Generalized Instructions for
Greeting Card Construction

Using the Windows PAINT & Word
Software Applications

1. Consider your Printer...

a. Paper size and type.

b. Margin requirements.

c. Typical settings are for 8.5" x 11" paper.

d. Usual Margin Settings are .25"

2. Open an Untitled Paint Image...

a. Use Image, Attributes commands...

b. Select Units as inches

c. Set Width to 8 and the Height to 10.5 inches and select OK.

(This is your basic Unfolded Card.)

3. Divide Your Card into 4 Sections...

a. Set your foreground color to gray.

b. Using the middle ones of the 8 "handles" as guides...

c. Draw two gray lines, one vertical, one horizontal...

(Use your line tool and hold down the shift key.)

4. Save this Image for future use...

Leave this copy open for use in this card.

(This can be a general Image Format for use in all 8.5 x 11 inch cards.)

5. Open a Second Paint Application and a new Image...

a. Use Image, Attributes commands...

b. Select Units as inches

c. Set Width to 3.75 and the Height to 5.0 inches and select OK

(This is your Template for each page of your card.)

6. Select and Obtain Graphic Content...

Several Options are available for doing this.

(1) Open any compatible image in another Paint Application,

a. Resize the image to fit your page template...

b. Use edit, select all, and copy commands.

c. Switch to your page template image and paste.

d. Add desired text.

(2) Copy and paste a graphic from any other application.

(Follow steps b, c, & d above.)

7. Compose the Card - Copy and paste individual pages into the Card Template...

a. The card's front and back pages must be flipped and rotated using...

b. The Image, Flip/Rotate, and then the Horizontal command. Repeat for the Vertical Flip.

c. Take each page as it is completed and use the Edit, Select All, and Copy Commands.

d. Switch to the card template and use the paste command to place the page in it's proper place. i.e. The card front (flipped) in the upper left section, the card back (flipped) in the upper right section, and pages two and three in the lower sections.

e. You can either use the same page template for each page or create new ones.

f. You can either save each page or simply delete them after they are copied into the card.

8. The final step is to Print and or Save your card.

a. This may require some adjustment; all printers vary in their capabilities.

b. Individual cards, which have been saved, can always be modified with new text and or additional or new graphics.

c. You will soon have a library of cards for personal use.

d. Special paper can be purchased for more professional looking cards.

Mircosoft Word was used to create this graphic. The cake is clip art, the text is word art.

Note:
Your printer, paper, and software applications may cause you to vary some of the generalized instructions presented here.  It may require some experimentation and ingenuity on your part.  Try different methods.  This is an excellent learning experience.  Some individuals prefer to buy special applications to make Greeting Cards.  These are usually as difficult to master as the approach presented here.

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Course Contents    Imaging or Graphics

By Dean Christensen, April 17, 2001.
Revised 12/31/02
For use in Graphics Instruction.