How to Make Greeting Cards on a Computer
By Ty Arthur
While there are plenty of greeting cards readily available in stores it can be difficult to find exactly the right card for any given occasion. If you want a more personalized card that includes your own photographs, you can make a greeting card using a program on your computer. Whether it is for Christmas, a birthday or any other time of year, you can be sure to have the perfect card ready for your family or friends.
Download and install any greeting card creation program such as "Greeting Card Studio" or "Greeting Card Builder," if you do not already have a similar program on your computer (see links in Resources).
Click File > New. Select the width and height you want to use for the greeting card. Choose either "Portrait" or "Landscape" to set the orientation of the greeting card.
Click Image > Add New Photo. Select a preset image provided by the program or instead choose a photo saved on your computer. Click the image and drag it to one of the ends of the greeting card.
Choose "Background" and select a background color to fill in any white areas not covered by the image. Click "Add Caption." Type in a message you want to be displayed on the card such as "Happy Birthday!" Use the drop-down menu to select a font and text size. Click "OK" to place the text on the screen. Click the text and drag it to the location on the card where you want it to be displayed. Add any additional text or images you want on the card.
Click File > Print. Choose whether you want the card to be folded in half or in quarters. Follow the instructions on the screen if the program indicates you should print on both sides of the paper.
References
Tips
- The specific options you need to choose to change sizes or add images may vary if you are using a different greeting card program, but the overall process will be similar. If you do not want to install a new program, use an online greeting card building tool that lets you select various options and print directly from the website (see link in Resources). Most greeting card programs will show a series of dotted lines on the screen to indicate how the card should be folded. Make sure to keep your images on either side of the lines for the best presentation.
Writer Bio
Ty Arthur has been writing technical and entertainment-related articles for a variety of online sources since 2008. His articles have appeared on Metalunderground.com and many other websites. Arthur attended the Great Falls College of Technology and studied both computer science and creative writing.