There are thousands of articles and tutorials about business card design online. Many templates are available in a variety of formats, including PSD, which appears to be the most popular version. But does that mean that you should create your cards in Photoshop? What about Illustrator , InDesign, or Microsoft Word? Which software program will give you the professional results you’re after?
As with anything else, the answer depends on your project specs. While you can work with Microsoft Word, I’m not going to cover this program as it’s certainly not the preferred tool for professional printing purposes. That said, each program in the Adobe Creative Suite comes with strengths and weaknesses, although you may combine platforms to compensate for these shortcomings. Newer versions of Photoshop and Illustrator (namely CS4 or higher) often act as standalone solutions; be aware that utilizing more than 1 instrument might lead to mistakes, especially for beginners.
When to Use Photoshop
Ah, Photoshop…the magical photo manipulation program we all know and love. The word photo in the name is not accident—despite the amazing effects, Photoshop remains the industry standard for photography and web design, i.e. not necessarily print design. Before you turn to Photoshop for business cards, ask yourself the following question:
Will my design contain a jpeg (an actual picture)?
Yes– If you intend to include a headshot, background image, etc., then Photoshop would be the place to start. Feel free to simply edit the JPEGs in Photoshop, and then export into another program, such as AI. It is worth noting that we don’t recommend photos in business cards. Reason being that unless you’ve got pro pictures, you probably won’t get the crisp, clear look you want. You can get away with a few photo elements, such as a head shot or picture of your storefront, but steer clear of image based backgrounds whenever possible.
No– Then Photoshop probably shouldn’t be your first choice, unless that’s the only program you’ve got. Why you ask? Since Photoshop works with pixels, some of your printed graphics may appear jagged. Text doesn’t render as well either in the pixel environment. As long as you’re ok with less than optimal results, you’ll be satisfied. And by less than optimal, I mean that there may be no issues whatsoever outside of being on the butt end of design snobbery.
Illustrator vs. In Design
Here’s where things get a little tougher. Both AI and ID play well with print. So how do you know which one’s right? Ask yourself another question:
Will my artwork be text based?
Yes– Choose InDesign. You’ll need to bring in elements, such as a logo, but you’ll have a much easier time arranging them into a clean layout. Your text will be razor sharp, too. As a bonus, you’ll have the ability to easily place files in the future even if you happen to update the originals in AI. This will help you keep things organized and improve your workflow.
No– Stick with Illustrator, at least for your primary graphic elements. You can always import vector art into ID when you’re done to build the layout.
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I hope you find this information useful. For a much more indepth look into this topic, please review this detailed explanation here: Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign.
Do you have any questions about business card design? Disagree with any of the advice above? Let us know in the comments below!