Fantastic Guide to Create a Stunning Greeting Card Design

Created by Jieya Mohd | https://www.behance.net/gallery/101259073/Greeting-Card

Greeting card is said to be the obsolete way to greet or congrats someone. However, the reality is different. You can still find many people use it to congratulate or commemorate a special event in their life. Rather than send a message through social media or the internet, it gives the message they send a deeper meaning than a simple digital message.

Moreover, if you see how the industry for this item today, you will know that it is still popular. For example, the total sale of this item in the UK can easily reach £1.4 billion a year. That is a profitable market that promises big profits for anyone who wants to try this business.

However, that is not the only type of business out there. Many people also want to personalize or even design the message they want to send. Because of that, Greeting card design business also is popular today. Moreover, you can even design the card like what you want. Some of the online services offer the tool to let you choose the design that you like.

Created by Martcellia Liunic | https://www.behance.net/gallery/110474111/Greeting-Cards-for-Mossery

Even though we can use that kind of tool to get a beautiful card, the result would be different than professional works. However, you don't have to worry. Here we have the tips to create the best and unique looks to send to your loved one. This fantastic guide will let you creating card design rival those professional works. Then, you can use them for sending a message or even selling it on the internet. Let's start!

1. Research on the Design

The first thing you have to do is researching. Try to find why you want to create it. That will help you to decide the best design you can use. Furthermore, you also have to differentiate the reason you create the style that you want to use later.

For example, if you want to create a greeting card for yourself, find something you like or want to put on that card. If you want to send it to other people, find the thing that people like. On the other hand, if you run a business that provides a service to create the design for your clients, find what clients want, and merge it with the latest trend and other relatable things for your product.

By finding the purpose or the goal, you will also know the direction of what kind of design, style, or type of card you want to use. This information will become the base or foundation to create the letter appearance that you like. In business, the researching stage will help you to decide your product or business niche and branding. You will know how to sell your greeting card design service and what to offer to the customer.

As for the latest and trendy pattern and style you can use, they are many options out there. Currently, minimalism and asymmetric with bold and bold color is the popular choice right now. For that reason, you can start with this style when you want to decide which design for the card you want to make.

Created by Brittany Porter | https://www.behance.net/gallery/73161819/Gulfstream-Aerospace-Holiday-Greeting-Cards

2. Pick the Card Style that You Want

After you found out the purpose of your design, the next thing you have to do is choosing the type of card you want to use. You have various greeting card design options here. Each part of the card will determine how the result will be. The easiest part is choosing the size.

A5 is the popular option that many professional designers use. It has enough space to write all kinds of things. But, you can resize it to A6, the smaller one, if you plan to send it. On the other hand, its shape doesn't have to be square. You can get another modern shape or even DL size to make it fit into an envelope. 

Next, we have to choose the material. Paper maybe is the best choice that accommodates various styles you can use. However, if you want to sell it, you need to give the customer freedom to write the message on your product. Therefore, you can try premium silk material for that. It is good-quality material. The only flaw is you can only write it using a ballpoint pen. 

For practicality, choose the uncoated stock type of material. It helps anyone to write and even draw on it using various utensils. It is one of the secrets of creating a more personalized look on every memo, letter, or similar object. On the other hand, you also can go for the blast. Add more premium or luxurious value to your product. For that reason, you can use high-quality and expensive materials.

For example, the Ice Gold card is known for its glowing surface. This material is a perfect choice for Christmas. Or, you also can try the Kraft brown stock. It has a natural, homemade, and DIY appeal. Or, you can try to provide the green type or environmental friendlier card by using uncoated material. This material is recyclable and easy to use for any card design.

Created by Nicholas Fredrickson | https://www.behance.net/gallery/21685917/Bespoke-Letterpress-Greeting-Cards

3. Choose the Colors

You also have to choose a complementary color for your card design. Here are some of the best choices you can choose:

3.1. Christmas Colors
For Christmas cards, we usually choose the red and green color theme. However, this event has other colors that you also can apply to your card. For example, you can try christmas greeting card with icy blues, gold, ruby, and other complementary colors. These colors will help you to create the winter and northern light's theme that matches the Christmas event.

Created by CKYM | https://www.behance.net/gallery/101918721/Christmas-Collateral-The-Excelsior

3.2. Birthday Colors
The best about birthday card is you can use any colors as long you make the card design is brighter or happier. You can even use the rainbow colors if you are not sure about your choice. That still gives you a beautiful greeting card for a birthday event. And, we believe that will make the recipient happy.

Created by Natalya Shilo | https://www.behance.net/gallery/111062737/Birthday-cards

3.3. Wedding Colors
The secret behind wedding colors is to make them look special. Currently, the most popular style for a wedding is using floral patterns or watercolors. Then, they also add some jewel stone, marble, or geometric shapes on the background of the greeting card design.

Created by Angella Tjong | https://www.behance.net/gallery/101366167/Enchanted-Garden-Wedding-Invitation

4. Choosing the Font Style

Typography is also another essential part of your card design. In the design world, the type of font you use on the media can create a specific atmosphere. You can use it to create the character of your card. The font style can make it bold, elegant, quirky, or other vibes, which also can emphasize the words and meaning you want to convey to its recipient. 

For example, if you use cursive-type fonts, you can add the closeness vibe to it. It feels like the message note was made personally by you. Furthermore, this kind of script-style font also gives it an elegant and serious atmosphere.

If you want to tone down the seriousness in your greeting card, you can add a font style that creates the casual, comedic, or quirky vibe on it. The solution you can use here is you use the simple type font that doesn't have too many accents on its shape. Try Helvetica or Times New Roman to create that kind of vibe. Moreover, those two are also good font choices to create a unique newspaper-style look.

On the other hand, you can't choose a complicated and stylish font for children's greeting card design. They are still learning to read, so make sure you use a simple font that is easy to read. In short, you should try many types of font and maybe, you will find different effects from each of them. Do not hesitate to experiment.

Created by Nicholas Fredrickson | https://www.behance.net/gallery/21685917/Bespoke-Letterpress-Greeting-Cards

5. Add the Message

The main objective of a greeting card is a tool for sending a message. Therefore, you should add the perfect message on the card that matches the event or moment you want to celebrate or commemorate. 

For example, you can use the heartwarming and touching message for Mother's Day card. It will be a perfect card design to add to the item that you or other people will give to someone so special for everyone, their mother. Or, you also can use the funny punch line, joke, or popular quote from movies. This kind of message is a perfect choice for a friend-to-friend message or any casual style message.

The problem you will face is finding the right message to add. Writing a meaningful or easy-to-remember message is sometimes hard to do if you don't know how to create a combination of beautiful words that will produce a beautiful message. Moreover, those beautiful words also have to match their appearance.

However, you don't' have to worry. Nowadays, you can find many resources for greeting card design on the internet. They also include the guide to writing the message. Use them to choose which message you should add. 

Created by Valentina Gonzales | https://www.behance.net/gallery/112851757/Valentines-Card

6. Add the Extra Touches

The extra touches on your greeting card design will also add personal value to it. It is like a sign or autograph by you, the creator of that design. Moreover, the extra touch also can make them appear unique when others see it. Here we have several ideas you can try or use as a reference to increase your creativity to the next level.

6.1. Add Real Decorations
You don't need always to use 2D or printed images. Using a real object or 3D decoration is a fantastic idea to add that personal touch and artistic value to it. For example, for a summer-themed card, you can use a real or synthetic sunflower on the cover of the greeting card.

6.2. Add Unique Pattern
The pattern is the easiest way to add the personal touch of your trademark. Do not use graphic software to create the pattern. Once you are done with the design and print the greeting card out, you can add it there. Try to add it manually to give the asymmetric style, which makes a big difference compared to other similar items.

For example, you can dip flowers in the paint with colors that you like. Then, use it as a stamp on the front cover. This method creates an abstract touch with the flower theme. Moreover, it also adds the natural and DIY vibe, plus 3D elements to the card design.

6.3. Add Hand-drawn Illustrations
The wedding card design uses this method a lot. The design leaves a space on one of the layout parts. Then, on that space, you can draw anything related to the wedding or person in that event. This method gives a unique touch and deep meaning. The card is not simple anymore. This method will make it more meaningful and turn it into a keepsake for guests. Furthermore, if you use that for business greeting card, it will also attract the receiver's attention.

Created by Frank Pizzuta | https://www.behance.net/gallery/106824177/Tricon-Greeting-Cards

7. Pick the Envelopes

Last but not least, choose the best envelope that matches the message. Use the standard envelope for a cheaper one. This white envelope also matches with any type of framework you use. As for the luxurious and elegant style, you also can try to use the luxury type of envelope. It has thicker paper and a beautiful accent. It is a perfect choice for an elegant greeting card design. As for the color, try the red envelope to add a brighter vibe and unique looks to it.

Created by Busybuilding | https://www.behance.net/gallery/100350585/A-Magic-Cabinet-stationery

Conclusion

As you can see, creating a good-quality card design is not impossible. Even though you do not have skills in design or touch on creativity, you can still create the best and beautiful message with our guide above. It is all about following the guidelines for creating the fantastic design that we have here. If you can do it correctly, you don't have to be surprised by the beautiful result that matches the professional works coming out of your hand. So, are you ready to create your own greeting card design?