standard but stand-out.
Die-cut: Any size, any shape. A bold way to go beyond basic.

by pecas
by jessica-cauchi
by bo_rad
by Herminia"

Material

What your design is printed on

Paper: Thin, thick, matte, glossy. Endless colors and endless options.
Plastic: Transparent, durable and waterproof. A clear way to be clever.
Anything: Steel. Wood. Fabric. Make a one-of-a-kind first impression.

by Nabeel
by AlexSa
by pecas

Printing techniques

How your design is printed

4-color offset: The standard, full color printing process.
1- or 2-color: Limited color for limited budgets.
Foil ink: Specialty process that uses metallic foil rather than ink.
Spot color: Color generated by an ink (pure or mixed) printed using a single run.

by Nick Terry
by Kelvin & Cynthia
by Rose''
by Jecakp

Finishes

The final touches made to your print

Foil blocking: Metallic, foil finishes applied with a heated stamp.
Embossing: Raised textures applied to the material using heat.
Spot UV: A glossy finish applied to specific areas on the print.

by AlexandraMan
by Dimitry99
by Jecakp

Let’s create a successful business card