Now that Apple has made it possible to create Safari Extensions I’ve been looking for some useful ones. After searching the Web a bit and browsing Apple’s Safari Extensions Gallery, these are the ones I have installed:
AdBlock for Safari: Blocks ads (and prevents ad code from being downloaded)
Type-To-Navigate: Lets you highlight and follow links without taking your hands off the keyboard. Type any text that occurs inside a link and then hit return to follow the link.
BetterSource: View source (original or generated) with syntax highlighting and line numbers.
ClickToFlash: Replaces all Flash objects with a placeholder, letting you decide if and when to view Flash content.
Resizer: Lets you specify and quickly switch between a number of preset window sizes and their on-screen positions. Great for getting your preferred window size back after you’ve had to make your browser window wider to accommodate an over-wide site.
Safari Validator: Like the HTML Validator extension for Firefox, Safari Validator performs local HTML validation inside the browser. Note: I haven’t been able to get it to actually work, but it is so useful that I’m mentioning it anyway.
At the end of last year, we published a comprehensive list of web design and development conferences that might be of interest to Smashing Magazine’s diverse readership. Many readers commented and added links to other conferences and events that weren’t listed, some of which were added to the post. Using the contents of that list along with some other sources, we’ve compiled a list of web design and development-related conferences and events that will be taking place in the next six to eight months.
As always, there is no way for us to be able to include every possible event here, but we’ll be glad to update the list if you provide a comment to an upcoming event that you feel would be of interest to graphic designers or web developers.
While the previous roundup was organized by category, this one lists the events in chronological order starting with the earliest. Jump to an appropriate month using the links below:
FITC Mobile 2010 FITC Mobile covers all aspects of mobile content development — with presentations, demonstrations, and panel discussions. Covering iPhone/iPad, Android, Flash 10.1, Windows Mobile, HTML5, Unity, Marketing, Usability, and other relevant topics in the mobile world.
When: September 16-18, 2010 Where: Toronto, ON, Canada at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre
An Event Apart D.C. “From the makers of A List Apart, An Event Apart is an intensely educational two-day conference for passionate practitioners of standards-based web design. If you care about code as well as content, usability as well as design, An Event Apart is the conference you’ve been waiting for.”
When: September 16-18, 2010 Where: Washington, D.C., USA at the Washington Hilton
London Design Festival “The London Design Festival is a nine-day celebration of design in the world’s creative capital. The Festival is a platform for the widest spectrum of design disciplines, brought together as a unique and accessible programme.”
When: September 18-26, 2010 Where: London, UK at a number of different venues across the city
MOBILE 2.0 “The MOBILE 2.0 Conference is a two-day event focusing on new Mobile Applications and Services, Mobile Ecosystems, and Disruptive Mobile Innovation presented by the Mobile 2.0 Organizing Committee. For Mobile Developers we have designed an entire day for you to hear about the latest developer tools and monetization techniques.”
When: September 20-21, 2010 Where: Silicon Valley, CA, USA at the Grand Hyatt & the Microsoft Silicon Valley Conference Center
Design For Mobile 2010 “Design For Mobile (D4M) is a multi-faceted conference aimed at engaging the mobile community in a shared discussion about the future of mobile and ‘the mobile now.’ This is a conference focused on strategy and tactics for user research, product definition, usability testing, interaction and design. D4M is comprised of both preliminary and advanced workshops that flank three full days of speakers and interactive sessions.”
When: September 20-24, 2010 Where: Evanston, IL, U.S.A at The Hilton Orrington
Web Directions USA “CSS3, HTML5, Geolocation, mobile web — we’re seeing an explosion of innovation in design and development unlike at almost any other time in the web’s history. To keep you ahead of the curve, Web Directions USA features leading web practitioners, bringing you the freshest technologies, techniques and know-how.”
When: September 21-25, 2010 Where: Atlanta, Georgia, USA at the Loews Atlanta Hotel
National Association of Government Webmasters Conference “The NAGW National Conference is the premier conference that focuses on local, state and regional government web professionals. Local, regional, state and federal government web professionals join their peers at the conference for two and a half days of education, training and networking in a relaxed professional environment.”
When: September 22-24, 2010 Where: St. Louis, MO, USA at the Millennium Hotel
European Information Architecture Summit “A summit for anyone concerned with the design of navigation, organization, labeling, and search systems that help people find and manage information more successfully.”
When: September 23-25, 2010 Where: Paris, France at Les Salons de l’Aveyron
Flash on the Beach “Don’t think that Flash on the Beach is only about Flash. Sure appearing at FOTB in the past we have had the usual suspects — Flash, Flex, AIR, and then some. Open Frameworks, Processing, AJAX, Photoshop, After Effects, Art, Design, Illustration, Animation, Sound and many more. Whether you are a tech-head or a creative, if you are a decision maker or a team manager, if you are in need of a fix of creative inspiration, or want to know the latest how-to’s, Flash on the Beach is where you’ll get it.”
When: September 26-29, 2010 Where: Brighton, UK at the Brighton Dome
BlackBerry® Developer Conference “The BlackBerry® Developer Conference is a premier showcase for what can be done with BlackBerry apps, attended by thousands of the world’s most enthusiastic developers, BlackBerry experts, and Research In Motion® (RIM®) partners. It’s the place to get technical, code-driven information that can be applied to projects; the place where new tools and technologies can be experienced for the first time; the place for getting your questions answered, or finding the inspiration to go further with mobile applications than you ever imagined possible.”
When: September 27-30, 2010 Where: San Francisco, CA, USA at the Marriot Marquis
The ExpressionEngine and CodeIgniter Conference “At the ExpressionEngine & CodeIgniter Conference you can meet the experts, be inspired and break new boundaries! This event brings you presentations and workshops from your favorite EE & CI speakers. Both beginners and experienced users will benefit from a variety of topics and sessions: discover how your favourite content management system and PHP framework can bend even further!”
When: September 29 – October 1, 2010 Where: Leiden, The Netherleands at De Stadsgehoorzaal theatre
Forward – Phoenix Design Week 2010 “The beauty of Phoenix Design Week is that it enables us to put Phoenix design on a pedestal. Throughout Design Week, there are many ways this is being executed, but one of the coolest ways we manifest this goal is by giving you options to showcase your own creative prowess.”
When: September 29 – October 3, 2010 Where: Phoenix, AZ, USA at the Phoenix Convention Center plus other locations
IDEA Conference “IDEA2010 is a design conference tailored for you. This year’s unique mix of traditional presentations with structured activity time assures that you’ll get high-level concepts from big thinkers, and the space to apply them with peers.”
When: September 30 – October 2, 2010 Where: Philadelphia, PA, USA at the Independence Seaport Museum
October 2010 Events
A Better World by Design Conference “A Better World by Design is a three-day internationally acclaimed conference in Providence, RI that connects students, professionals, and individuals from a variety of disciplines in order to build a global community of socially conscious and passionate innovators. Presenters share engaging stories, workshops teach creative skills, and discussions reframe perspectives.”
When: October 1-3, 2010 Where: Providence, RI, U.S.A at Brown University & RISD Campuses
Future of Web Apps “The Future of Web Apps is a conference for web developers and entrepreneurs. You’ll learn about cutting-edge tech and exciting new ideas.”
When: October 4-6, 2010 Where: London, UK at The Brewery
Fronteers “Founded in 2007, Fronteers is the non-profit trade organization of Dutch front-end developers. Its goals include the professionalisation of our trade, (improved) recognition of the front-end discipline, and improving the position of Dutch front-end developers in their company and the web design/development world in general.”
DesignPhiladelphia “Through its events and programming, DesignPhiladelphia showcases the role that design has played historically in Philadelphia, and celebrates the city’s contemporary significance as a center for creative advancement. Through the breadth of our events, DesignPhiladelphia unites the creative disciplines – from architecture to interior design, fashion to product design, multi-media to graphic design.”
When: October 7-17, 2010 Where: Philadelphia, PA, USA at various locations
5D|10 The Future of Immersive Design Conference “5D | The Future of Immersive Design is the visionary, international conference for all designers, practitioners and students working in the fields of narrative media.”
When: October 8-9, 2010 Where: Long Beach, CA, USA at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center
International PHP Conference “With its mixture of topics the International PHP Conference provides an ideal resource for all professionals and their successful daily routine within the whole PHP spectrum. Insights into current Web 2.0 technologies, Security, Best Practices for tools and components, Enterprise know-how, databases, architectures and more are presented at the International PHP Conference 2009.”
When: October 11-13, 2010 Where: Mainz, Germany at the Rheingoldhalle
Web Directions South “Featuring leading web practitioners from across the world, bringing you the freshest technologies, techniques and know-how in web design and development, along with numerous networking and social opportunities. If you work on the web, Web Directions South is the industry event of the year.”
When: October 12-16, 2010 Where: Sydney, Australia at the Sydney Convention and Exhi bition Centre
AIGA Gain “The premier biennial event for business and design leaders. Attendees will learn how industry leaders addressed business challenges through design—and how they reinvented their businesses, their strategies and even themselves. We’ll hear business, design and thought leaders share their innovative approaches to generating greater return on investment, fostering emotional connections and providing positive brand experiences for customers.”
When: October 14-16, 2010 Where: New York City, NY, USA at The Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
Voices That Matter iPhone Developers Conference “You’ll acquire skills for mastering iOS development from leading authors and experts during a weekend of strong educational sessions. Our speakers are eager to share their knowledge, answer your questions and address your application needs. You’ll participate in interactive discussions that provide the perfect environment for an unbiased and effective learning experience. This engaging two-day conference features how-to sessions covering the latest, most intriguing news in application development for the iPhone and iPad.”
When: October 16-17, 2010 Where: Philadelphia, PA, USA at The Hub Cira Centre
jQuery Conference “The annual conference of jQuery users and developers. There will be talks on jQuery, jQuery UI, plugins, complex application development, and more — all from the top jQuery developers. Speakers include John Resig, Paul Irish, Karl Swedberg, Doug Neiner, and more.”
When: October 16-17, 2010 Where: Boston, MA, U.S.A at the Hilton at Boston Logan Airport
Web Design World “These are interesting times: a combination of technical innovation, audience growth, and crummy economy. As a web designer, you can’t escape any of the three. But you can learn how to keep up with the innovation, take advantage of the growth, and survive the downturn. That’s where we come in. We take our mantra — provide practical, no-fluff, how-to — very seriously. If you’ve joined us before, you know that. If you haven’t, please check us out.”
When: October 18-20, 2010 Where: Las Vegas, NV, USA at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
Do-It-Yourself Usability Testing: The Workshop “The workshop will include: A complete explanation of how I recommend doing testing (Hint: very simple, very fast, and very cheap); Two live usability tests on attendees’ sites, so you can see the whole process in detail; A chance to practice conducting a test on your own site; Advice on how to interpret your findings and decide what changes to make; Plenty of time to answer your questions about testing or any other aspect of usability.”
When: October 20, 2010 Where: Washington, DC, U.S.A
Front-Trends Conference “This is a gathering for front-end lovers and professionals to discover the current trends and tools to build a professional career out of innovative front-end development.”
When: October 21-22, 2010 Where: Warsaw, Poland at the Centrum konferencyjno – kongresowe
Brooklyn Beta “Brooklyn Beta is a collaboration between Analog and Fictive Kin. Our goal for the conference is to inspire you to ‘make your own stuff.’ We’d love to see what the Web would be like if all you talented web people started using your magical abilities to bring your own ideas to life. To help, we’ve put together a conference aimed at turning inspiration into action with talented folks from every web field attending. We want to get all the people who can turn an idea into reality in one place and see what happens.”
When: October 21-22, 2010 Where: Brooklyn, NY, USA at the Invisible Dog
ExpressionEngineCamp “ExpressionEngine Camp is a collaborative all-day workshop about ExpressionEngine on October 22nd. Learn best practices or share tips about creating web sites with EE.”
When: October 22, 2010 Where: Denver, Colorado, Casselman’s Event Venue
Adobe MAX 2010 “MAX 2010 is an amazing opportunity to learn new skills, explore emerging technologies, and connect with thousands of other industry leaders, Adobe products users, and Adobe teams. The conference offers hundreds of informative sessions and hands-on labs for designers, developers, and decision-makers, and there are countless networking opportunities, from organized events to casual conversations in hallways between sessions.”
When: October 23-27, 2010 Where: Los Angeles, CA, USA at the Los Angeles Convention Center & the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE
FITC Unconference @ MAX 2010 “FITC brings together thousands of forward-thinking designers, developers, and business decision makers that are shaping the future of our industry. The Unconference is a way for attendees to convene in a casual setting to share ideas as well as host their own discussion groups. This year FITC has once again been chosen as one of the organizations to run one of the Unconference areas.”
When: October 25-27, 2010 Where: Los Angeles, CA, USA at the Los Angeles Convention Center
View Conference 2010 “VIEW Conference is the premiere international event in Italy on Computer Graphics, Interactive Techniques, Digital Cinema, 3D Animation, Gaming and VFX. VIEW 2010 will continue to focus on exploring the increasingly fluid boundary between real and digital worlds. Through lectures, meetings, tributes, exhibits, screenings and demo presentations VIEW will reveal the new digital frontier sweeping from cinema to architecture, from automotive design to advertisement, from medicine to videogames.”
When: October 26-29, 2010 Where: Turin, Italy, at the Conference center Torino Incontra
Web Developers Conference “The goal of the Web Developers Conference was to get students engaged with the world of the web and what this beautiful industry offers as well as meeting professionals and making important contacts that could lead to placements and even graduate positions.”
When: October 27, 2010 Where: Bristol, U.K at the UWE Exhibition & Conference Centre.
Microsoft PDC10 “The PDC isn’t just about content and sessions — it’s an opportunity for you to get hands-on access to the latest technologies, have your questions answered by the people who conceived and built the technologies and plan the features and architecture to support your business goals. If you’re a developer, architect or technology leader involved in making strategic technology decisions for your company or organization, you can’t afford to miss the PDC.”
When: October 28-29, 2010 Where: Seattle, WA, USA at the Microsoft Campus
Usability Week 2010 “Many conferences offer cavernous exhibit halls, brief seminars on second-hand discoveries, and a sense of anonymity that can be truly alienating. Usability Week takes a different approach. In place of scattered, shallow talks, Usability Week offers up to 6 days of deep learning as international experts lead full-day tutorials on topics such as: Fundamental guidelines for Web usability; Applying information architecture (IA) principles; Writing for the Web; Application design; Integrating social features on mainstream websites; The human mind (how your users think).”
When: Various dates in October and December. Where: San Francisco, U.S.A; Copenhagen, Denmark; Edinburgh, UK; Las Vegas, USA
November – December 2010 Events
An Event Apart San Diego “From the makers of A List Apart, An Event Apart is an intensely educational two-day conference for passionate practitioners of standards-based web design. If you care about code as well as content, usability as well as design, An Event Apart is the conference you’ve been waiting for.”
When: November 1-2, 2010 Where: San Diego, CA, U.S.A at the Westin Gas Lamp Quarter
When: November 3-4, 2010 Where: Bucharest, Romania at Hotel Intercontinental
FITC Edmonton 2010 “Back for its second year, FITC Edmonton promises to be jam-packed with presentations, demonstrations, and panel discussions. With some of the most interesting and engaging presenters from around the world, FITC Edmonton will be two days and nights that will leave you inspired, energized and awed!”
When: November 6-7, 2010 Where: Edmonton, AB, Canada at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
edUi Conference “A learning opportunity for web professionals serving institutions of learning. Through a rare speaker lineup, including top innovators and industry peers, we provide inspiration, tools, and techniques to help web professionals serving colleges, universities, museums, libraries, and other institutions of learning address the challenges they share improving the experience of their users online. edUi 2010 offers something for every member of your web team, with sessions on usability, design, programming, rich media, strategy, social media, and more.”
When: November 8-9, 2010 Where: Charlottesville, VA, USA at the Omni Hotel
User Interface Conference “UI15 is an intense, inspiring 3-day event, masterfully crafted to bring out the best in today’s UX professionals. We’ve assembled an all-star team of design experts to share their latest techniques in interaction design, content strategy, design thinking, and visual communication.”
When: November 8-10, 2010 Where: Boston, MA, U.S.A at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel
Build Conference “The hand-crafted web design conference. Build is a small, yet perfectly formed, boutique design conference where interesting, talented web practitioners from all over the world come to share ideas, techniques and inspiration. Some are on stage; some are in the audience. For the second year running, we’ve created the conference we really want to go to. We think you might like it.”
When: November 8-12, 2010 Where: Belfast, Ireland at Waterfront Studio
RubyConf 2010 “RubyConf is the official International Ruby Conference. Founded in 2001, RubyConf has provided an annual venue for the ever-growing Ruby community to meet face to face to share, collaborate, and socialize.”
When: November 11-13, 2010 Where: New Orleans, LA, USA at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside
Full Frontal JavaScript Conference “Full Frontal is a conference held in Brighton UK, for the front end developers with JavaScript skills ranging from beginner to advanced. If you’ve dabbled with JavaScript in the past and wanted to learn more about how the language works and what makes it tick, then this conference is for you.”
When: November 12, 2010 Where: Brighton, UK at the historic Duke of York’s Picturehouse
Future of Web Design “The Future of Web Design is coming back to New York in 2010. The newly revitalised event has evolved into a beautiful three full days of essential web learning. A full day conference followed by 2 solid days of in depth workshops, all taught by the best in the industry.”
When: November 15-17, 2010 Where: New York City, NY, USA at New World Stages
Semantic Web Summit East “How can you create value that will put you ahead of the competition? The Semantic Web Summit, formerly the Web 3.0 Conference, features innovators across industries examining the potential of the semantic web, and how it can transform the way you do business. This won’t be a day and a half of technical jargon — this event is about improving efficiencies in marketing and information management for a positive bottom line effect.”
When: November 16-17, 2010 Where: Boston, MA, USA at the Hynes Convention Center
Design City Graphic Design Expo “Stay on top of your industry! Visit Design City and see the latest graphic design tools, services, and products from the world’s largest vendors. You’ll see and test software that you’ve been wanting to try, you’ll meet the people that you talk to on the phone every day, and you’ll be wowed by some of the latest technology created for your profession.”
When: November 20-22, 2010 Where: Toronto, ON, Canada, at the Direct Energy Centre
The Rich Web Experience “RWX 2010 will cover the hot areas of interest in the web space today: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Ajax Libraries, Semantic Web, iPhone, Android, Flex, GWT, NodeJS, Security, and more. RWX 2010 will feature 6 parallel tracks with over 15 speakers and 60 plus technical sessions/workshops. At RWX 2010 you will interact with industry experts, project leads, authors, and top developers.”
When: November 30 – December 3, 2010 Where: Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA at The Westin Beach Resort
Early 2011 Events
New Adventures in Web Design Conference “This event will be sympathetic to existing and new challenges and opportunities faced by front-end web folks in their day-to-day work and beyond. That said, the content will be beneficial to a broad audience, and a number of attendees and guests represent agencies, organisations, and businesses across varied roles. Ultimately, this event is organised by designers, for designers.”
When: January 20, 2011 Where: Nottingham, UK at the Albert Hall
Interaction Eleven “The IxDA Interaction conference is the premiere annual event for interaction designers, with content and activities relevant to practitioners, managers, educators, and students. Now in its fourth year, the Interaction conference has hosted leading speakers from consultancies, agencies, corporations, and universities around the world.”
When: February 9-12, 2011 Where: Boulder, Colorado, USA
International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces “IUI 2011 is the annual meeting of the intelligent interfaces community and serves as the principal international forum for reporting outstanding research and development on intelligent user interfaces.”
When: February 13-16, 2011 Where: Palo Alto, CA, USA at the Sheraton Palo Alto with workshops at nearby Stanford University
Information Architecture Summit “The Information Architecture Summit is the premier gathering place for information architects and other user experience professionals. It’s grown from a special interest group’s efforts to define an emerging field, to a rich and expanding community of practice, shaping and informing multiple disciplines. You don’t have to be an information architect or user experience professional to enjoy the Summit. You simply have to love the art and science of structuring information.”
When: March 30 – April 3, 2011 Where: Denver, CO, USA
SXSW Interactive 2011 “SXSW Interactive features five days of presentations from professionals in emerging technology, networking events hosted by industry leaders, and a lineup of special programs showcasing new digital works, video games and innovative ideas the international community has to offer.”
When: March 11-15, 2010 Where: Austin, Texas, USA
Related Links
Conference Roundup Very useful web application inspired by the original roundup here on Smashing Magazine.
What conference are you going to attend? Let us know — Smashing Magazine is often attending various conferences and events, and we would love to meet you in person!
This month Authentic Jobs turns five years old. I’ve been a member and listing partner (look in the sidebar for job listings from Authentic Jobs if you’re reading this on 456bereastreet.com) since early 2007, so I haven’t been along for the entire ride, but long enough to have seen this job board evolve and grow plenty. I have also seen how hard Cameron Moll works to keep Authentic Jobs current and fresh.
Anyway, the fifth birthday is celebrated by a campaign to raise money – USD 20 000 of it is the goal – for charity:water, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean water to millions of people in developing countries. Read more about that and what’s coming next in this three-part celebration on Authentic Jobs ~ Five-Year Anniversary.
Internet Explorer 9 Beta will be unleased in a week. Here’s what it’ll support in regards to CSS3. border-radius, box-shadow, multiple background images, RGBA, opacity, media queries, loads of selectors and much more.
Plenty of creative business card showcases are available out there. Many of these are beautifully done and well thought out, and they serve as inspiration for those who would like their business card to be more than the standard rectangular piece of paper. Yet little explanation accompanies these examples, and figuring out just how to bring your idea to life can be overwhelming, to say the least. This guide is meant to help you decide which technique is right for you, how to correctly prepare the files and what to look for in a printer.
I never tire of repeating this to anyone who will listen. Don’t base your business card design on the fact that your printer has a special limited-time offer on round corners or metallic inks.
Think in terms of what the design will add to your message. Tempted to use rounded corners just because the cool kids are doing it? Maybe your card would stand out more by not using this technique.
Why do you want metallic ink? Do you think your name would really stand out in gold, even though your message is all about technology and recent code developments? You may want to rethink that. Or do you sell hand-crafted jewelry and want a design that reflects your latest silver creation? Then the silver ink might be the perfect solution for you after all.
The back of a business card is often ignored, but it can be a great place for extras that make your card even more memorable. Make it relevant to what you do, and make it useful if you can. You could include tips or a quick how-to guide relevant to your product, offer a free consultation, add a reminder for a date when you will offer discounts, or invite loyal customers to collect a stamp every time they purchase from you. Think of something that would make them want to hang onto your business card and consult it often. If you think the back should be reserved for note-taking, why not mark a few dotted lines, titled “Notes,” rather than leave it blank?
Talk to Your Printer
No one knows more about the techniques and materials available—and new ones come out all the time. Generally, printers are more than happy to give you all the industry news and advise you on techniques and materials. (If yours isn’t, you might want to look for a new printer.) If you learn a little about how they operate, they will appreciate it and be even more willing to help.
Size
While this article focuses on custom shapes and sizes, keep in mind standard sizes, too. Card holders are made to fit standard size cards, and I have often heard comments like, “If a business card doesn’t fit in my wallet, I don’t care how beautiful it is, it’s going in the trash.”
The standard sizes are 3.5 x 2 inches in the US and Canada, 85 x 55 mm in the European Union and 90 x 55 mm in Australia, New Zealand and Scandinavia. Or you could use a standard credit card as a reference, which about 85 x 54 mm or 3.34 x 2.25 inches.
Unless you have some other use for your cards in mind (for example, a bookstore’s card that doubles as a bookmark), you’ll want to stay within those dimensions. Smaller is okay, but anything too big won’t fit in most pockets, so consider going bigger only if you have reason to believe your cards will not be stored in wallets or holders.
Do you have the perfect idea but don’t know what to do with it? Maybe you’ve heard about die-cutting, varnishes, metallic inks, letterpressing and special materials but are unsure what they are exactly or which one is for you? Let’s jump into the different techniques!
Die-Cutting
Any card (or any printed material for that matter) that isn’t a standard rectangle or that has holes in it is created by a technique known as die-cutting. A metal template is prepared and is used to cut the paper in the given shape. The easiest way to think about this is to picture a giant hole-puncher, except that the holes are not necessarily round, but rather whatever shape you want them to be.
This means that, in addition to the artwork, you will need to provide the printer with a custom shape to “punch out” your cards.
The result can be as simple a round hole in the center of your card or as complex as a three-dimensional pop-out.
This simple and effective design makes use of the round hole on both sides of the card.
This card takes the shape of the product. Instant recognition!
Preparing the File
I’ll use die-cutting as an example, but most of these guidelines apply to the other finishes as well. The main differences are cited in the respective sections below, and I will provide links to help you read about the techniques in more detail. The guidelines below should give you a good starting point.
The best applications to prepare files for any special print finishes are the industry-standard Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. Photoshop is not suitable because it does not have the precision necessary for this kind of project.
As with any other print document, set up your file to the printed dimensions (i.e. whatever size you want your card to be, whether rectangular or a non-standard size), at 300 PPI resolution, using CMYK as the color space for all the elements of the artwork.
There seems to be a bit of confusion about DPI, PPI, CMYK and RGB. Preparing a file for printing with either Illustrator or InDesign is actually very simple.
In Illustrator, when creating a new document, click on the “Advanced” options tab (in some versions this is already visible). This brings up the options for both the resolution and color space. Set the resolution to 300 PPI and the color mode to CMYK.
Note that PPI, or pixels per inch, is often confused with DPI, or dots per inch. The latter refers strictly to printer hardware and its capability to reproduce dots on paper. When preparing files for printing, don’t worry too much about the DPI. 300 PPI is the magic number. Remember that and you’ll be golden. If you would like to learn more about DPI and PPI, see the link at the end for an article that explains it in much more depth.
InDesign documents are automatically created at 300 PPI. The only thing to make sure of is that the elements you insert in the document (such as photographs) are also at 300 PPI and use CMYK. Check this by selecting your image and bringing up the info window (hit F8).
For example, the image below uses the RGB color space; it should be changed to CMYK:
Even though you can use RGB images, it doesn’t mean you should. Yes, both InDesign and Illustrator are perfectly capable of converting the output to CMYK when you export a file as PDF, but if you ever have to submit your source files to someone or use the images for something else, this extra step could save you hassles.
And please-double check the resolution. Print out the card to check for pixelation. I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but so many people forget to check the printed result. What you see on the screen is not what you will see in print.
Another thing to check is your black text and line art, if you are converting any of them from RGB. They should be 100% K in CMYK color mode to avoid a muddy effect and color halos.
When your artwork is ready, create a new layer above the artwork. Call the layer something like “dieline.â€� You could be even more specific and name it “Dieline – DO NOT PRINT,” which would be especially helpful if you are not able to speak with the printer before submitting the file (say, if you are using a Web order form or your client is the point person for the printer.)
Now, create the guidelines for how your card should be cut. Make sure your outline for the die-cut uses a custom spot color, not CMYK; this allows the printer to extract the die-cut template when printing separations. To create a custom color, click on the little arrow in the swatches palette, and click to make a new swatch. In the dialog box that appears, choose any color that will stand out in your artwork, and then select “Spot color” from the drop-down menu next to “Color type.” The color can be anything you want. 100% magenta is quite popular because it usually stands out, but saving it as a spot color is important.
Also, remember to set the stroke (if it’s a custom crop shape) and/or fill (if you are cutting out holes) to “Overprint” to avoid knocking out the art below. You can bring up the options for Overprinting in InDesign by going to Window → Attributes, or in Illustrator by pressing F11 to bring up the “Attributes” window.
Let’s say your logo is a cloud, and you want the card to be cut in a cloud shape (not a very creative example but easy to explain). Your file in Illustrator would look something like this:
And your finished card would look like this:
If you wanted to cut out the cloud shape, it would look like this:
And the finished card would look like this:
Notice how the logo has moved from the artwork layer to the dieline layer and is now also filled with the custom spot color.
Make sure your artwork has enough bleed (i.e. it extends well past the edge of the document if the shape is regular or past the die-cut guidelines if custom). Usually 0.125 inch, or about 3 mm, is enough, but I tend to add more to be safe. Both InDesign and Illustrator allow you to add bleed in the “Document setup” options.
I won’t go into too much detail here, because bleed is a rather complex subject that deserves its own guide. For those of you interested in learning more, a couple of links are at the end of this article that explain it more thoroughly.
On the same note, do not put any important elements (such as logo or text) too close to the edge. Leave a buffer margin (again, about 0.125 inch or 3 mm) around the dieline or document, to avoid the risk of something getting cropped.
Usually, either a native file (AI, INDD, EPS) or high-resolution PDF is acceptable as the final file for printing. (Always check with the printer before preparing the final file.) If you prepare a PDF, make sure your custom fifth color is kept as a spot color and is not converted to CMYK. You can check it in the “Ink Manager” window (Export as PDF → Output → Ink Manager):
You can double-check that it appears in the Ink Manager list in the PDF itself (Acrobat Pro) by clicking Advanced → Print Production → Ink Manager:
Printing It
Most big print shops have die-cutting equipment. Check first if you are printing locally. The best way to make sure everything goes according to plan is to ask questions, explain your requirements and look over the proofs in person. Small printers outsource die-cut jobs. If you want more control, look for one that does it in-house.
If you are unable to print locally (for example, because your client is remote), you have two options. One is to find a printer local to your client. Usually, the client will already have one lined up, but I strongly recommend you get in touch with that printer yourself, rather than just pass the files to the client and let them handle it. Ask questions, send over mock-ups, get a proof sent back to you—do what you can to make certain that the job prints the way it should.
Alternatively, you could find an online print shop that offers die-cutting. Again, get in touch with them personally, rather than just submit the file via an online form, and make sure all your questions and concerns are addressed.
Printer Checklist
Need help choosing a print shop and communicating with it? Here are some things to keep in mind.
Before you do anything else, get their phone number or email address and get in touch. Tell them about your project, and ask about technical specifications and any other questions you may have. (This is a good time to request a cost estimate as well.) If you have more than one candidate, rinse and repeat.
Ask to see samples of similar pieces they have printed. Examine them. This could lead to more questions—or inspiration to make your project even better.
The main criteria I use in choosing a printer is how responsive and knowledgeable they are. You want someone who will actually check your file and contact you if there are any problems or questions; because no matter how great a printing deal you find, if your file has an error, that’s money thrown down the drain.
To save some money, you can often do this by asking the printer for advice. Would making the file layout slightly smaller allow them to fit more cards on one sheet? Could you adjust the shape so that there is less wasted paper? How about using fewer colors? Your printer should know the options; just ask!
In my experience, PDF is one of the safest options for prepress. Native Illustrator files work well too, but be sure to check which versions of Illustrator your printer accepts. Always check which versions of any Adobe software your printer uses if submitting native files.
Ask the printer if they have .joboptions files. These files can be imported into Adobe applications and will give you presets for exporting to PDF or EPS. This is the easiest way to make sure that your final files are exactly the way your printer needs them. If they don’t have these files, both InDesign and Illustrator have presets for saving in PDF. Just make the necessary adjustments; for example, you will have to add the bleed to these presets manually (see the links at the end for step-by-step instructions).
If you are not able to speak with the printer, add an email message or a file with instructions. Don’t forget to include your contact information so that they can call or email you if they have any questions!
You’ve probably noticed that most of these tips emphasize the importance of communicating with your printer. I cannot stress this enough: every project is different, and communication is the key to getting the best result possible.
How Much Will It Cost?
While pricing depends on many factors, there is usually a set-up fee when using a die-cut or other special finishing technique. (Remember the giant hole-puncher mentioned above? They need to make one of those, just for you.)
The fee will be the same whether you print 50 or 500,000 cards, so printing larger quantities is much more cost-effective.
This may not be the case with certain popular formats (for example, rounded-corners business cards) because the printer would reuse the same template for multiple jobs, hence the special offers.
Special Finishes
I’ve devoted a big portion of this article to die-cutting because the file preparation and printing process described here is similar to many other techniques. But let’s look at some of them.
Spot UV Coating
This special finish is achieved by applying a clear varnish to an area of the card defined by you. The effect is a slightly raised design element, with a glossy, matte or satin finish. The example below shows a glossy finish:
File preparation is done the same way as for die-cutting, but instead of specifying a stroke, you specify a shape or area to apply the varnish to. This is still done by filling it with a spot color and, in this case, setting the fill to overprint.
Letterpressing
Letterpressing is done by inking a raised surface and then pressing it into the paper, giving the design both color and depth. This technique is suitable for vector images and text, using solid Pantone inks. An article linked to at the end of this article provides more technical detail. Here is an example of a business card done with this technique:
Embossing
Similar to die-cutting, a die is used to press the paper up, creating a three-dimensional raised effect.
Foil stamping
With this technique, a layer of thin foil is applied to an area of the card you specify.
File Preparation for Special Finishes
File preparation for all of these effects is similar to that of die-cutting: you have to define the area to be coated, embossed or whatever the effect is. But you might need to submit two files: one with the artwork, and another with the area to apply the effect to.
Make absolutely certain these two files line up perfectly. The easiest way to do this is to use a file with separate layers: one or more for the artwork, and another for the special finish guidelines (as described for the die-cutting file preparation above). Then, simply save them as separate files by first hiding one layer and then the other.
When using photos for a special finish, create a clipping path in Photoshop before placing the photo in Illustrator or InDesign. Then you can use this same clipping path as the mask for your effect either by choosing to export the clipping paths to Illustrator or by right-clicking (PC) or Control-clicking (Mac) on the clipping path in InDesign and converting it to frame. (You might want to check the options first if it isn’t showing by going to Object → Clipping Paths → Options.)
For example, you can use different masks with this image:
This mask will apply the effect to the entire photo:
While this one will apply it only to the foremost apple:
Special Inks
Additional inks can be used to make your card stand out even more. Metallic, pearlized and fluorescent inks can produce interesting effects. (To better preserve metallic inks, consider putting a varnish on top.) The even more common Pantone colors give a different and more solid effect than their process equivalents because they are opaque.
This one is simple: just find a custom color you like by looking at the Pantone swatches, and add it to your document. Prepare your artwork as you normally would, but make absolutely certain that your output does not convert to CMYK if you are preparing a PDF (as described above).
Note: the easiest way to prepare photos with a special ink is to convert your image in Photoshop first to grayscale and then to duotone. Choose your ink(s) from the Pantone library, and tweak your settings as necessary. (Working with color channels is a complex way to get more control over the result, but I don’t recommend this to Photoshop beginners, and Photoshop experts probably already know how to do this.)
Duplexing and Triplexing
This technique is about using two or more sheets of paper glued together. The effect achieved is commonly referred to as edge-painting or edge-tipping, because a different-colored sheet of paper that is inserted between the two main ones produces colored edges “inside” the card (triplexing), as seen here:
Using only two sheets (duplexing) gives a two-color edge—one on the front and one on the back:
It adds a touch of elegance and makes your card thicker than the standard stock. Combining this technique with die-cutting—budget permitting—gives an even more interesting result.
Scented Inks
You won’t find many examples of this technique on the Internet because it doesn’t exactly translate as a photo. Still, it is an interesting way to make your business card jump out.
Available scents range from chocolate to mildew. If that is not enough (and money is no object), you can create a custom scent for an extra fee.
Special Material
This is a vast subject because the options are countless. We will only touch on this topic. To see and feel the different kinds of material available, visit your printer!
Paper and Cardboard
There are so many varieties that I wonder why most people still use the same white or off-white cardboard stock for their business cards. From soft-as-cloth finishes to cold-pressed textured paper, there are enough options for everyone’s needs. The options are rather hard to describe; I recommend you make a trip to the printer (and give yourself an hour or so to ponder the choices)
File preparation is no different; except with colored paper stock, keep in mind that the colors will not display the same way in your software. To simulate the effect, use a layer of a similar color below the artwork, and set the artwork layer to multiply; or to about 70% opacity with darker color stocks.
Plastic
Transparent, frosted, stretchy—there are plenty of options for a plastic stock.
Plastic is usually printed with a different process, such as screen printing. Check with your printer to see what colors you can use. Special printing processes usually require that you use Pantone inks. Remember to account for any special effects, such as transparency and stretch. Giving general advice on this one is hard, because each material has its own requirements.
Metal
If your service or product is related to a metal, you might want to consider using metal as a material. You could simulate a credit card or computer. Keep the design minimal for a more striking effect.
Again, check with the printer before preparing your artwork to find out what process they use to print on metal and which colors you can safely use.
Other Material
Other options are wood, plexiglass, cloth. You could combine these and use a special finish as well. Hopefully this article has given you some ideas, and you will know how to start researching: by speaking with your printer.
Customizing by Hand
Sometimes, printing a highly customized card is simply not worth it, especially if you need only a small quantity. Does that mean you should dismiss your creative idea and stick with a standard solution? Not necessarily.
All you need is some imagination and a lot of patience. An appetite for crafts or having crafty friends or relatives can be a big plus, too.
You could print a standard card as the base of your idea and then customize smaller quantities by hand. I recommend doing this with fewer than 500 cards, or you will be overwhelmed. If you have crafty friends or relatives who are willing to help, you could tackle more.
Again, keep it relevant to the content. For example, colorful hand-stitching to underline a key phrase or “stitching” your design would be fun for a textile or fashion business:
Gluing on an element would work for crafts stores. Or you could glue a piece of fabric or something else that characterizes your service:
Incorporating something relevant to what you sell is a great idea, and there are plenty of ways to do this. Here is an excellent example:
A paper clip would work for a business supply store or even a business consultant, while a dried or plastic flower would work for a flower or gift shopt. Just about any kind of business can find something relevant to add on.
You could even invite the recipient to customize the card themselves; for example, by including cut and fold lines that transform your card into a unique shape. Simple examples are a paper doll for a children’s store or origami for a stationery store. Just make sure it’s relevant and fun, otherwise your recipients are unlikely to go through the trouble of cutting out and folding the card.
Hopefully this article offers enough information and inspiration for you to make business cards that are as creative as your imagination allows, and on any budget.
Want To Know More?
Here are a few articles that go into more detail on some of the topics covered:
