Card Procedure
7” x 10” Card Stock
www.PaulRoark.com
8-2011
This is my basic procedure for making cards with 7x10” card stock, including, most often, the Red River
Polar Pearl Metallic scored card stock.1
1.
Resize image to 4.5” along the narrow dimension. The longer dimension can be up to 6.5”. No
resampling is needed, but if I do resample in order to reduce printing time and storage space, I use 720
dpi.
2.
Change the canvas size (Image>Canvas Size). 9.5” will replace the 4.5” of the image. For a
vertical image the expansion of the canvas will be to the left. With a horizontal shot, the expansion will
be above the image. The background color is white.
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See http://www.redrivercatalog.com/cardshop/scored/66-polar-pearl-metallic-framecard.html
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3.
Identify place or title of image and photographer on what will become the back of the card after
folding. Offset to the left of the center of the white canvas expansion. Recall that there will be ¼ inch of
white margin added to the edge of the card.
4.
Print the card, with the file rotated to have the image at the top.
5.
When centered in a 7x10, the final image on the card should have fairly even ¼” borders – on all
sides of the image if it was 4.5” x 6.5”.
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If the longer side of the image was less than 6.5” then there will be larger borders at the ends of the
image. With an 8x10 image aspect ratio, I find the larger borders appropriate. As such, I do not do any
cutting after printing.
Sometimes I want to put a message on the front of the card. The canvas size (max. 6.5 x 9.5”) the image
size need be adjusted accordingly.
And if the card is for personal use and not for sale, you’d be surprised at how many celebrity images can
be pulled off the internet (this one from “Mad Men”).
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6.
Fold the card when dry. To protect the image I place the image face down on a piece of paper
that is on a flat, hard surface. I pull the back side corners to those of the front and press down. The fold
benefits from burnishing with a fingernail or other hard, smooth object.
7.
The envelopes that will fit these cards are size A7. Red River sells them here:
http://www.redrivercatalog.com/cardshop/envelopes/white.htm
8.
If you are selling the cards individually, clear bags are sold here:
http://www.redrivercatalog.com/acc/clear-greeting-card-display-bags.html
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