Postcaeds & how to make them?

[Pink_Panther]

<Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Typo in title>

I am designing a few limited edition cards
I need to find a decent software program that will size and print double side etc.

Can you help?

Here is one of my efforts from son's pics in Afghanistan.

[astral276]

Why do you need specialist software?

The standard postcard is 6" x 4" (which is also the standard photograph size), you can get printer stock of that size.

Unless you have a printer that can auto feed to print on both sides you are going to have to print in two passes (i.e. turn the stock over) anyway.

Probably of more importance is the actual print method. Inkjet printing is not very colour fast, so if you want permanence you will have to look at other means of printing. Also you will probably want a printer that can print to the edge of stock - rather than leaving a margin/border.

[Pink_Panther]

Why do you need specialist software?

The standard postcard is 6" x 4" (which is also the standard photograph size), you can get printer stock of that size.

Unless you have a printer that can auto feed to print on both sides you are going to have to print in two passes (i.e. turn the stock over) anyway.

Probably of more importance is the actual print method. Inkjet printing is not very colour fast, so if you want permanence you will have to look at other means of printing. Also you will probably want a printer that can print to the edge of stock - rather than leaving a margin/border.

I need something to tell the printer to print at a specified size.
ie : the printer preview matches what comes out.

I've run some stuff off but can't get a decent ser up.

I should be able to get two images from an A4 sized sheet. (but it just centers with one image).

It's probably me being daft, but I just need an idiot proof way to produce my cards!

[astral276]

I would have thought any half decent graphics package would do that. You could even do it using something like Open Office Writer.

[TexasAda]

Sorry to say I don't have a suggestion for software but i do have a downer remark. I've tried doing stuff similar to that in the past and for me the worst part was getting both passes to hit the stock at the same spot so both front and back were placed as I wanted them within the borders of the card. 1/8" difference can make a lovely design look junky. Sometimes I ended up making one side print a slightly bigger size than the other, so I could trim off "overflow" to fit.

[Anniemcc2]

If it was me, I would use Vistaprint

[bykimbo]

Microsoft Publisher does this sort of thing. I don't know what it costs standalone, but there are probably cheap lookalikes.

[somersethedge]

I agree with annie.... sent you a pm pink

[Pink_Panther]

If it was me, I would use Vistaprint

I agree with annie.... sent you a pm pink

Thanks for the info!
After a bit of haggling on the phone I just ordered 100 cards for £5.92p all in!

Title: (Sunset over the Battlefield - Afghanistan 2007)

It's a nice shot of the sunset through a silhouette of barbed wire,

Downside is I got to wait 21 days for them to arrive.

[astral276]

Thanks for the info!
After a bit of haggling on the phone I just ordered 100 cards for £5.92p all in!

I wasn't aware Vistaprint did so much stuff (Thought they were just business cards). At that price you can't go wrong. I doubt you could produce them yourself at that price when you add up the cost of stock, ink, your time, and the damage to the surrounding area caused by the temper tantrums getting it to print right. Plus, unless you have a very expensive printer you are not going to get results of a quality good enough for sale.

I usually hold the view 'Don't pay someone to do what you can do yourself' - but this seems a no brainer.