Card Printing · Formats & construction
Photo Card Printing
Photo cards place a photograph on a portable print format with an optional message or identity on the reverse.
- Coated image face; writable reverse where required
- Coated card
- Image keepsake
Start with the intended use, finished size and quantity. The material and construction can follow.
The product in use
An image face with a separately planned message side
A photo card places an image on a small, portable printed surface, with an optional message or writing side. The final trim and corner shape define the crop. A coated image face and a writable reverse have different surface requirements and can be specified separately.
What makes up the finished product?
- Printed faces
- Identify every front and its matching reverse; a shared back still requires a defined orientation.
- Card construction
- Surface, opacity, thickness and corner shape work together to determine handling and readability.
- Image versions
- Count each photo and reverse design as a separate version so printed quantities match the intended assortment.
Specifications and materials
Photo Card Printing specifications
Use these reference options to build the project brief. Dimensions are design examples; material availability, tooling and production timing depend on the confirmed specification.
| Parameter | Reference or option | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Finished dimensions | 105 × 148 mm | An A6 photo-card example provides a familiar small print area; borders change the visible crop. Design reference, not a factory limit. |
| Image and reverse surface | Coated image face; writable reverse where required | A film-covered reverse may not accept the intended pen even when the photograph looks good. |
| Artwork and collation | Unique face count, reverse groups, copies per design and cards per packed unit | A full manifest prevents missing cards, mixed versions and incorrect front-to-back pairings. |
| Cut and handling | Finished size, specified corner geometry and surface finish | Assess bend, edge condition, stacking and any writing or scanning function on the finished card. |
| Material construction | Coated card or Uncoated card | Compare the actual grade and construction. Compare a trimmed sample for stiffness and surface handling. |
| Coated-card reference | 300 or 350 g/m² coated card for physical comparison | Fedrigoni Symbol Card 2SC supplier examples. Choose by finished stiffness and writing or image requirements; this does not prove dark-core opacity. |
| Format and order unit | individual finished cards per artwork or person | List components and versions separately so quantities refer to the same finished unit. |
| Finishing choice | Gloss emphasizes reflections; matte reduces glare but gives a different visual impression of deep tones. | Approve the proposed material and process combination on an appropriate sample. |
Compare the material and its effect.
Choose the surface and construction for the way the finished product will be used. The options below are selection references, not a guaranteed inventory list.
Coated card
300 or 350 g/m² supplier reference grades
Smooth coated card supports printed illustrations. Equal GSM does not ensure equal thickness, rigidity or opacity.
Sample check: Compare a trimmed sample for stiffness and surface handling.
Uncoated card
White or colored uncoated card
An open surface suits handwriting and a tactile finish. Ink appearance and fine detail change with the surface.
Sample check: Test the intended pen or stamp on the finished surface.
Selected sample focus — Coated card: Compare a trimmed sample for stiffness and surface handling.
Format & usable space
Photo Card Size, Image Crop & Reverse Surface
105 × 148 mm
An A6 photo-card example provides a familiar small print area; borders change the visible crop.
This is a design reference, not a required size or a manufacturing limit.
Image and reverse surface
Coated image face; writable reverse where required
A film-covered reverse may not accept the intended pen even when the photograph looks good.
View the original format reference
Surface finish options
Printed card faces
Choose film or selective gloss around the artwork. Keep signatures, redemption codes and machine-readable areas clear where required; check glare, scanner readability and compatibility with any personalization.
Matte lamination View effect & artwork guidance
Gloss lamination View effect & artwork guidance
Spot UV View effect & artwork guidance
Illustrative finish samples, not photographs of this product. Final suitability follows the confirmed stock, construction and approved sample.
Compare all surface finishes
Details that change the finished product
Inspect the printed cards as a complete unit
Decide between image sheen and writing space
Approve the crop at final trim and compare a representative portrait on the proposed surface. Keep faces away from trim and corner cuts.
Image and reverse surface
A film-covered reverse may not accept the intended pen even when the photograph looks good. A complete card set checks front-to-back matching, cutting, handling and the supplied pack count.
Surface and finishing compatibility
Gloss emphasizes reflections; matte reduces glare but gives a different visual impression of deep tones. Smooth coated card supports printed illustrations. Equal GSM does not ensure equal thickness, rigidity or opacity. Compare a trimmed sample for stiffness and surface handling.
Photo Keepsakes & Mailed Image Cards
Image keepsake
Review crop, shadow detail and paper shade on a representative photograph.
Mailed photograph
Specify the writing and address surface separately from the image finish.
Solve the risk before production
Check Photo Cropping & Reverse-Side Writing
The critical finished-product check
A subject can be cropped by a border or corner tool even when the image file is correct. Use the final trim overlay and verify a finished proof.
The writing side takes the wrong finish
Why it happens: A full-surface finish is applied to a reverse intended for a message.
Fix and check: Map the image and writing sides separately and write on the final sample.
When to choose another format
Photo Cards, Postcards & Writing-First Note Cards
| Alternative | Use and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Postcard Printing | A mailing card adds address and message layout requirements to the image face. |
| Note Card Printing | A writing-first card gives the paper surface priority over photographic gloss. |
Sample and approval
Review the Photograph after Trimming & Finishing
Free samples are available, with preparation completed within 15 days. Confirm the sample scope; courier arrangements and transit time are separate.
Structural sample
Checks dimensions, fit and assembly using unprinted or representative materials. It does not establish final color.
Printed proof
Checks text, image reproduction and artwork on the agreed proof medium. It may not reproduce final assembly or every finish.
Complete finished sample
A complete card set checks front-to-back matching, cutting, handling and the supplied pack count.
From brief to delivery
Order Details for Photo Card Printing
Build and approve the order in five steps
Send the project brief
Send image versions, border width, reverse print and envelope or parcel use. Include finished dimensions, quantity by version, destination and required arrival date. If a configuration is undecided, describe the intended use.
Compare the quoted configuration
Compare the same quantity basis: individual finished cards per artwork or person. Check that the quote identifies materials, finishing, included components, sample scope, packing and freight.
Approve the appropriate sample
A complete card set checks front-to-back matching, cutting, handling and the supplied pack count. A print proof checks artwork and color; a complete finished sample also checks assembly. Record what the selected sample does and does not reproduce.
Confirm files and release production
Approve the final artwork revision and the image and reverse surface specification. Record the agreed quantity, payment conditions, packing and production schedule in the order.
Confirm packing and dispatch
State cards per deck or bundle, box components, assortment rules and carton labels. Confirm production completion and transit as separate dates, using the delivery destination and required arrival date.
- Supply front and back files with a matching ID list. Keep trim bleed separate from safe text and corner-cut areas; supply finishing masks as named separations.
- Extend edge-to-edge trim artwork by 3 mm unless the approved template specifies a different bleed. Use approximately 300 effective ppi for continuous-tone images at their placed size; keep fine linework as vectors where possible.
Project questions
Planning Photo Card Printing
Can different photographs share the same reverse?
Yes. Supply the quantity for each image and a pairing map to the shared reverse. If reverse details also change, treat those combinations as identified versions rather than assuming one common back.
How should I specify quantities and versions?
Count individual finished cards per artwork or person. State image versions, border width, reverse print and envelope or parcel use; components, language versions and different structures must be listed separately.
What determines the minimum quantity and delivery schedule?
The selected stock, construction, finishing, version count and sample scope determine production planning. Request quantity breaks for the same configuration and an arrival-date plan that separates sampling, manufacturing and transit. No minimum or lead time is implied by the design examples above.
Specify the finished product.
Send image versions, border width, reverse print and envelope or parcel use. Include finished dimensions, quantity by version, destination and required arrival date.