Metallic Business Cards

Metallic business cards make eye-catching conversation starters with their reflective ink. Attention-grabbing marketing pieces like metallic business cards help clients and customers easily recall the interaction you’ve had with them.

The metallic finish can also be applied on one or both sides. Metallic business cards are available in different sizes with 2” x 3.5” being the most popular. Square business cards are also an option.

Spot UV is a special coating applied to a specific area to add shine and texture. It blends well with metallic ink. Use spot UV to bring attention to business logos or product information.

Metallic business cards are best used for designs that feature lots of contrasting colors. Text tends to stand out more. And unlike foil stamping, metallic ink can work on most colors, even on color gradients.

It’s the right choice for graphic designers. Metallic business card printing gives them the chance to showcase their work.

• Yes, it is. If you need help setting up your file, call us.

• Foil stamping is only available in 3 colors: copper, silver, and gold. Metallic ink printing can be used on a wide range of hues.

• The standard business card size is 3.5” x 2” which is also our most popular size option.

• Our premium 16 pt. cardstock does not easily bend and has some noticeable heft to it.

Metallic Printing File Requirements

Keep in mind the following file requirements below as you create a design using our downloadable templates:

1. The font size should be a minimum of 7 or 8 points. Avoid printing small text or fine lines in metallic.
2. Border and stroke must be more than 1.5 points.
3. Images and artwork should be at least 300 DPI.
4. All files should be in CMYK color mode.

How to Prepare Your Design for Metallic Printing

1. Apply metallic printing on lighter colors. The effect won’t be as apparent in darker colors.
2. Create two layers to distinguish the elements printed in ink from the elements with metallic printing. Both files should have the same size.
   1. The regular CMYK layer shows which elements are printed in ink. Apply 15% K on the area that will be printed in metallic color.
   2. The metallic printing layer only shows the elements that will appear as metallic. The element(s) that will be printed in metallic colors should have the same location as seen on the CMYK layer. Apply 100% K on the metallic area and white on the areas with no metallic printing.

   The images below show the difference between the two layers:

   
3. Alignment is crucial to the file preparation process. The CMYK and metallic printing layers should both have the same size. Common elements must be in the same position on both layers.
4. Check for a white "halo" around the knockout area or where two colors overlap on the layer. To prevent this effect on the CMYK layer, grow or stroke the metallic area in mask by 1 point. This allows the metallic silver to blend with the CMYK area, which reduces the appearance of a halo. Alternatively, you can add more color to the knockout area to reduce the halo effect.

How to Add Spot UV Elements to Your Artwork

You can also print an artwork with both metallic and spot UV elements.

This requires a third layer that shows the spot UV areas, which you can create through the following steps:

1. Apply a 100% K to the areas with spot UV printing.
2. Make sure the spot UV layer has the exact same size as the CMYK and metallic printing layers.
3. On the CMYK layer, add a 1/16” gap between the spot UV and metallic areas.