With the summer well and truly on the way, many of us are thinking about how we can come up with printables to match. We want something that looks and feels stunning so we can impress our clients or loved ones.
The only problem is, how do you actually create a great summer printable? What’s the secret sauce for making it happen? Well, that’s what you’re going to find out. We look at some of the principles you can use to create a fantastic product and impress everyone you know.
Get It Laminated
Getting your printable laminated makes sense in the summer. Sure, it helps in the winter too, but people are much more likely to use their cards close to water.
Lamination works by covering the printable in a thin layer of plastic to stop the elements from getting to it. It also adds strength, meaning people can keep their printables for longer instead of constantly having to worry about replacing them.
Make It Summer-Themed
Another principle for the ultimate summer principle is to keep it seasonal. Find a way to make the card less generic and more appealing to the person receiving it.
For instance, you could include typical summer images, like sunshine, water, or beaches, or focus on ancient traditions, like the midsummer festival. These remind the person receiving the card just how much you care about them and want them to get something that makes sense for the time of year.
Add Interactive Elements
If possible, it also makes sense to add interactive elements to your printables. Giving recipients some way they can actually use your artwork can be helpful in some situations.
For example, you might add things like checklists and trackers which let owners tick off things as they process them. You could also include a journaling space for more free-flowing work.
Interactive elements can even include perforated sections for crafts. Users could cut these out and make things from them, including decorations, homewares, and pieces of art.
Keep It Achievable
Of course, if you are planning on creating the ultimate summer printable, ensure you keep it achievable. You don’t want to get into a situation where the design has nothing to do with the season or the issue the market wants to cover.
Therefore, always break down the task into small chunks. Have a mindset that says you will do what you “can do,” not what other people do. This way, you can still get something out there, even if it’s not 100% perfect in your view.
Work With Someone Who Knows What They’re Doing
It’s also a good idea when postcard printing to work with someone who knows what they’re doing. Just diving into it yourself (especially if you want to do it at scale), isn’t always a good idea.
One approach is to come up with the design yourself on the computer and send it to a printing company to get them to produce the units you need. Another idea is to send them a physical copy of the original and get them to create some reproductions based on that.
Whichever way you use, asking other people for help can be extremely beneficial.
Try Multiple Versions
Another approach is to try multiple versions of the ultimate summer printable and figure out which you like the most. As you experiment, you’ll discover you like some more than others.
Keep experimenting until you happen upon a printable you like. Try at least seven different designs to see which is best for your purposes.
Make From High-Quality Materials
You also want to make your printable from high-quality materials. Cheap paper will often disintegrate and won’t give your work the treatment it needs.
Look for thicker paper styles or even card to ensure you get something sturdy that will soak up any colors you try to print on it. Don’t use anything with a plastic coating as this will prevent it from working how you want.
Avoid Fancy Printing
Another pro tip is to avoid the temptation to use fancy printing. While it might seem like a good idea at the time, it is incredibly difficult to get it to work if you are crafting from home.
For DIYers, simple prints are the best. Embossing, gold-leaf, and other preparations are substantially more challenging.
Create Sections
Lastly, you want your summer printable to have clearly defined sections. Organizing everything can help viewers make more sense of your creations and gain valuable knowledge once they finish looking at them.
Lastly
Be creative and enjoy yourself! Creating printables can be (and should be) super fun so make sure you enjoy the process and stretch your creativity and expression by embracing the season and medium.
