How to Make Playing Cards: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making custom playing cards can be a fun and rewarding experience, whether for personal use, as a unique gift, or even to start your own card game brand. There are two primary avenues to explore: using print on demand services or printing your playing cards at home.
The Rising Trend of Personalized Playing Cards
The truth is the playing cards market is experiencing growth.
How much?
Well according to market research, there is a projected growth of around 7.75% from 2024 to 2028.
Some of the growth is thanks to the increasing global interest in cardistry and card magic. Which understandable would require very personalized playing cards that would match their style and brand.
Beyond this, people have more options than ever before to create their own personal deck. Take a look at platforms like Etsy and Kickstarter, there has been a boom of interest towards custom made products.
For DIY crafters or those with a strong passion towards a certain topic, you could find joy in creating something unique that aligns with your hobby. Custom playing cards cater to a wide audience and serve multiple purposes, making them a versatile and appealing project.
So now you understand a little bit more about the market trends lets go over the basics.
The Basics of Making Playing Cards
Before diving into the world of personalized playing card printing, it’s essential to understand the basics and the options that are available.
First, consider the design.
What theme or purpose will your cards serve? Will they feature intricate artwork, simple designs, or photographs? The design will set the tone for your entire project.
Even if you do not have a solid foundation now, I would recommend writing a mind map of ideas beginning with your hobbies and then go through some simple sketches.
Next, think about the materials. Playing cards are typically made from high-quality cardstock, which is durable and has a smooth finish, and recently, plastic cards are being used as they are even more durable and waterproof.
But you will definitely have a difficult time trying to make a plastic version at home.
The choice of material will affect the overall feel and longevity of your cards.
Therefore if you are a little bit stuck on how to choose the right cardstock we have a guide for that.
Well, at this stage you might consider what are my options are for creating custom playing cards with a professional printing company.
I got you covered for this.
Below are three different companies you can choose to go with, each of them have their strengths and weaknesses and I’ve provided a link to each of them for you to browse at your convenience.
- Printer Studio:(PS) They offer a wide range of card stock options, finishes, and packaging choices, making them a favorite for both personal and commercial use.
- The Game Crafter: Known for its focus on custom card games, The Game Crafter allows you to create fully personalized decks, including custom box designs. It’s a great option if you’re looking to launch your own card game.
- QPMN: QPMN specializes in high quality custom playing cards and jigsaw puzzles, offering high-quality materials and flexible customization options. With bulk discount options and advanced design tools, this supplier is perfect for those looking to scale their business.
By selecting the right print company, you can ensure that your custom playing cards are printed to the highest standards, with minimal hassle. I’ll go over this more towards the end.
How to Make Your Own Playing Cards at Home
If you’re wondering how to print your own playing cards at home, here’s a list of the essential materials and tools you’ll need:
- Card Stock: Choose a high-quality, durable card stock. A weight of around 300-350 GSM (grams per square meter) is ideal for playing cards. You can find card stock at most printer supply stores.
- Printer: You’ll need a high-resolution inkjet or laser printer that can handle thicker paper. Make sure your printer can print in color if your designs require it.
- Template Software: You can use graphic design software (like Adobe Illustrator, Canva, or free alternatives) to create your card designs. Many websites offer free playing card templates to help you get started.
- Cutting Tools: A precision paper cutter or rotary cutter is essential for cutting your cards to the correct size. While scissors can work for small batches, they won’t give you the clean, professional edges needed for larger projects.
- Corner Rounder: Playing cards typically have rounded corners. A corner rounder tool will help you achieve that classic card look.
- Lamination (Optional): If you want to protect your cards and make them more durable, consider laminating them. You can purchase a small home laminator or use self-laminating sheets.
Step by Step Guide
Step 1: Plan Your Design
- Start by deciding on the theme or concept for your deck. Consider what images, colors, and text you want to include.
- Sketch out your ideas, focusing on the front and back designs for the cards.
Step 2: Select Your Materials
- Choose high-quality cardstock for durability. Look for cardstock that is thick enough for repeated handling but thin enough to shuffle easily (A good range can be 300 - 350 GSM).
Step 3: Design Using Software
- Use design software like Adobe Illustrator or Canva to create your card designs. These tools offer templates and design elements to help you craft professional-looking cards.
- Ensure your designs are set to the correct dimensions, typically poker size (2.5 x 3.5 inches).
Step 4: Print the Cards
- Print a test sheet to check colors, alignment, and design quality. Adjust as necessary.
- Use a high-quality printer for the final prints or consider a professional printing service for the best results.
Step 5: Cut the Cards
- Carefully cut out each card using a paper cutter or craft knife and ruler for precise edges.
- Make sure all the cards are uniform in size for a consistent deck.
- Round the corners with the corner rounder.
Step 6: Add Finishing Touches
- Consider laminating your cards for added durability and a professional feel.
- If you want a more tactile finish, consider using a spray or paint-on varnish.
Step 7: Personalize Further
- Add unique touches like signatures, embossing, or stamps to personalize your cards even more.
- Package your cards in a custom box or band to complete the presentation.
Tips for Success:
- Double-check the alignment and spacing in your design files to ensure accurate printing.
- Use high-resolution images and graphics to prevent pixelation.
- If using a professional printer, feel free to consult with them about the best file formats and settings to use.
Additional note.
The step by step guide is for making playing cards to be produced on a printer. You can absolutely skip the design software and printer steps. As you can also achieve very striking custom make playing cards by hand.
How to Make Playing Cards Professionally
The process between DIY and professional routes is nearly identical.
Firstly, you still need to plan and design your idea.
Secondly, you still require design software and a computer + scanner to upload your images.
Though the steps afterwards are smooth sailing.
Because in terms of materials and printing finishes, the world is your oyster, or in other words you should have nearly all available materials and printing finishes to choose from. Printing is done on industrial grade printers and cut to precision.
The result is a very premium personalized playing card deck.
It might sound like a brainer to go professional and have all the materials and equipment waiting for you and I know some of you are thinking about how expensive it will be printing professionally.
So, let’s look at the differences.
DIY Printing
Pros:
DIY printing offers creative control and can be a rewarding experience. You’ll have the freedom to experiment with designs and make unlimited adjustments as needed up to the very last moment and, heck, you could pull the plug at any moment.
Cost effective, this one you must evaluate your resources before considering it to be a pro for DIY. Depending on the level of quality you want your final personalized playing card deck to be, you may need to invest in a high-quality printer, cutting tools, card stock and art supplies.
On the other hand, if you have most of the items and you’re happy to use existing printer and card stock then yes, this method is very cost effective.
And finally, you get immediate results and gratification. Once you laminate or finish cutting the edges off the last custom playing card, you can use them right away.
Cons:
While you have the freedom to design and craft at your leisure, ultimately, it’s going to be a lengthy process from designing, printing and cutting the cards by hand. A typical playing card deck has 52 cards excluding the jokers.
You might not have the resources available or be able to purchase them optimally as you desire, for example, a card stock may come in packs of 20, and if you were wishing to test the difference between the thickness that’s going to cost more.
Finally, as you are potentially hand drawing, printing and cutting them yourself, there could be many areas which, if not done right, could cause inconsistencies.
Professional Custom Playing Card Printing
Pros:
High quality output, and let me tell you, if it is not high quality, return it and either get them to redo or get a refund. You should expect nothing less when going with a professional print company.
If you were planning on making more than one custom deck or planning on selling them, you would need to be able to scale your operation. Not just scale, you need to deliver quality on every deck. Printing companies are poised to do this and do it every day.
Cons:
Without a doubt there is a higher upfront cost if there are initial setup costs and potentially minimum order requirements.
Longer turnaround time as there could be delays in printing or shipping times.
And there you have it, the comparison to making your own playing cards via DIY or with a printing company.
And if you managed to reach this far, please allow me to introduce a third option which may be particularly appealing to those who fall under the following conditions.
- Want to print professional but don’t want to pay the high upfront cost
- Do not want to be limited by MOQ
- Want to start a side business
Would that be something that interests you?
Then let me introduce to you the print on demand business model and QPMN.
Print on Demand Services
Print on demand (POD) is an excellent solution for anyone looking to produce high-quality playing cards without the hassle of dealing with printing equipment or large upfront costs. These services allow you to upload your custom designs and order cards as needed.
The business model works just like dropshipping, where you only place an order and pay when you receive an order and payment yourself. In theory, your balance sheet will not go into the negatives, but in reality, you would still need to pay for marketing and overhead costs, so you should consider that.
The difference between the two lies in the products you sell, which are your personalized playing cards, not random pre-produced items. The products are printed on demand, meaning they are not mass-produced and stored in a warehouse; printing only starts when you place the order.
That was quite a bit to take in, but if you would like to learn more about print on demand, then this is a comprehensive guide on how to start a print on demand business.
Companies like QP Market Network (QPMN) offer user-friendly platforms to design your cards, choose from various card stocks and finishes, and receive professionally printed decks delivered to your doorstep. Unique benefits of QPMN include:
- Adaptive Bulk Discounts: You can consolidate multiple orders, including different designs, to be eligible for higher bulk discounts.
- Card Stock: Choose from nine different card stocks that offer a variety of textures.
- Card Finish: Determine the visual appearance of the cards from our finish options.
Beyond this, I should mention that the POD Design Tool is unique among print on demand platforms in that it is specifically designed for creating cards, both front and back, with any number of cards you want per deck.
Conclusion
Printing your own playing cards is a rewarding and creative project that offers endless possibilities. Whether you’re a board game enthusiast, DIY crafter, or small business owner, making your own playing cards allows you to express your creativity and bring joy to others. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can design, print, and market your own unique decks.
On the other hand, you can choose to partner with print on demand company to start a side business or just print a single premium deck. The choice is always with you.
Don’t hesitate to share your experiences and creations with us. We love seeing the innovative and beautiful designs our readers come up with. Happy printing!
On the other hand, you can choose to partner with print on demand company to start a side business or just print a single premium deck.
The choice is always with you.
Don’t hesitate to share your experiences and creations with us. We love seeing the innovative and beautiful designs our readers come up with. Happy printing!