Printing custom game cards at home can seem intimidating. But with the right equipment, it’s easier than you think. In this complete guide, as a professional custom game cards printing manufacturer, I’ll walk you through everything you need to design, print, and finish professional-quality game cards on your own.
The essential equipment for printing game cards
When people ask me “what equipment is needed to print a game card?”, the basics are pretty simple. Here is the essential gear:
A computer and graphic design software
Adobe software like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign work great. But free alternatives like GIMP can get the job done too. You need to layout your card art, text, and graphic elements digitally before sending it to print.
A home printer
Any consumer-grade inkjet or laser printer will work. But look for one that can handle heavier card stock paper for best results. An all-in-one printer with scanner is useful too.
Cardstock paper
Look for paper with a thickness of at least 120lb to give your cards durability. I recommend glossy or semi-gloss paper for smooth printing. Avoid textured cardstock.
A paper trimmer
This helps cut your printed sheets into individual cards with clean, precise edges. A guillotine paper cutter with a ruler guide is best for game cards.
Corner rounder
Rounding the corners makes cards easier to shuffle and gives them a polished, professional look. Get an affordable corner rounder punch tool.
That’s the basic gear for great looking game cards at home. But let’s look at some optional tools to take your card quality to the next level…
Advanced equipment and techniques
Once you’ve printed some cards with basic gear, you can start exploring more advanced equipment and techniques like:
Custom Dies and Presses
A custom die cutting machine trims paper to an exact shape using steel rule dies. Compared to hand cutting cards, this ensures every card has the identical dimensions. Perforating rules can even score cards for easy folding. Most online printing services offer custom die cutting options. Or you can look into buying an entry-level machine like the Cricut Explore Air 2.
Spot UV and Foiling
Spot UV coating adds a glossy sheen over certain areas of your card art for dramatic effects. Foil stamping lays down metallic color overlays in specific regions as well. While not cheap, both can greatly enhance card artwork. Some online printers offer these upgrades or you can use small foil stamping machines.
Embossing and Debossing
Embossing raises certain areas of card artwork to create a 3D relief effect. Debossing does the inverse, creating recessed areas instead. Well-placed embossing or debossing adds striking visual and tactile elements to cards. This typically requires commercial printing equipment, but ask your printer if they offer these finishing options.
The right techniques and a bit of practice lets you produce stunning game cards rivaling professional decks. And it’s incredibly rewarding to hold a deck of cards you created from start to finish!
Now let’s run through a quick start guide to printing your own cards for the first time…
How to print your own game cards: A step-by-step guide
Follow these steps when “What equipment is needed to print a game card?” is no longer a barrier and you’re ready to print:
1. Design Your Cards
Use Photoshop, Illustrator, or other graphic design software to layout your card faces, backs, and graphics.
2. Check Your Printer Settings
Confirm your home printer can handle 120lb glossy cardstock. Set quality to max DPI. Enable edge-to-edge borderless printing.
3. Print Onto Cardstock
Load your cardstock paper and print test sheets to check alignment. Print final card sheets one at a time to prevent jams.
4. Carefully Cut Cards
Use a paper trimmer to slice printed sheets into individual cards. Take it slow for clean edges. Round card corners with a corner rounder punch.
5. Play and Enjoy!
Admire your finished card deck! Invite friends over to test out your new game. Display your cards proudly and start thinking about your next design!
And that’s really all there is to creating your own trading cards, collectible cards, or any other types of custom game cards!
The right home printing equipment lets anyone design and produce their very own card-based games. Don’t be intimidated by the process – just take it step-by-step. Once you print your first successful deck, you’ll be hooked on bringing more card creations to life!
So grab some cardstock and fire up your home printer. It’s time to unleash your inner game designer! Let me know if this beginner’s guide helped you print your own cards for the first time.