Inkscaping Biz Cards

[caption id="attachment_231" align="alignright" width="275" caption="GR8C Biz Card created with Inkscape"][/caption]

For my upcoming trip to Icann Seoul, I needed a new set of business cards for networking purposes. One of the tools I've been using to create business brochureware for many years now is Inkscape. It's an open source vector application which practically mirrors the functionality and features of Adobe's Illustrator, but not the $599 cost to purchase.

Here's how I created the card:

1. Create a new document.


2. Under File > Document Properties > Set Units to 'in' or inches


3. Change Page Orientation to 'Landscape'.


4. Choose 'Custom Size'.


5. The width of a business card is 3.5 inches.


6. The height is 2 inches.


7. I'll leave the design part up to you, but I used 'Bank Gothic' font at 48pt size for the logo and 10pt for rest of text. I added a Medium style to my name and title while using Light for the rest.


8. I recommend using the grid feature for spacing in addition to the 'always snap' choice under File > Document Properties > Snap.


9. The most important step is saving your file in .eps format. An encapsulated format packages the font styles, font sizes, font faces, and colors so your printer will have all of the needed information to print your job.




--Corey