Cards
- Thread starter KAL-EL
- Start date
I've printed my own before; needed a deck to use for my performance at a local exhibition, but wasn't really ready to get my custom decks all worn out from the handling. Wasn't cheap though, cost about US10 for that deck, and that was because I had a local contact who was willing to print it. The only problem, really, was the finish. I was using the same finish as laminated name cards, kinda like plastic, so fanning and spreading was a bit of hell.
Were they printed at this persons home or was this an actual business that offers this as a service?
Many people tell me to print them on my own, but I worry that the finish and quality of the finish product won't be that great. I've spent several months looking for someone or a company (other that USPC) to print my design. I haven't had that much luck.
Many people tell me to print them on my own, but I worry that the finish and quality of the finish product won't be that great. I've spent several months looking for someone or a company (other that USPC) to print my design. I haven't had that much luck.
Uh, actually there's a couple of options for you. Where I live there isn't any specialized place for printing cards, and any online places that I did find normally do runs of above 500 (which is not very helpful for people like us who just want a brick at best). I get my design, get a deck of blank cards (Bikes with both sides blank but with Air Cushion finish), and I go to a shop that does digital printing. There's many of these kind of shops that print large format posters, vinyls and all that whatnot. If they're really good they will be able to print the cards for you; you just have to mount them on a good piece of paper and run it through their namecard printer. This doesn't apply to every company though; I've only managed to find one that actually was willing, and the price isn't *very* cheap, but its still cheaper than going for custom decks. If you can get your hands on an uncut sheet, boy oh boy, that's your lucky day. I think you can see why.
Alternatively, just ask to print double-sided business namecards on heavy paper. Ask that they be laminated with plastic finish, then when you're done dust some fanning powder on them (so long they're not a black deck). Not great, but works fine.
Alternatively, just ask to print double-sided business namecards on heavy paper. Ask that they be laminated with plastic finish, then when you're done dust some fanning powder on them (so long they're not a black deck). Not great, but works fine.
Sounds like you've put a lot of work and time into this. Going based on what you're saying there's a big chance that the quality of the cards aren't going to be that great even if you're paying so much money.
I'd rather not sacrifice the quality of the finished product. I want my cards to look professional in case some people want to buy them.
It might sound like I'm picky, but if I'm going to pay top dollar then I expect good quality.
You did however give me the idea of going this route and make one or two decks just to see how the cards are going to look and change anything that needs to be changed. Thanks!!!!
I'd rather not sacrifice the quality of the finished product. I want my cards to look professional in case some people want to buy them.
It might sound like I'm picky, but if I'm going to pay top dollar then I expect good quality.
You did however give me the idea of going this route and make one or two decks just to see how the cards are going to look and change anything that needs to be changed. Thanks!!!!
If you're getting custom cards, definitely get them from Kardwell. I recently got about 80 custom deck for my Bar Mitzvah and the cards weren't half bad.
I think he just means overall. Indeed, the quality of the cards suffer when you DIY them, but I guess I'm willing to make a teeny weeny bit of sacrifice on that for my own back designs. Actually it doesn't take a lot of work, because most of the time designs are relatively fine to do, and the printing's not my business - I just collect the final product, give the guy the moolah and we say goodbye to each other for the day. See, I use cards for a lot of purposes, not just normal magic, and I need a combination of branding, quality and cost per deck. I could definitely get a brick of Vipers or something but if I go around using them at one deck a day I'll lose money faster than I earn it.
However, seeing as you mentioned you were designing cards with the intention of getting people to purchase them, then I'll fully agree with you.
1) Top Quality
2) Nice design, and nice printing of design
3) Good Finish, Stock and Long Lasting
4) A good card box to go with it
(4) is exceptionally important. I had a friend who went to a proper printer to print his cards, and everything was good. (He was printing quite a large run). The design was fine, the finish was passable but they came wrapped in shrink-wrap, and for all purposes that makes the deck like... single use unless you have a lot of spare boxes on hand.
Well at any rate, if anyone knows where I can print good quality decks with small runs (something along the order of maybe say, 5 decks at best?) Please do let me know as well. Most of the time the problem with printing good quality cards (I think Kal-El might have encountered the same problem) is not that there's no lack of printing companies, but they print like 10k decks each run, which for the poor magician like me will be enough to cover my room walls and flooring twice over.
However, seeing as you mentioned you were designing cards with the intention of getting people to purchase them, then I'll fully agree with you.
1) Top Quality
2) Nice design, and nice printing of design
3) Good Finish, Stock and Long Lasting
4) A good card box to go with it
(4) is exceptionally important. I had a friend who went to a proper printer to print his cards, and everything was good. (He was printing quite a large run). The design was fine, the finish was passable but they came wrapped in shrink-wrap, and for all purposes that makes the deck like... single use unless you have a lot of spare boxes on hand.
Well at any rate, if anyone knows where I can print good quality decks with small runs (something along the order of maybe say, 5 decks at best?) Please do let me know as well. Most of the time the problem with printing good quality cards (I think Kal-El might have encountered the same problem) is not that there's no lack of printing companies, but they print like 10k decks each run, which for the poor magician like me will be enough to cover my room walls and flooring twice over.