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Business Cards: Printing?

by lirikh
9 replies
Hi, I've just purchased the license for a template of a business card.
I downloaded the .psd file and modified it to my taste.

Now the problem is I have no idea on how to print them and how should I approach the printing shops.

Should I bring in the .psd file in a usb drive, and let them do the job?

The .psd is 300dpi and CMYK/8bit. It's total size is 3.6 inches by 2.1 inches, so I guess that would mean 0.5 inch bleeds? (I've researched a bit but still am ambiguous on this whole matter)

I guess everything is good as it should be, the only part that's left is actually arranging everything for everything to be printed. Any ideas how?

I'm scared that if I put everything on a .pdf file, the quality will be lost.

Thanks.
#business #cards #printing
  • Profile picture of the author P1
    Originally Posted by lirikh View Post

    Hi, I've just purchased the license for a template of a business card.
    I downloaded the .psd file and modified it to my taste.

    Now the problem is I have no idea on how to print them and how should I approach the printing shops.

    Should I bring in the .psd file in a usb drive, and let them do the job?

    The .psd is 300dpi and CMYK/8bit. It's total size is 3.6 inches by 2.1 inches, so I guess that would mean 0.5 inch bleeds? (I've researched a bit but still am ambiguous on this whole matter)

    I guess everything is good as it should be, the only part that's left is actually arranging everything for everything to be printed. Any ideas how?

    I'm scared that if I put everything on a .pdf file, the quality will be lost.

    Thanks.
    Just use Full Color Glossy Business Cards, High-Quality Business Card Print Service Online - GotPrint it is by far the cheapest solution, I would know I go to print shops alllllll the time.

    If you do decide to go with a local print shop just call ahead of time some work different like some prefer .jpg, some .pdf
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
    One I have been using for years now as my go-to source for postcards and business cards is http://www.clubflyers.com I am not an affiliate.

    I first heard about them at a professional photographer's convention where many others talked about using them for their color printing.

    :-Don
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  • Profile picture of the author lirikh
    So many suggestions, thank you. How much time does the handling and shipping usually take for making business cards? I wanted to go to a print shop for a possibility to receive them instantly, but I doubt it (it's my first time making business cards, hehe). I'm from Canada by the way.

    Oh and I forgot to add that my business cards are two-sided, and I want them cut to have round corners, if that makes any difference.
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    • Profile picture of the author P1
      Originally Posted by lirikh View Post

      So many suggestions, thank you. How much time does the handling and shipping usually take for making business cards? I wanted to go to a print shop for a possibility to receive them instantly, but I doubt it (it's my first time making business cards, hehe). I'm from Canada by the way.

      Oh and I forgot to add that my business cards are two-sided, and I want them cut to have round corners, if that makes any difference.
      Yes 2 sided and die cut (rounded corner) will cost you a bit more, the printing process can take some time sometimes sometimes days.
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  • Profile picture of the author zacsmith
    As a print art director for more than 30 years, I can speak to this...

    In the US, business cards are 2" high x 3-1/2" wide. Use 1/8" bleed all four sides if needed. (Make the actual size of the Photoshop file 2-1/4 x 3-3/4, then set some guides 1/8" inside for the trim (the size the card will be cut down to). You must allow extra space for the ink to go outside the trim in order to get the bleed.

    Format in Photoshop should be 1200 dpi, CMYK, 8-bit, TIFF. Do not save as JPEG or PNG. Do not save as RGB. In these cases, the conversion to four-color (full color) process will shift the color, sometimes unpredictably, depending on the imaging equipment the printer has in house. 300 dpi is not enough for reproducing sharp type on printing presses. Minimum: 600 dpi.

    A local print shop will be the highest price. Online printers will be less. A buddy who is a graphic artist who has an account with a "trade printer" and who is willing to run your order at no markup will bring the best price. I pay $25.00 for 1,000 cards with shipping-- cards only are about $12.00.

    Local shops will be most cost-effective with two-color business cards (i.e. black and red). Some will do digital printing in full color and cut the cards down, usually at a cost of $.25 USD per side plys $4-6 cutting charges. These are US prices; I have no idea what they would be in Canada. Offset full color printing at a local shop will be cost prohibitive. Most of the time, the shop will send such orders our to their own trade printer, who gangs all the orders up on a single sheet and prints them all at once.

    Not all online printers offer round corner cuts, so check before ordering. All printers offer two-sided printing, usually at little or no extra charge.

    Some online printers charge a little ($5.00) for PDF proofs. Make sure you order them and check them carefully, including phone numbers.

    Most online printers process business cards in 3-4 days, then add shipping to your location. Rounded-corners may add 1 day. Any change or new art restarts the schedule.

    Sorry for the long post. Hope this helps. Feel free to ask questions.

    gary
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  • Profile picture of the author Creativegirl
    Flatten and save as a jpg. Individual files labeled for front and back.

    300 dpi, CMYK is standard for commercial printers. Local copy shop will be RGB. Your bleed is assumption is wrong. Most likely it's 1/16". Most online printers have their own templates. Some use 1/16" or 1/8" bleed. Again, fattening the file and saving as a jpg is all you need to do when you're done. Submit the jpg.

    For ideas look at vista prints. Make it functional first, font size readable, pretty second.

    Some online printers include the second side printing at no cost. Others charge, so check.

    If you're new at this stick with the jpg. Pdf's are acceptable and standard but you need to make sure you generate it as a high res/print quality pdf and you have to set the bleed generally.

    Rounded corners cost more. Local commercial printer will be hundreds of dollars more than online commercial printers who do gang run (fit as many jobs on sheet, everyone shares in set up cost). Gang run was originally developed to compete with local print shops who use color copiers. There's no comparison, commercial printing is superior and gang run is the best value.

    When using a local print shop two sided printing shift and some shops aren't good at the set up. You'll pay more for 250 cards at the local print shop than you will for 1,000 from an online printer. And they'll probably have to outsource to a commercial printer for the rounded corners.
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    • Profile picture of the author zacsmith
      1200 dpi is best to reproduce type, especially if the file if a TIFF (bitmap) and does not incorporate font outlines as a PDF does. 600 at a minimum. 300 dpi is OK for PDF generation.

      JPEGs are unacceptable for printing, even if the printer will take them. The color quality in the shift from RGB to CMYK is problematic. You can do CMYK JPEGs, but TIFF will work better with no loss of the image quality. Not all copiers use RGB, some use CYMK or toner equivalents. Genuine digital presses use CMYK. I would not use a copier for business cards except for comps or very low quantities due to budget restrictions, "testing" a card before ordering a proper, and larger, print run, or for a start-up venture, or for a student.

      1/16" bleed allowance is absolutely not enough. Standard is (and has been for the 37 years I have worked actively in print) 1/8" for business cards and most other projects. One slight mistake in cutting, and the 1/16" is gone and the card is cut improperly. Stick with 1/8" and you will be safe. Large display or poster prints use 1/4" bleed due to the larger area to be cut and the likelihood that they may be hand-cut.

      Most online printers use gang runs, especially for small items such as business cards. With modern press color control, there is almost no difference in quality between non-gang run jobs and individual custom runs, except in critical color applications, projects for crucial color match (like "Coca-Cola Red" -- here in Atlanta every designer knows the formulation for that one! -- or flesh tones, especially in photos of older persons and African-Americans), or in pastel color reproduction.

      Vista Print has one of the poorest color fidelity processes out there, which is why I never use them. However, their templates are OK. Easy enough to set up the Photoshop doc with the proper trim/bleed.

      Many local shops have the rounding dies for business cards. It's no longer a die-cut (and expensive) process; it's basically a variation on the three-hole drill equipment. Not all have this punch, though. It's a one-day outsource in most cities, for an additional few dollars.

      Just my $.02.

      gary
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      Gary Smith, Partner, Wells-Smith Partners
      Your Employee Handbook Personnel Policies for Small Businesses
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  • Profile picture of the author kiteg2
    There are some great tips and advice here, Ultimately it all come down to yout printer, how they want it deliveres, what format, what bleeds etc.

    Do a google search, and compare soem online printers, you upload the file in the format they want, often cmyk, you can proof it online and sometimes you need to tweak colour if you are using cmyk delivery.

    I've done it online a few times now and been very happy.

    And they included dlivery. All to easy.
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