Business cards dimensions for printing.

**zaoka** · 09 April 2010, 02:55 AM

My printing company ask me to meet the following requirements for business cards:

350dpi - i know how to do this
Final print size: Pixels: 700x1225 - i know how to do this
Size with bleed: Pixels: 735x1260 - i dont know how to do this
Color type: CMYK - i dont know how to do this, do I just select from color editor that it shows CYMK instead of RGB?

Also does CYMK and RGB differences apply only with vector formats or it also apply and effect printing color if I export as PDF?

What does it mean "outer margin", I dont understand this, can somebody give me example?

Thanks

**Albacore** · 09 April 2010, 10:31 AM

This is fairly straight forward. If you have a biz card and if the colour goes right to the edge then you have to give a bit of leeway when the card is being cut. Normally biz cards are printed in large sheets and then they are cut in rows to their "crop marks" which show the cutter where to trim. Now not every cut can be that precise so that you have got to have your colour and design going past the actual size of the card to allow for an inaccurate cut and this is called "Bleed".

CMYK is the colour mode used by printers. When you export your biz card as a PDF then it will be exported in that colour mode not the RGB that you see on your screen. This means that your colour in your design may look slightly washed out and you may have to adjust them.

Normally printers prefer m.m. in Europe and inches in the states. Have a search on this site for CMYK and you will see loads of answers and problems. If you want more info please don't hesitate and come back and ask.

**gwpriester** · 09 April 2010, 01:15 PM

In the Page Options dialog (Utilities > Page Options) change the size of the page to the card size. Add bleed if necessary (only if you have objects or photos that go off (bleed) the page.

Create your business card to the desired size, in the US the size is 3.5" x 2".

If your card has images that go beyond the end of the card add a small amount of extra space (bleed), again in the US about .125" around the edge of the card.

If you have photos, make sure that the resolution of the photo is the same or more than the resolution required by your printer (350dpi or better).

Export your image as PDF/X. In the Export > Options page, change the Rasterize Resolution to 350.

If you need more information let us know.

**zaoka** · 09 April 2010, 10:02 PM

What does it mean "outer margin"??

So basically if I expeort as PDF than colors should be the same because Xara already exported as CYMK, right?

**gwpriester** · 09 April 2010, 10:41 PM

There are two sizes for the business card. When I say, outer margin, I am referring to the bleed area around the card. The other size is the actual size of the business card after the bleed area has been cut off.

Xtreme exports a PDF in CMYK, this is correct. So you do not have to worry about color.

**Albacore** · 10 April 2010, 11:02 AM

Hope this clears everything up for you, colours included. Have a look at the png. file and the the pdf and look at the changes in colour. Because Xara uses the RGB colour mode and then when you export your file to PDF which is in the CMYK colour mode the colour are changed slightly. To get a better idea what your colours are going to look like after you export turn on "Simulate Printer Colours" under the Windows menu and then go down to Show Printers Colours.