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How To Make Photographic Greeting Cards

The Photographs

The first ingredient that one needs for making photographic greeting cards are some photographic images worthy of the task. One of the nicer things about the digital revolution in photography is that you can put together great pictures right on your computer without all those chemicals. But don’t feel that digital is the only way to go, it isn’t. An old-fashioned SLR camera still produces great, sharp pictures and the technology is there, if you should chose, to scan a negative or transparency and still produce a digital image.

Photoshop is still the most popular way to fine tune a photographic image, and even one of the most basic programs such as Photoshop Elements gives you great results. By using the simpler software, you can now put all your creative efforts into that split second, when you click the shutter. I would think that time spent searching out subject matter and aligning each composition is more important that photographic manipulation after the picture is taken.

Next comes the creation of the photograph on real photographic paper. Unless you are into mass production, this is the logical way to go. You can do this at home with a specially made photographic printer or you can go to a quality photo lab and have then make the photograph for you. You will probably chose either a 3” X 5” or a 4” X 6” image. The 4 X 6 is probably the most common size and actually the photo lab is probably the most cost effective. Their equipment is most likely going to be much better than anything that you are willing to buy, and they can still match or beat what it cost you to print each picture.

For example, let’s say you have already purchased a photographic printer. After the cost of the printer the price for paper and chemistry will be approximately 30 cents for a 4 X 6 print. If you go to a lab, they will make the same size image for the identical price. Without a doubt they will produce the sharper image.

Of course, there are always those iconoclasts, who might buy a cheap camera, then make their own photograph on a standard photo printer and relish in the fact that it is a “soft-focus” arty product. The key here is to know how to get the desired final product that you want. If you want to make rustic images from a pinhole camera, than is an artistic choice that you are perfectly free to make.

Card Stock and Envelopes

I have found that there are two general directions to go with card stock or the actual card that the photograph will be adhered to. Card stock comes in actual weights. You will probably want to use anywhere from 50 weight up to around a hundred weight stock. The stiff paper will come in varying sizes and colors, so the best solution is go to the nearest paper supplier and pick out your choice of color and thickness. Always lean towards the heavier stock, for saving money here is not a good way to go. You definitely will want a final product that does not warp or wilt. I often buy my card stock already cut and folded at 15 cents a piece for a 5 X 7 card. For those people, who live miles from nowhere, you can purchase card stock via the internet.

A more creative way to go is to buy heavyweight paper. I have gone to an art supply store and come away with scores of discounted sheets of watercolor paper at very affordable prices. I like to use 90 or 140 weight paper and the larger the outside dimensions are, the more pieces I can cut or tear from one sheet of paper.

Once you are in the art store you will probably see many types of paper you can use as backing. Drawing paper, printmaking paper and even construction paper can be used to make the card, but I tend to shy away from construction paper. This is mainly done because I don’t particularly like the color of most of these types of paper. If rice paper catches your eye, remember that this item alone will not make a good card. However, rice paper attached to a card stock as a secondary backing makes a wonderful product. It all depends how much time you are willing to put into the effort. This principle also applies, when you are buying large sheets of watercolor paper with the intention of producing a half dozen cards or more from each piece of paper. It will take more time to prepare the paper, but the results might be worth the effort.

Also, you might be interested in purchasing ready made cards with windows that you can slide your photograph directly into. They are simple and create a wonderful final product, but are considerably more expensive than any of the alternatives. There are a few mail-order companies that specialize in such items. They even come with engraved patterns on the front or personalized messages on the inside.

Finally, there are the envelopes. If there is a place to cut corners this might be it (pun intended), but for me I have always bought a medium quality beige or tan colored envelope. Again I go to a paper supply company, and by them by the hundred. You have to pay attention to the size here. Most company make envelopes specially to fit around a 5 X 7 card, so the actual size will be a quarter of an inch larger in both directions. Keep this in mind if you are contemplating making your own envelopes.

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Written by: Henry See
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