More Practical and Inventive Tips for Postcard Design

Magazines are attractive because of their covers. Food are enticing because of their smells and their appetizing looks. Postcards are made to be interesting and captivating on the same premise - the postcard design.

Arrest and hold your audience's attention long enough before they even leaf through the rest of the mail, or worse, discard your very postcard. Sometimes, when plain or simple doesn't exactly cut it, you need to venture into more ideas that will bring you the results you want.

Be bold and dare to try new things. This can be quite advantageous for businesses who are looking to revamp their style or update their look. You can risk a certain audacity with your postcards and designs, which are big enough to be captivating, but small enough too to go quietly down in history.

It takes a fair amount of ingenuity to escape and literally think out of the box that is the usual form postcards come in.

1. Digital Images
Use your own digital images and convert them to CMYK. Personalized images carry a more intimate portrait that your audience can appreciate. Then again, this depends on the style and marketing strategy you are looking for.

2. AQ Coating
A soft gloss coating on your postcards is ideal as it brings a polished look to your prints. At the same time, it allows your prints to be written on - one factor that some people tend to forget when they opt for UV coating.

3. Remember that UV coating covers both sides of the postcard. In this manner, it is impossible to be written on. If you want UV coating on the front end of your postcard, then do so. But remember to request that the back be at least AQ coated so your recipients can make full use of the postcard and respond.

4. Die Cuts
Make your postcards more interesting by emphasizing your message with a shape that delivers it with more impact. Brand your product well by imitating the shape of your logo or of your bottles with die-cutting. The simple accents of making your postcard design different just by cutting certain corners makes for a wholly different look, like a nice hair cut.

5. Color
Nowadays, colors come in many shades, hues or tones. The variety with which you can manipulate color is astounding. At the same time, you can recreate certain effects that may improve and complement your designs. If you over saturate the colors, well, you might end up with a image using lomography. If you want colors that are less bright but are just as potent, then you might be looking in on a particular era or art genre that you can emulate.

6. Orientation
A horizontal orientation is the manner on how postcards are laid out. Vertical is another popular option, though as not popular as horizontal ones. Make a statement and even create postcards that may double as invitation or greeting cards. Let your postcard stand up and make a bolder statement.

Experiments may not always bring good results, but you can always try and print out your design at home before placing an order and running them through the presses. Create a mock up and see just how each of your postcard design turns out. Pick the best of the lot and be glad you did.

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