Turn your contact details into a readable card layout
Begin with the information a new contact needs. Then use these file-preparation references to organize the artwork and the questions to confirm for your selected product.
Keep the Source and the Handoff File Separate
An editable design file, an export for review, and a file accepted by an upload control can serve different purposes. Check the current upload instructions before choosing what to submit.
A PDF can preserve the placement of text and graphics in a finished layout. Check its export settings, embedded fonts, and included images. PDF/X-1a and Print Quality are export references, not confirmation that a particular file is accepted by the current upload step.
AI and EPS are useful source formats for editable vector artwork. Keep the original editable, and prepare the requested export for the handoff. When outlining text, save a separate copy so the name and contact details can still be edited in the source.
PNG and TIFF contain a fixed grid of pixels. Review image clarity at the final artwork dimensions, using 300 DPI as the guide’s preparation reference. Keep any transparency and image settings intentional, and confirm the actual file types allowed in the upload step.
Guide Resolution Reference
Judge Images at Their Intended Card Size
A large screen preview can hide a weak source image. Check the image at the dimensions at which it will be used instead of judging it only while zoomed in.
For pixel-based artwork, the pixel count and intended print size work together. This guide uses 300 DPI as a preparation reference. Changing a resolution label does not restore detail missing from the source image. Keep a vector logo when you have one, and check placed photographs or other raster elements at their intended size. Confirm the production file requirements for the selected card before the final handoff.
Distinguish the Edge from the Working Margins
The finished card, any extended background, and the area protecting important information are three different boundaries. Establish them before placing the name and contact details.
3 mm
The guide illustrates a 3 mm extension beyond each finished edge for background artwork. Extend a background into that area when the confirmed template requires it. Keep the bleed separate from the finished card dimensions.
2 mm inside the trim line
Keep names, logos, and contact details at least 2 mm inside the trim line, following the design studio’s safe-area setting. Extend backgrounds 3 mm beyond the trim for bleed; that outside extension serves a different purpose from the inside safety margin.
85 × 55 mm
The 85 × 55 mm example shows where the finished card ends. Other product choices use different dimensions, so select the correct template before designing. Keep setup guides distinct from any marks intended to appear in the artwork.
Organize the Color Information in Your File
Use the preview to judge composition while keeping the source color settings available for the production discussion. Screen appearance alone cannot establish the printed result.
CMYK describes cyan, magenta, yellow, and black color components used in print workflows. Check the document’s color settings and keep the intended color information with the source file. Confirm the required setup for your selected product before exporting the final handoff.
RGB describes red, green, and blue light components used by screens. Artwork prepared for a screen may change appearance when converted to another color space. Review any conversion carefully, especially where the design relies on a precise brand color.
Before you export: Keep an editable original and compare the converted file with it. Confirm the intended production settings rather than treating a bright screen preview as an exact color promise.
Plan the Transparent Color Option Around the Reader
The product lists a transparent plastic color. Choose the artwork around a clear name and contact route, and confirm any specific ink or background requirement separately.
Check the Main Contact Route First
Read the name, role, and preferred contact detail at the intended card size. Adjust the hierarchy and spacing if they compete for attention. Ask about a particular print treatment when the design depends on it.
Give Every Color Area a Purpose
Use the layout to distinguish the business mark from the contact information. Compare the actual transparent, white, blue, and orange plastic choices before selecting one, and evaluate foil as a separate optional accent.
Leave Deliberate Space
An open part of the layout can separate the elements the reader needs to find. Keep the important information easy to locate and explain any expected opacity or background treatment to the team before ordering.
Make the Name and Contact Details Easy to Find
Check the actual wording at the final card size. A short name and a long email address need different amounts of space, even when they use the same font.
- Use 7 pt as the guide’s minimum reference, then judge the actual typeface and contrast. The 8–10 pt contact-detail and 10–13 pt name ranges are starting points for layout review, not a guarantee that every word will be readable.
- Choose a clear hierarchy before combining typefaces. One style for the main name and a compatible style for details can be easier to organize than several unrelated font families.
- When preparing a PDF reference, check font embedding. If you outline text in an AI or EPS export, keep an editable source copy and verify that accents and punctuation still look correct.
- At 7–9 pt, inspect thin strokes closely. Compare the Regular and Medium weights of your chosen typeface, then review the entire email address or phone number at the intended size.
- Keep essential lettering at least 2 mm inside the trim line. The design studio uses a separate 3 mm bleed outside the trim; keep that background extension distinct from the space protecting the contact text.
Run a Last Check Before the File Handoff
Review the artwork as a person receiving the card, then check the file itself. These two passes answer different questions.
Using a small screen image as the only logo source
Look for the original vector or a higher-resolution source. Check pixel-based elements at the intended physical dimensions against the 300 DPI reference instead of relying on a 72 DPI label alone.
Treating the background extension as part of the finished size
Keep the trim and bleed separate. In the guide’s 85 × 55 mm example, adding 3 mm on every side gives a 91 × 61 mm working area. Confirm those boundaries in the selected product template.
Changing the color mode without reviewing the artwork
Compare the converted file with the source and inspect important brand colors. Keep the original available so the intended appearance can be discussed if a color changes.
Giving every contact field the same priority
Choose the next step you want the reader to take. Make that email, phone number, or website easy to find, and remove accounts that no longer help someone reach you.
Losing the editable text while preparing an export
Save the editable source before outlining text or making a final PDF. Open the exported file again and check the name, punctuation, accents, and contact information in that version.
Questions Before You Send the Artwork
Continue Your Card Preparation
Have a question about your artwork setup?
Explain the selected dimensions and the part of the file you want to clarify. Include a reference to the intended layout when contacting the team.