How to design and print your own greetings cards
Custom greetings cards can be used for Christmas, birthdays, thank-you messages, corporate greetings, invitations or selling your own artwork and photography. Before ordering, you will need to choose the finished size, card material and whether the inside will be printed or left blank.
Choosing a Greetings Card Size
Greetings card sizes are normally described by their size when folded. For example, an A6 finished card is printed on an A5 sheet and folded in half. Common finished sizes include:
- A5: A larger card with plenty of room for photographs or detailed artwork
- A6: The most familiar general-purpose greetings card size
- A7: A smaller option for brief messages or cards accompanying gifts
- DL: A tall, narrow format suitable for corporate and contemporary designs
- Square: A popular choice for artwork, photography and modern card designs
Remember that your artwork must include the front, back and inside panels across the flat sheet. Check the flat size shown when ordering before creating your design.
Silk or Uncoated Card?
Coated silk card has a smooth surface and slight sheen. Colours, photographs and detailed designs generally appear brighter and sharper, making it a good all-round choice.
Uncoated card has a natural paper texture and is easier to write on. It works particularly well for simple illustrations, typography and designs with white or pale backgrounds. Large areas of solid colour may appear less even because of the card’s textured surface.
White 120gsm envelopes can also be added when ordering, so the cards arrive ready to send or sell.
How to Set Up Folded Card Artwork
Supply the artwork as individual pages in normal reading order rather than arranging the panels yourself for printing.
A typical four-page folded card should be supplied as:
- Front cover
- Inside left
- Inside right
- Back cover
Leave the inside pages blank in the PDF if you want an unprinted writing area. Do not add a visible folding line, as the cards will be machine-creased and folded during production. For artwork that reaches the edge of the card, extend the background by 3mm beyond every trimmed edge. Keep important text and logos at least 4mm inside the finished edge and away from the fold.
Preparing Photos and Artwork
A press-quality PDF is the preferred format. Images should be clear at the final printed size—ideally 300dpi—and fonts should be embedded in the PDF. When using Canva, download the artwork as PDF Print and select Crop marks and bleed. Adobe users can export using a Press Quality or PDF/X preset. JPEG, TIFF, PNG, Word, PowerPoint and Publisher files can also be accepted, although PDF is usually the most reliable format. Our Artwork Guide explains how to prepare files using Canva, Adobe and Microsoft Office.
Checking and Ordering Your Cards
Prices are normally based on one design. Place a separate order for each design when printing several different cards. After checkout, upload your artwork and include any relevant instructions. We check the file and email a PDF proof before printing begins.
Use the proof to check:
- The front and back are the correct way around
- Inside pages appear in the right order
- All wording, dates and contact details are correct
- Text is safely positioned away from edges and folds
- No unwanted guides or folding lines remain
Production starts after you approve the proof, so allow time for checking when ordering cards for a particular date.