Creating a gift card in Adobe Illustrator is a fantastic way to personalize your brand and offer customers a thoughtful gifting option. Whether for birthdays, holidays, or special thank yous, a well-designed gift card can significantly enhance customer experience. A crucial aspect of gift card design is understanding the standard Gift Card Size. This article will guide you through designing a gift card in Illustrator, focusing on getting the dimensions right for professional results.
You can begin your design journey with an easily editable gift card template from Adobe Stock. Browsing stock images can also spark inspiration for your background design. Once you’ve selected a template, download it as an AI file to customize it with your brand’s colors, logo, and text in Adobe Illustrator.
Alternatively, you can create a gift card from scratch in Illustrator. Here’s a step-by-step process to ensure your design is both visually appealing and correctly sized.
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Initiate Your Project.
Launch Adobe Illustrator and create a new document to start your gift card design.
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Define the Dimensions: Standard Gift Card Size.
When setting up your document, consider the importance of gift card size. Standard gift cards usually match the size of credit cards or business cards for wallet compatibility. The typical gift card size is 3.37 inches in width (85.6mm) and 2.125 inches in height (53.98mm).
For print projects, it’s essential to account for the bleed area, which is the space extending beyond the trim line. Start with a slightly larger canvas to accommodate bleed. Remember to add printer’s marks before sending your design for professional printing to ensure accurate trimming.
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Select the Appropriate Color Mode.
The color mode is vital depending on your gift card’s final format. For physical, printed gift cards, CMYK color mode is the standard as it’s optimized for printing processes. If you are designing an e-gift card for digital use, choose RGB color mode, which is best for screens.
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Establish Your Background Color and Design.
Utilize the Rectangle tool to create a rectangle that covers your entire canvas. This will serve as the background for your gift card. Fill this rectangle with your chosen background color. For organizational purposes, rename this layer to Background.
To select a solid background color, use the Fill box located at the bottom of the Tools panel on the left and double-click to add a fill color. If you prefer a more dynamic background, explore creating a gradient. Gradient options can be accessed in the Properties panel to the right of your artboard, allowing for smooth color transitions. You can also add a stroke color to create a border if desired.
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Incorporate Your Logo and Branding Elements.
Integrate your company logo and other visual elements to reinforce brand identity. Whether your logo file is in AI, PNG, or JPEG format, adding it to your Creative Cloud Library ensures it’s readily accessible. Simply drag and drop your logo from the library onto your gift card design. Resize and position it appropriately to complement the overall design and gift card size.
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Add Essential Text Information.
Create a new layer and rename it Text to keep your text elements organized. Select the Type tool and input the necessary text, such as “Gift Card,” value, terms and conditions, or promotional messages. Use the Character panel to customize your text by choosing the font, color, and size that best fits your design aesthetic and readability requirements. The Selection tool allows you to precisely adjust the placement of your text within the gift card size dimensions.
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Design the Reverse Side of the Gift Card.
For printed gift cards, designing the back side is crucial. Use the Artboard tool, and while holding down the Option key (Mac) or Alt key (PC), drag a copy of your front design below it. This creates a duplicate artboard for the back of your card, maintaining the correct gift card size.
Delete the front-side text and replace it with essential information like terms and conditions, expiration dates, redemption instructions, or a barcode if applicable. If you’ve generated a barcode for tracking, copy and paste it onto the back side of the card. This ensures all necessary details are present while maintaining a professional gift card size and design.
By following these steps, you can confidently design and prepare your gift cards in Adobe Illustrator, paying close attention to the standard gift card size and essential design elements. This ensures your gift cards are not only visually appealing but also practical and professional.
