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Project Overview

In this tutorial, you’ll design and prepare a professional business card for printing. This hands-on project will teach you:
  • Setting up correct dimensions with bleed
  • Typography best practices for print
  • Color management for brand consistency
  • Proper file preparation for printers
Time Required: 20-30 minutes Difficulty: Beginner Final Output: Print-ready PDF with bleed and crop marks

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What You’ll Need

  • Figma account (free or paid)
  • Print for Figma plugin installed
  • Your business information (name, title, contact details)
  • Optional: Logo file (PNG or SVG)

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Project Specifications

Standard business card dimensions:
MeasurementValueNotes
Final Size90mm × 54mmUS: 3.5” × 2”
With Bleed96mm × 60mm+3mm all sides
Safe Area84mm × 48mm-3mm all sides
Resolution300 DPIPrint standard
Color ModeCMYKFor printing
These dimensions are for European standard business cards. US standard is 89mm × 51mm (3.5” × 2”). Adjust as needed for your region.

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Step 1: Set Up Your Document

1

Create New Frame

  1. Open Figma and create a new file
  2. Press F to activate Frame tool
  3. In the right panel, enter:
    • Width: 96 (mm)
    • Height: 60 (mm)
  4. Name your frame: “Business Card”
Change units: Right-click canvas → Unit of measurement → Millimeters
2

Add Visual Guides

Create guides to mark safe area and bleed:
  1. Enable rulers: Shift + R
  2. Drag guides from rulers to mark:
    • 3mm from each edge (bleed line)
    • 6mm from each edge (safe area)
Keep all important text and logos inside the safe area (inner guides)
3

Set Background

  1. Select your frame
  2. Add a fill color or background
  3. Make sure background extends to all edges (including bleed)

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Step 2: Design Your Business Card

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Front Side Design

1

Add Your Logo

  1. Drag your logo file into Figma (or create a text-based logo)
  2. Position it in the safe area (at least 6mm from edges)
  3. Ensure logo is high resolution (300 DPI)
Avoid: Placing your logo too close to edges - it might get cut off!
2

Add Your Name

  1. Press T for text tool
  2. Add your name
  3. Recommended settings:
    • Font size: 16-20pt minimum
    • Font weight: Bold or SemiBold
    • Color: High contrast with background
Text Sizes for Print:
  • Name/Title: 16-24pt
  • Body text: 8-12pt
  • Minimum readable: 6pt
3

Add Contact Information

Add your:
  • Job title
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Website
Recommended settings:
  • Font size: 8-10pt
  • Consistent alignment (left, center, or right)
  • Adequate spacing between lines
4

Add Design Elements

Optional enhancements:
  • Decorative lines or shapes
  • Background patterns
  • Color accents
Keep design elements at least 3mm from edges to prevent cutting issues

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Back Side Design (Optional)

1

Duplicate Frame

  1. Duplicate your front design: Cmd/Ctrl + D
  2. Name it “Business Card - Back”
  3. Position next to front design
2

Design Back

Common back side options:
  • Full background with pattern
  • Social media handles
  • Additional contact info
  • QR code
  • Company tagline
Many designers keep the back simple or use a solid color with pattern

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Step 3: Prepare for Print

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Check Your Design

  • All text is spelled correctly
  • Contact information is accurate
  • Logo is properly positioned
  • No important elements within 3mm of edge
  • Design extends to all edges (full bleed)
  • All images are high resolution
  • Logos are vector (SVG) or high-res raster
  • No blurry or pixelated elements
  • Colors are consistent
  • Text has good contrast
  • Black text uses pure black (not dark gray)
  • All text is readable (minimum 6pt)
  • Fonts are embedded or will be embedded
  • Line spacing is appropriate
  • No text touching edges

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Step 4: Configure Print Settings

1

Open Print for Figma

  1. Select your business card frame
  2. Press Cmd/Ctrl + / → Type “Print for Figma”
  3. Plugin opens with your frame selected
2

Document Settings

In the Document tab:
✓ Enable "Add Bleed"
  Bleed size: 3mm

✓ Enable "Crop Marks"
  Position: Outside

✓ Enable "Registration Marks" (optional)

✓ Safety Zone: Visible (for your reference)
3

Color Conversion

In the Color tab:
✓ Enable "Convert to CMYK"
  ICC Profile: ISO Coated v2 300%
  (or check with your printer)

✓ Black Text Optimization
  Use pure black (K100) for text

✓ Rendering Intent: Relative Colorimetric
Brand Colors: If you have specific Pantone colors, you can set up spot colors here. See Spot Colors Guide
4

Export Settings

In the Export tab:
DPI: 300
Image Compression: 85%
PDF Standard: PDF/X-4
5

DPI Check

Switch to DPI Check tab:
  1. Review all images in your design
  2. Verify all images show ≥300 DPI
  3. Replace any low-resolution images
Red warning (⚠️) = Image is below 300 DPI and may print poorly

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Step 5: Export Your PDF

1

Preview Settings

Review your settings one last time:
  • Bleed: 3mm ✓
  • Crop marks: Enabled ✓
  • CMYK: Enabled ✓
  • DPI: 300 ✓
2

Export

  1. Click “Export PDF” button
  2. Choose save location
  3. File naming suggestion: BusinessCard_YourName_Front_CMYK_Bleed.pdf
File Naming Best Practice:
  • Include your name
  • Specify front/back
  • Add date if making revisions
  • Example: JohnDoe_BusinessCard_Front_v2_2024-01-15.pdf
3

Repeat for Back (if applicable)

If you made a back side:
  1. Select back frame
  2. Use same settings
  3. Export as separate PDF

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Step 6: Verify Your PDF

Before sending to printer, double-check your PDF:

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Visual Inspection

1

Open in PDF Reader

Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader or Preview (Mac)
2

Check Page Size

  • Page size should be 96mm × 60mm (with bleed)
  • Crop marks should be visible outside the design
3

Zoom In (200-400%)

  • Text should be sharp and clear
  • Images should not be pixelated
  • Colors should look reasonably accurate
4

Check Bleed

  • Background and design elements should extend to page edges
  • No white borders visible
  • Crop marks indicate where to cut

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Technical Verification

In Adobe Acrobat:
  1. File → Properties → Description
  2. Look for “CMYK” in color space
  3. Or: Tools → Print Production → Output Preview
Your file should show CMYK colors, not RGB.
In Adobe Acrobat:
  1. File → Properties → Description
  2. Look for “TrimBox” settings
  3. TrimBox should be 90mm × 54mm
  4. MediaBox should be 96mm × 60mm
Images should be embedded at 300 DPI. If you’re concerned about image quality, you can verify this in Acrobat Pro.

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Step 7: Send to Printer

Your PDF is ready! Here’s how to work with your printer:

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Communicating with Print Shops

1

Provide Specifications

When contacting printer, specify:
Quantity: [How many cards]
Paper: [e.g., 350gsm coated card stock]
Finish: [Matte, gloss, or uncoated]
Sides: [Single or double-sided]
Additional: [Spot UV, embossing, etc.]
2

Ask About Requirements

Confirm with printer:
  • Do they accept PDF/X-4?
  • Is 3mm bleed correct?
  • Do they need CMYK or can accept RGB?
  • Any special file naming requirements?
3

Request a Proof

For important projects:
  • Request a digital proof for approval
  • Or order a physical proof (small quantity test print)
  • This lets you see actual colors before mass production
Physical proofs are worth the extra cost for important business cards

Moo

Premium quality, excellent color reproduction

Vistaprint

Budget-friendly, quick turnaround

GotPrint

Good for bulk orders

Local Print Shop

Best for custom finishes and consultation

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Common Business Card Enhancements

Once you’re comfortable with basics, consider these upgrades:
  • Spot UV: Glossy coating on specific areas
  • Foil Stamping: Metallic gold or silver
  • Embossing/Debossing: Raised or recessed areas
  • Edge Painting: Colored edges
  • Die Cutting: Custom shapes
Special finishes require additional setup. Consult your printer for specifications.
  • Cotton: Luxurious feel (e.g., 110lb cover)
  • Textured: Linen, felt, or laid finish
  • Extra Thick: 32pt or heavier
  • Plastic: Waterproof, durable
  • Metal: Ultra-premium option
  • Square: 2.5” × 2.5” (more memorable)
  • Mini: 2” × 3.5” (fits in cardholder)
  • Oversized: 3.5” × 3.5” or larger
  • Folded: 7” × 2” folded to 3.5” × 2”

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Troubleshooting

This is normal! RGB (screen) has more vibrant colors than CMYK (print).Solutions:
  • Use Pantone spot colors for critical brand colors
  • Request a printed proof
  • Learn color management: Color Management Guide
Minimum sizes:
  • Body text: 8pt minimum
  • Absolute minimum: 6pt (but not recommended)
Fix: Increase font size or simplify information
Cause: Elements too close to trim lineFix: Move all important content at least 3mm from edges (inside safe area)
Cause: Background doesn’t extend to bleedFix: Ensure all background elements extend to 96×60mm (full bleed)

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What You Learned

Congratulations! You now know how to: ✅ Set up correct business card dimensions ✅ Add bleed and safe areas ✅ Design with print constraints in mind ✅ Convert to CMYK for printing ✅ Export print-ready PDFs ✅ Communicate with print shops

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Next Steps

Learn Print Basics

Dive deeper into print concepts

More Use Cases

Try making flyers and posters

Color Management

Master CMYK and color accuracy

Download Templates

Start with pre-made templates

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Save as Template

To reuse your settings for future business cards:
  1. In Print for Figma, go to Presets section
  2. Click “Save Current Settings as Preset”
  3. Name it: “Business Card Standard”
  4. Next time, just load this preset!
Create presets for different print projects to speed up your workflow
Questions about this tutorial? Ask in our Discord community or email support@cooderspro.com