Cards Required Specifications
For best results, prepare your PDF using InDesign or Affinity Publisher. (Use Photoshop or an
image-editing program to work with your art.) We offer templates and tutorials to help you in
prepping your printed card product for Adobe InDesign and for Affinity Publisher.
You must adhere to these specifications:
- Create a single PDF for each card deck.
- First page is the card back (of card 1), second page is that card’s face, third page is the card back (of card 2), fourth page is that card’s face, and so on throughout the deck. The order of the pages in the PDF will be the order of the deck’s printed cards.
- No common border color between backs/faces required.
- Images contained in your PDF must be 300 dpi.
- The physical size of the image(s) should at least be the size of the card. If your image is smaller than that and you upsize the image, your card images may become pixelated.
- Files must be CMYK with your ink coverage not exceeding 240%. (A CMYK mix for a vibrant and rich black is C60%, M40%, Y40%, K100%.)
- Images used in layout should not be png, png files can not be CMYK. Please use tif, psd, or if you need to jpg.
- A bleed of 1/8” (.125”) on all four sides is required. If your art does not bleed, bleed a white or black border from the safety to the bleed edge.
- Do not place any important art or text closer than 1/8” (.125”) from any finished edge.
- Do not set a die-cut for the round corners into the layout.
- Export as PDF/X-1a:2003 with all fonts embedded. (Do not include printer/crop marks.)
Poker-sized card layout
- The finished size is 2.5” x 3.5” for U.S. Poker-sized cards or 63mm x 88mm for Euro Poker-sized cards. But you must add a bleed of 1/8” on all four sides. Final layout size: 2.75” x 3.75” (U.S. Poker) or 2.73” x 3.71” (Euro Poker).
Mini-sized card layout
- The finished size is 1.625” x 2.5”. But you must add a bleed of 1/8” on all four sides.
Final layout size: 1.875” x 2.75”.
Tarot-sized card layout
- The finished size is 2.75” x 4.75” for Tarot-sized cards. But you must add a bleed of 1/8” on
all four sides. Final layout size: 3.00” x 5.00”.
6" X 6" tile layout
- Full color on both sides. Printed on Premium (11.4-point, 310gsm) card stock. Finished with
a low-gloss, eco-friendly water-based AQ satin coating and square-cut corners. - The finished size is 6" X 6" for these tiles. But you must add a bleed of 1/8” on
all four sides. Final layout size: 6.25” x 6.25”.
8" X 10" tile layout
- Full color on both sides. Printed on Premium (11.4-point, 310gsm) card stock. Finished with
a low-gloss, eco-friendly water-based AQ satin coating and square-cut corners. - The finished size is 8" X 10" for these tiles. But you must add a bleed of 1/8” on
all four sides. Final layout size: 8.25” x 10.25”.
8.5" X 11" page layout
- Full color on one side (4/0). Printed on our Premium (11.4-point, 310gsm) card stock.
Finished with square-cut corners. Uncoated. - Set up the PDF so that every other page is blank (since 8.5” x 11” pages are one-sided).
The first page should contain content, the second page should be blank, the
third page should contain content, the fourth page should be blank, and so on. - The finished size is 8.5" X 11" for these tiles. But you must add a bleed of 1/8” on
all four sides. Final layout size: 8.75” x 11.25”.
12" X 18" page layout
- Full color on one side (4/0). Printed on glossy Deluxe 100# Text Paper. Finished with square-cut corners. Folded once for shipment.
- Set up the PDF so that every other page is blank (since the 12” x 18” posters are one-sided).
The first page should contain content, the second page should be blank, the
third page should contain content, the fourth page should be blank, and so on. - The finished size is 12" X 18" for these tiles. But you must add a bleed of 1/8” on
all four sides. Final layout size: 12.25” x 18.25”.
Card Ordering
The order of the pages in the PDF will be the order of the deck's printed cards. Page 1 of your PDF and the Last Page of your PDF will be cards/graphics visible, top and bottom.
Portrait vs. Landscape
Regardless of how your cards are meant to be played, your print-ready PDF must be in portrait orientation.
If your cards are meant to be played horizontally (landscape), it may impact how your file is prepped.
If you want your cards to flip this way:
... then your PDF will contain the pages/cards rotated the same way, like so:
[Samples courtesy of partner Cheapass Games and "Falling: Real Time Card Game."]
If you want your cards to flip this way:
... alternate the orientation every other page, like so:
[Samples courtesy of Sam Mustafa Publishing.]
Digital Rulebook and Print-n-Play Cards
- Specifications - Rulebook and Print-n-Play
- Template US Poker-sized Print-n-Play - Print-n-Play BLEED
- Template US Poker-sized Print-n-Play - Print-n-Play NO BLEED
- Template - Rulesheet US Letter (if you'd like a single foldable print-n-play rulesheet)
- Template - Rulesheet A4 (if you'd like a single foldable print-n-play rulesheet)
Common Card Preparation Issues and Solutions