Guide
Trading card design tips
In short
A trading card looks professional when one thing reads first (usually the art and name), rules text is at least 7 points when printed, there are no more than two typefaces, colour means something such as element or rarity, and every card in a set keeps the same layout, numbering and icons.
The difference between a card that looks homemade and one that looks published is usually not the art. It is hierarchy, legibility and consistency. Twelve habits that help.
Make it readable
- One thing first. Decide what a player should see first, usually the art and the name, then the cost or level, then stats, then rules. Size and contrast should follow that order.
- Rules text at least 7 points when printed. On a 63 × 88 mm card that is small already. If an ability does not fit, shorten the words rather than the type.
- Two typefaces at most. One display face for the name, one plain face for everything else. Wallzy's text styles let you set both once and copy the style to other layers.
- Contrast for text. Light text on a dark panel, or dark on light. Text straight over busy art needs a panel, a shadow or an outline behind it.
Make colour mean something
- Colour by element or faction. If fire is orange on one card, it should be orange on all of them. Wallzy's element colours stay fixed for this reason, while the template palette changes around them.
- Show rarity at a glance. A rarity symbol, a coloured frame or a stronger holo. Rarity looks can change the frame metal, glow and sparkle per rarity, so a Mythic looks like a Mythic.
- One accent colour. A palette with one strong accent reads better than four competing ones.
Art that fits
- Frame the subject, not the picture. Crop so the character's face sits in the upper half of the window and nothing important touches the frame.
- Match the art to the template. Painted fantasy art in a flat modern frame looks pasted in. Pick a template whose style meets your art halfway, or adjust the art's colour grade so it sits in the card.
- Break the frame on purpose. A character whose sword or wing escapes the art window adds depth. Remove the background and turn on frame breakout.
Make a set look like a set
- Same template, same positions. Players learn where to look. Moving the cost or stats between cards slows everyone down.
- Number your cards (001/250) and add a set symbol. It costs nothing and makes a collection feel real. Wallzy can number a whole library in one go.
Before you print
Proofread every card, print one test on plain paper at actual size, and check it at arm's length. If you cannot read the rules, nobody else will. For sizes and bleed, see trading card size and bleed.
Questions people ask
What font size should card text be?
Rules text should be at least 7 points when printed at 63 × 88 mm, and the name noticeably bigger. Shorten the words before you shrink the type.
How many fonts should a card use?
Two at most: a display face for the name and a plain one for everything else.
How do I show rarity on a card?
Use something visible at a glance: a rarity symbol, a frame colour or metal, or a stronger holo. Keep it the same across the whole set so players learn it.
How do I make text readable over art?
Put text on a solid or semi-transparent panel, or give it an outline or shadow. Text straight over busy art is hard to read.