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Business Card Design That Works

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Business Card Design That Works

Business cards have the ability to speak so much about a business. There are many business card printing companies that are able to come up with professionally designed cards best suited to your company or business.

There are a lot of business cards being circulated by countless businesses nowadays, but the truth is most people only keep a few. The main reason is that the business card does nothing to make the people who have them want to know more about the business.

There are many business card printing companies that are able to come up with professionally designed cards best suited to your company or business. There are businesses, start-up or especially small businesses who would rather print their own business cards to save on costs, choosing a professional business card lay-out designer and printing company is a wiser option. In business cards, the business logo and business name must be printed legibly on them.

The other side of the business card can be utilized for a number of purposes. Business cards can do so much for any business, when optimized for exposure and sales purposes.

In business cards, the business logo and business name must be printed legibly on them. It is not wise to fill your card with so much information and other designs, and barely leaving enough space for your company name and logo. A business card is not a company resume, and as much as information on the company is essential, there is no sense in overdoing it.

There are businesses, start-up or especially small businesses who would rather print their own business cards to save on costs, choosing a professional business card lay-out designer and printing company is a wiser option. The services or products can be enumerated on the face of the card for the clients to have a clearer grasp of what the business can offer.

Making Custom Badges

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ID badges help to ensure security and maintain organization. Of course, these badges are also used for personal use. You could use them as souvenir for a birthday celebration, you could make use of badges for small, private groups and clubs, for a small production like the school play, or just for fun.

Making Custom Badges find plasticcardonline.com

1. Materials

– Premium quality specialty paper.
– satin cloth.
– Sticker badge.
– Can be purchased on bookstores.
– and card board.

There are many available kinds of paper to choose from in making your custom badges. If it would be horizontal or vertical, the shape of the ID would depend on your preference. The materials of the badge would depend on the design and how authentic you want the badge to look, if you are attempting to replicate a specific look.

– Transparent plastic cards.

– Laminated badge
– Dimension is 2 1/8 x 3 1/2.

2. Design.

Ask yourself or the members of your organization what information is to be placed on the custom badges. Make sure that you provide a space for the picture and signature if you require this information.

The design of your custom badges would depend on what the badge is for. Present the design with a sophisticated style if it the badge is going to be used in a formal occasion or organization. The color is your choice.

3. Scanning.

Make sure to collect them on a piece of paper at least standard letter size if you plan the custom badges to contain the signatures of the bearer. After obtaining the signatures, scan it into your computer and save it as a file type that retains the detail of the signature, such as a.jpg or better.

It is important for you to obtain all the data you need in completing your custom badge for you to scan it into your computer. All the images should be formatted in jpg for best pixel imagery. The standard size of picture on the identification badge is 1×1 or nothing smaller than a mail stamp.

4. Preparation.

Open software that allows you to edit your images (eg. Adobe Photoshop). If it does not match your design, you could adjust the shade of the picture.

– Unlock the background layer and fill it with white or your desired background image.
– Create text areas for all of the text required, using a desired font.
– Resize as necessary, and position where desired.
– Set up the dimensions of the canvas to those desired.
– Cut the picture from the file and paste it in a new layer above the background.
– Print on high quality paper.

5. Laminating.

The design of your custom badges would depend on what the badge is for.

Of course, these badges are also used for personal use. You could use them as souvenir for a birthday celebration, you could make use of badges for small, private groups and clubs, for a small production like the school play, or just for fun.

There are many available kinds of paper to choose from in making your custom badges. The materials of the badge would depend on the design and how authentic you want the badge to look, if you are attempting to replicate a specific look.

After printing the card, make sure to dry it for 20 minutes. Make sure to measure the card and the cover before starting lamination.

Glossary

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A

Access Control Card – Plastic card used to gain access to premises, usually associated with magnetic stripe and proximity cards.

B

Bar Code – An array of machine-readable rectangular bars and spaces arranged in a specific way defined in international standards to represent letters, numbers, and other human-readable symbols.

Bleeds – Artwork that extends beyond the actual size of the card.

C

Combo Card – A standard CR80 card attached to 1 or more key tags or a hanger.

CR50 Card – Luggage tag sized card (3 1/2″ x 2 3/32″ x .020).

CR80 Card – Standard credit card size (3 3/8″ x 2 1/8″ x .030).

D

Digital Imaging – Scanning or otherwise capturing images which may be subsequently edited, filed, displayed or printed on a plastic card.

Dye Sublimation – An imaging method for transferring controlled quantities of printer ribbon dye onto a plastic card, used in thermal printing.

E

Electronic Art – Graphics in a digital format to work with computer design and imaging applications.

Embossing – Raised letters or numbers usually tipped in either silver or gold foil.

Encoding – The process of electronically “writing” information on magnetic stripes or smart card chips.

F

Foil Stamping – Hot stamp printing is achieved by using pressure and heat to affix colored foil in to the plastic surface.

Font – A character set (alphabet and numerals) of a specified design and size.

Four Color Process (CMYK) – Printing in full color using four color separation negatives – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. When blended, these four colors reproduce only a small portion of all the colors found in nature, but they can reproduce the widest range with the fewest inks when printing.

Fulfillment – The process by which the card is matched to a letter, inserted into an envelope, metered and delivered to the post office. Personalization is available using several different methods along with continuous form equipment or individual piecework.

G

Gift Card – Standard CR80 or custom size card. Stored value is placed on the card through the Point of Sales system using the magnetic strip or bar code.

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) – A bitmap image file that is not recommended for print production due to its color limitations.

H

Half Tones – Dot system of color photos to black and white.

Hanger Card – A CR80 card that is attached to a piece of plastic which can hang from a display.

Hologram – A unique photographic printing that provides a three-dimensional effect on a flat surface. Holograms cannot be easily copied and are used for security and aesthetic purposes on cards.

I

I.D. Card – Card which identifies both the bearer and the issuer. All financial transaction cards are I.D. cards.

Image Capture System – A hardware and software system used to obtain and save personal data and cardholder photographic images.

J

JPEG (file extension .jpg) – A very common form of image compression file used. This type of file may be opened in many programs.

K

Key Card – Plastic card used to gain access to premises, usually associated with magnetic stripe and proximity cards.

L

Lamination – The process of combining lamination material and core material using time, heat and pressure.

Loyalty Card – Standard (CR80) or custom size card that have off line accounting for capabilities such as mileage or merchandise purchases.

M

Machine-Readable – A code or characters that can be read by machines.

Magnetic Stripe – Magnetic material, applied as a strip in the surface of a card, used to encode cardholder information.

Matte Finish – A non-glossy and writable finish that can be applied to an entire side, or both sides, of a card.

Memory Card – A type of smart card. Also known as a synchronous card, it features 256 bit or 32 byte memory and us suitable for use as a token card or identification card.

Microprocessor Card – A type of smart card, also known as an asynchronous card. Features 1 kilobyte to 64 Kbytes of memory and is suitable for portable or confidential files, identification, tokens, electronic purse or any combination of uses.

O

Overlay Varnish – A thin transparent layer applied to cards to resist scratching and fading from exposure to UV radiation.

P

Personalization – Printing encoding and programming a card with data specific to an individual cardholder.

Phone Card – A stored value card that allow the user to access pre-paid long distance. The long distance is generally accessed via a PIN (stored value), which is usually covered by a scratch-off panel for security.

PMS (Pantone Matching System) – Used by printers for color standardization.

Point of Sales (PoS) – The system which your business uses to process transactions. The POS provider will be able to explain what types of barcodes, magnetic stripes, or other options like RFIDs your system may accept.

PDF (Portable Document Format) – A file format created for document layouts, not ideal for imaging.

Prepaid Card – A card paid for at Point of Sale, permitting the holder to buy goods or services up to the prepaid value.

Print Ready Art – Complete art file that is ready to be put into production.

Prox Card – Short for Proximity card; a form of contact-free smart card used for access control applications. Embedded in the card is a metallic antenna coil, which allows it to communicate with an external antenna. Because the cards require only close “proximity” to a RF antenna to be read, they are also referred to as contactless cards.

PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride. One of the materials used for plastic cards with certain special features such as embossing or use in thermal printers.

R

Resolution – Dimension of the smallest element of a bitmap image. Usually stated as dots-per-inch (dpi). 300 dpi is the minimum standard for printing clear images.

S

Safe Design Area – The printable area in which important information or images will be safe from being cut off, .125” from the edge of the plastic card.

Screen Tints – Determined by percentage of colors.

Signature Panel – The area of an I.D. card where the cardholder enters a signature.

Smart Card/Contact Smart Card – Also called a “chip” card or IC card. A plastic card with an embedded microchip, which may be used to store information about the cardholder or record card transactions as they occur.

Swipe Packaging – Designed to hold a card with a magnetic stripe for point of sale activation.

T

Thermal Printing – The process of creating an image on a plastic card using a heated print head.

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) – A flexible and common file format for images that is widely accepted by image-manipulation software.

Y

YMC – Yellow, Magenta, and Cyan are the primary print colors for cards. The three colors are combined in varying degrees to make a full spectrum of colors. YMCKO is the same as YMC plus Black (K) and clear protective overcoat (O).

 

About Barcodes

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What is a barcode?

A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data. The most common formats for barcodes are 3 of 9, 128, and UPC.

How do barcodes typically work on a gift card?

Each gift card is printed with a unique serial number barcode with or without human readable characters. When a customer purchases a gift card, the barcode is scanned or its human readable characters are keyed into a point of sale (POS) system. The point of sales system recognizes the gift card’s unique serial number and prompts the cashier for a value to be assigned to it. For this example, the customer wishes to put $50.00 on the gift card. The cashier takes the customer’s $50.00 and keys in this amount. The point of sales system then assigns this value to the gift cards serial number. The value of the gift card is not stored on the card but within the point of sale system.

When the customer returns with the card, the barcode is scanned or the human readable characters are entered. The point of sale system then displays the stored value assigned to its serial number. The customer may add additional funds to the card or use its value to make a purchase. The history of the transaction and remaining balance amount is stored within the point of sale system for reference and future transactions.

How do I know what type of barcode my Point of Sales system needs? How can you ensure the barcode will work?

We have the ability to print many barcode formats onto our products. If you are not sure what type of barcode your system requires, please contact your point of sale system provider. They can assist you with which type of barcode will work and the necessary characters for your particular system.

Please ask your point of sale (POS) system provider the following questions:

  • What barcode format or formats work best with your system?
  • Are there any specific characters or number of characters necessary to be used in a barcode serial number?

Once you get this information, please let us know and we will gladly email sample barcodes for you to test to ensure that they will work on your system.

 

About Magnetic Stripes

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What is a magnetic stripe?

A magnetic stripe is short strip of magnetic tape attached to a plastic card that is encoded with data, which may be read by “swiping” the card in a reading device.

How do magnetic stripes typically work on a gift card?

Each gift card has a magnetic stripe that is encoded with a unique serial number. This serial number may also be printed in human readable characters under the magnetic stripe. When a customer purchases a gift card, the magnetic stripe is “swiped” using a card reading devise connected to a point of sale (POS) system. The point of sales system recognizes the gift card’s unique serial number and prompts the cashier for a value to be assigned to it. For this example, the customer wishes to put $50.00 on the gift card. The cashier takes the customer’s $50.00 and keys in this amount. The point of sales system then assigns this value to the gift cards serial number. The value of the gift card is not stored on the card but within the point of sale system.

When the customer returns with the card, the magnetic stripe is “swiped” or the human readable characters are entered. The point of sale system then displays the stored value assigned to its serial number. The customer may add additional funds to the card or use its value to make a purchase. The history of the transaction and remaining balance amount is stored within the point of sale system for reference and future transactions.

What about lock systems?

Magnetic stripes are also used with lock systems such as hotel or institutional. The magnetic stripe is embedded in the back of a key card and the lock system encodes each card with the unique code to gain access.

How do I know what type of magnetic stripe or encoding my Point of Sale system or Lock system requires? How can you ensure a magnetic stripe will work?

If you are not sure what type of magnetic stripe or encoding your system requires, please contact your point of sale system or lock system provider. They can assist you with which type of magnetic stripe will work best and the necessary characters to be encoded for your particular system.

Please ask your point of sale (POS) system or lock system provider the following questions:

  • What magnetic stripe coercivity is required for my system? Hi-co or lo-co?
  • What track or tracks should be used to encode the data? 1, 2 and/or 3?
  • Are there any specific characters or number of characters necessary to be used in the encoded data?

Once you get this information please let us know. We will gladly produce a sample magnetic stripe card encoded to your specifications and mail it to you for testing.

 

What Our Cards Are Made Of

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Plasticcardonline is the substrate of choice always used as the core material of our card products that are available online for beautiful quality, fastest delivery and environmental responsibility.

If you don’t already know what Teslin is, you probably have seen and used it without realizing it. Plasticcardonline is an eco friendly plastic substrate that is used for gift cards at top retail stores, loyalty cards at national pharmacies, key tags at your favorite fast food chain, even driver identification cards and more. This flexible and porous material prints beautifully, provides extended durability and is environmentally responsible.

Its production requires no deforestation and very little energy. Also, Teslin does not release harmful toxins into its surrounding environment when thrown away, it’s easily recycled or it can be incinerated yielding only water, CO2, energy and ash from silica (a substance found in rocks, sand, and quartz) filler.

Duracard Teslin based products are manufactured using a 10 mil Teslin core that is fuse laminated on the top and bottom with 10 mil luminous UV guard laminate. This results in our beautiful, superior quality 30 mil product. To produce our 20 mil product, we use a 5 mil thermal laminate overlay.

Looking for PVC card products? Call us at for the industry’s most competitive pricing.

We also offer super high quality, beautifully offset printed PVC products with a slightly longer delivery time, which are used for many bank or credit cards. If your project requires PVC, please call us directly  for an instant price quote. PVC products are not available online.

Our PVC products are typically produced by creating a “sandwich” using first a 3 mil top laminate sheet, then a 12 mil PVC top core sheet, then a 12 mil PVC bottom core sheet and finally another 3 mil bottom laminate sheet. The stacked “sandwich” is then platen laminated to produce a 30 mil total thickness. For thinner PVC products, various thickness materials are used to make the “sandwich”. We may also use a flood printed luminous UV overcoat that works well for many designs instead of the laminate material, again varying the materials used to create a 30 mil finished product.

UV Protection and Durability

For our signature lustrous finish, high-value feel, durability and protection from fading, all of our card products feature a protective UV overlay.

Need to write or print on our products?

We offer many options if you plan to write or print on our products. You’ll find more information about writable matte finish and signature panels by selecting the “Learning Center” tab. Please be sure you understand these options before ordering.

 

Is Your Brand Starting To Lose Its Magic?

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You wouldn’t keep a shabby looking shop front, so why keep shabby looking branding? Updating your business with a fresh look can spark new interest in your business, establish trust, and drive sales. When was the last time you refreshed your branding? If it’s been a while, try some of these ideas.

 

Logo

Your logo should be meaningful, modern, and bold. It needs to look good on a variety of backgrounds, while still remaining clear. It’s tempting to use a complicated or clever design, but remember – if it’s not instantly recognizable anywhere, then it’s no good.

Websites

Your online presence needs to be eye-catching. So what are the trends that will help you stand out from your competitors in 2015? 2014 was all about flat design but 2015 will see the rise of material design, ghost buttons, full size video backgrounds, and huge typography. Bold is back. Don’t let your website blend in with the competition.

 

Business Card

You only have one chance to make a good first impression. Why waste it?

 

Get a new business card designed today!

 

 

In the past it was expensive and time consuming to keep your branding at the leading edge. But you can access through colourmaxprinting.com, it’s quick and easy to get quality work at an affordable price. So what are you waiting for? Ditch the old look and make your business stand out in 2015!

RGB to CMYK

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RGB to CMYKYour laptop, scanner, camera, flat screen TV and monitor produce pictures exploitation combos of simply 3 colors: Red, inexperienced and Blue (RGB).
Printing presses use four completely different colours to print these pictures Cyan (light blue), Magenta (pinky red), Yellow and BlacK (or CMYK conjointly referred to as method Color). At some purpose, your RGB pictures should be regenerate to CMYK so as to be written.
Converting RGB to CMYK is achieved with computer code like Photoshop. If this step isn’t done, you risk losing management over however the colours ar regenerate, and this could have some quite undesirable efects, like manufacturing text with four color black.
RGBTraditional printers usually use Pantone® Spot colours once printing work. Spot colours ar mixed like paint and written one at a time. As we have a tendency to use method Color, all Pantone® Spot colours should be regenerate to their CMYK equivalent before your file is shipped to United States of America. If you are doing not do that, you risk getting unsought colours. If you are doing leave spot colours in your file, they’ll not be written, and can lead to a broken consequence.
Many RGB and Spot colours don’t have an on the spot CMYK equivalent, colours like bright red will appear boring, the technical term for this is often “out of gamut”. If originaly designed your design in RGB, you will all right be out of gamut, and once changing to CMYK, you’re lease the computer code select what it thinks is that the nighest CMYK equivalent, wich might not be what you wish. This drawback is avoided by choosing your colours from a CMYK piece of material rather than Associate in Nursing RGB once coming up with your design.
If you’d wish to learn additional regarding CMYK color, visit CMYK color model, or to grasp additional regarding RGB, visit RGB color model.

Plastic Business Card Design

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Business Card style
Proper card style isn\’t a tough issue to accomplish, all you\’ve got to try to to is follow a handful of basic rules and you may have a print prepared come in no time.
The first issue is size. Finished business cards within the America square measure three.5″ x 2″, and by finished we tend to mean once they cut. You see, once paper merchandise square measure written the designers continually leave a “bleed”, this bleed is sometimes zero.125″ and its purpose is to increase the pictures  past the ultimate trim edge, in order that once the card is cut, the cut appearance excellent (no white borders) . the correct size for a card file prepared for print is three.625″ x 2.125″.
Business Card styleBusiness Card MeasurementsBusiness Card styleWrong style, no bleedCorrect Bleed cardProper card BleedDon’t Use Frames
A lot of individuals wish to place a frame on their business cards, sort of a portrait hanging on a wall. this is often a giant NO in card style. You see, no cut is 100% excellent, so the employment of a bleed, and if you employ a frame, all you\’re doing if giving the observer a visible queue that produces any imperfections within the trim of the card stand out.
Avoid Dark colours
One of the toughest things to style, from associate aesthetic purpose of read, may be a dark coloured card, i.e. a black one. within the years I even have been doing this, those that look sensible square measure few and much in between.
Keep you text removed from the borders
I can’t stress this enough, keep all of your information and text a minimum of zero.125″ removed from the cut line. Business cards with text placed on the perimeters don\’t look sensible.
Set your atmosphere to CMYK color area
Please don\’t style print in RGB, it\’ll look nice on your display screen, however will pop out quite dangerous on paper. Before you begin your project check that that your document color area is ready to CMYK, if you head to your software’s facilitate section, or Google it, you\’ll see the way to amendment the settings. If you begin to style your business cards in RGB so convert it to CMYK you\’ll find yourself with four color black text.
Plagiarism is that the best style of compliment
Look at the business cards that you just love, and build your’s like them. You don’t ought to copy them verbatim, however you\’ll use those business cards as inspiration for your own artistic styles.
Be artistic with Die-Cuts and Spot actinic radiation
You can use style parts like Spot actinic radiation or Die Cutting to square out from the gang.  Spot actinic radiation adds simply slightly of gloss to some components of your business cards whereas going away the remainder untouched, sanctioning you to bring attention to specific style parts among your card.
Die Cuts permit you to create custom cut card, by rental you create a cut out form in your card, a positive hearth thanks to stand out from the gang.