Business Card Template

[D***@adobeforums.com]

I'm new to InDesign. I have a business card I need to do and that's easy enough. I'm just going to set up a 2.5 x 3 inch document with a bleed. The problem is I would like to take that document and set it up as a "10-up" on 8.5 x 11 paper. Does anyone know an easy way to do this or is there a template I can download somewhere.
Any help is appreciated.

Thank You

[S***@adobeforums.com]

Make a new 8.5 x 11 document with top and bottome margins of .5" and left and right margins of .75". Give it two columns with a 0" gutter. Reposition the origin at the top left margin, rather than the top left corner of the page. Add horizontal guides at 2", 4", 6", and 8". Then add cut marks in the margin. Make these lines Registration colour and .25 pt. thick.

And do all that on the master page.

[B***@adobeforums.com]

Business cards are 2 x 3.5

[J***@gmail.com]

Someone else has mentioned the measurements, but I just want to add
that after you place the first card on the page you can easily
duplicate it multiple times using Step and Repeat. Select the card,
group the elements if you wish (Object > Group), and then go to (Edit

Step and Repeat) and put in the appropriate settings.

If you make a goof, just use Undo.

[peterpica]

Buko... only when they're vertical format.

Standard b-cards are 3.5x2

'-)

[B***@adobeforums.com]

better than 2.5 x 3 I can see that job being rejected.

although I suppose it could be some eccentric that wants odd size cards so they stand out.

[DavidT]

I don't work in inches (?) but I make business cards the same size as a credit card. Well, half a mil under. They don't get raggy edges in the wallet then.

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Buko:

The correct way to define the dimensions of a piece is horizontal then vertical.

Many will write the smaller dimension first, regardless of orientation.

That's what PeterPica <who picked 12 pointed pickled pica poles> was referring to.

There was a time when I was like, "Who cares? What's the difference between an 8.5x11 and an 11x8.5?"

Well it means everything, unless page orientation means nothing.

When you work with imposition templates, you need a standardized naming convention.

Now that I use DTP, this has become a personal pet-peeve when sales people write up tickets with the smaller dimension first.

[J***@adobeforums.com]

D Wall ... this is what I do. Set up a 2 page document. Page 1 is 3.5"x2" (with whatever margins/bleeds you need) and page 2 is 7"x10". (love DTP Tools Page Control).
<http://www.dtptools.com/product.asp?id=pcid>

I set up the card on page 1 and print with crops for customer proofing. After the proof is approved I copy and paste over to page 2 for 10 up printing, make a plate with crop and regs - go to press.

[S***@adobeforums.com]

What program are you using to make two pages different sizes? Not InDesign.

[unknown]

Not necessarily true:

http://www.dtptools.com/product.asp?id=pcid

Bob

[B***@adobeforums.com]

John since the OP listed the smaller dimension first I did not want to confuse him/her by swapping the numbers.

[peterpica]

John D.... showing only crops can be disastrous as they don't physically show the actual margins vis-a-vis white space between edge of b-card and type & graphics. Too many bindery workers eyeball their cutters settings and weird b-cards result. B-cards with an 1/8" or less are simply awful to trim because if you go off 1/32 or so, it sticks out like a sore thumb. I always use a minimum of 12pt, preferably 15 pts margin 4 sides whenever possible.

I always show hairline card trim too, 4 sides, before sending to a printer. I have a 12-up template that overlays with 1/4 pt. trim lines over 12 cards. When I send the PDF to the printer, I disable that layer so only the actual tics print.

[J***@adobeforums.com]

John D.... showing only crops can be disastrous as they don't physically
show the actual margins vis-a-vis white space between edge of b-card and
type & graphics.




Have never had a problem or run in to an issue. (plate with crops AND regs) Lucky or fortunate. May depend on your order of cuts too. I print all my cards on 8.5x11" sheets, make my first cut at the bottom of the sheet (10.5") 2nd cut at 4.25" (middle of the sheet on my reg mark) .. and then 3.5" from there to my crop mark (if I've done a decent job it's 3.5" <grin>)on both strips and finally 2" up from the bottom.

Thanks for the heads up.

[R***@adobeforums.com]

I rarely use less than 9 pt gutter all around and usually try to stick to 1 pica. As Peter mentioned, if you're close to the edge to begin with when gang running, you can easily trim off live art. I've done it when rushing jobs. Especially now that I have copiers with far more bounce than a press.

I run my non-bleed bus cards 12-up. I pay per click with a copier. Running bus cds 10-up is a waste of paper and unnecessary click charges.

[J***@adobeforums.com]

There in lies the problem Richard ..... when jobs are rushed or you use equipment that may not give you accurate registration.

We've yet to have an issue with crop/regs on press or bindery as far as trimming, and that includes 2 sided cards, fold over and short folds. Lucky? Nope - we just try to be careful and accurate with a series or checks and balances .... and my employees know that.

[Chris Baham]

Heh.. Ive ALWAYS worked horizontal x vertical... I cant stand it when I am told the other way around.. or when I read it the other way around.

[M***@adobeforums.com]

So, when I say 11 x 8.5, you automatically see a landscape oriented letter page. When I say 8.5 x 11, you automatically see a portrait oriented letter page.

I tend to state the dimensions based on the orientation that the reader will view the finished form. I do not know of many people that will take a page printed landscape and rotate it to portrait position and then rotate their head to match. ^_~

-mt

[R***@adobeforums.com]

I never say 11 x 8.5. I do say 8.5 x 11 landscape. I can't remember the last time I ever wrote 3.5 x 2 either when placing an order.

[peterpica]

Orientation can make a world of difference to a forms printer.

[R***@adobeforums.com]

In a purchase order I always specify landscape or portrait.

[Chris Baham]

I dont specify landscape or portrait. I just say what it is based on horizontal x vertical dimensions. If its a 3 x 2 label.. then obviously.. its 3" wide and 2" tall.

[R***@adobeforums.com]

Oftentimes, especially with ads, I'll put 4-3/4" w x 6-7/8" h. I do this far more often then specifying landscape or portrait.

[David Creamer]

To my knowledge, graphic design has traditionally been width x height (a variation of horizontal x vertical)--even before computers. However, just to be clear, I always include a W or H indiction on the measurements.

[Tom Usrey]

"...graphic design has traditionally been width x height ..."

But not for everything -- as far as I know, outdoor/billboards use a height x width designation; so a 14x48 bulletin is 14-feet high by 48-feet wide.

[David Creamer]

Interesting info about billboards--which is something I never designed. My background is traditional printing (magazines, books, brochures, etc.). Goes to show that it is always a good idea to mark the W and H for clarity.