Custom Cards

With Handwrytten’s “Design Your Own Card” feature, you can turn your personal designs into real, handwritten cards. This is your guide to creating and sending custom designs, walking you through every step—from uploading your artwork to choosing the perfect card format and finalizing your message. Whether you’re designing a flat 5×7 or a folded A2 card (portrait or landscape), this process ensures your cards look exactly how you envisioned.

Create, customize, and send cards that truly reflect your style—without ever picking up a pen.

Start Your Design

Then:

Choose your card size and orientation (flat or folded, portrait or landscape).
Upload your design file as a high-resolution JPEG or PNG (300 PPI recommended).
Do not include printer marks like trim lines, registration marks, color bars, or file names. Only upload what you want printed.

What Kind of Images Can You Use?

Your card design is completely up to you—but here are some popular ideas:

Business Branding: Company logo, branded patterns, QR code to your site
Personal Touch: Family photo, pet portrait, kid’s artwork
Seasonal Designs: Fall foliage, holiday icons, fireworks, snowflakes
Minimalist Looks: Clean typography, subtle textures, monochrome schemes
Creative Concepts: Doodles, collages, vintage postcards, watercolor art

🔎Pro Tip: Use the full card space—but keep important details (like text or faces) within the safe zone to avoid edge trimming. We consider the safe zone 0.375” from the bleed line (0.25” along all the edges except where the cars folds). See the attached guide for safe zone and bleed dimensions.

Save Your Design

Once uploaded, click Save. This stores your card with a blank message area. You’ll find it anytime under “My Custom Cards” in your account.

🔎Pro Tip: If you’re creating a folded card, upload your front and back designs as separate files. The system won’t accept a single file for both sides.

Add Your Message & Send

Ready to send? Go to My Custom Cards and click “Send” (or “Bulk Send” if you’re mailing many at once). From there:

Type your message
Choose handwriting style
Finalize recipient details
Complete your order

🔎Pro Tip: You can save time by using templates for messages you send often—great for client thank-yous, holiday notes, or appointment reminders.

Design Best Practices

Use clear, high-resolution images for best print results.
Make sure your design is sized properly and includes a 0.125” bleed on all edges.
Avoid placing text or logos too close to the edges. Stay within the safe zone to ensure nothing gets cut off.
Stick with CMYK colors for accurate print results (we don’t print in RGB or Pantone).

Bonus Ideas: How to Use Custom Cards

Send a branded thank-you to new customers
Celebrate team milestones with a personalized card
Turn your artwork into a birthday card for friends and clients
Create seasonal campaigns with festive imagery
Use photos from an event or vacation to make memorable follow-ups

Need exact sizing? Check the attached Card Dimensions Guide for card sizes, bleed specs, and safe zones.

Card Customizer Quick Guide – 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

💬 Is there a character limit for headers and footers?

Yes. Headers and footers are limited to 100 characters each.

💬 Can I edit a saved custom card design?

Yes. Saved designs can be edited. Go to My Custom Cards, find the design you want to update, and click Edit. Make your changes and save it as a new custom card so you can keep the original version.

💬 Can I add a message directly onto my card design instead of typing it later?

Not exactly. You can include design elements like headers, footers, logos, or QR codes as part of your card design, but the main message will be handwritten by our robot writers. If you need a fully printed message instead of handwritten text, contact our design team for options and pricing.

💬 Can I preview how the handwritten message will look?

Yes. Once your custom design is saved and named, click Send under your card in My Custom Cards. You’ll be able to choose from our handwritten fonts and preview how your message will appear inside the card before placing your order.

💬 Can I reorder a custom card I’ve already sent?

Yes. Once you’ve created a custom card, it will be saved under My Custom Cards. You can return at any time to send it again with a new message, a new recipient, or both.