Greetings card layout: composition, grids and white space

A card is read from about a metre away, in a rack, next to forty competitors. Layout is what decides whether yours is picked up. That means one focal point, generous margins and far less on the page than you think.

This is the second guide in our how to design a card series, and it covers the composition rules we use on every design we print.

Start with a grid

• Draw a simple three-column grid with a 10mm outer margin — most card layouts need nothing more complex. Shop this card
• Align every element to a column edge. Loose alignment is the fastest way to make a card look homemade. Shop this card
• Give yourself a consistent vertical rhythm: pick one spacing unit (say 6mm) and use multiples of it. Shop this card

One focal point, not three

• Decide what the buyer should read first — the joke, the number, the illustration — and make everything else smaller. Shop this card
• If two elements are competing for attention, shrink one by at least 40 per cent. Shop this card
• Place the focal point slightly above centre; optical centre sits higher than mathematical centre. Shop this card

White space is a design choice

• Empty space reads as confidence and as quality — the cheapest-looking cards are always the busiest. Shop this card
• Keep at least 15mm clear at the bottom of the front; that's the area the rack lip covers in most shops. Shop this card
• Resist filling corners. A corner motif rarely adds anything and usually crowds the trim. Shop this card

Front, inside and back

• The front carries the idea. The inside carries the space to write. Don't let one steal from the other. Shop this card
• Leave the right-hand inside page almost entirely blank — that's where people actually write. Shop this card
• The back is for your logo, the size, and 'blank inside' — small, bottom-aligned, quiet. Shop this card

Cards with big, simple layouts

Single focal point, generous space around it.

How to write it so it lands

• Squint at the design. Whatever survives the blur is your real focal point.
• Turn the card upside down to check the balance — it stops you reading the words and shows you the shapes.
• Photograph the printed card on a mantelpiece before you commit; that's the environment it lives in.

Where to shop next

• How to design a greetings card (series hub)
• Card layout guide
• Card typography guide
• Photo cards guide
• Shop all cards
• Browse card collections

Frequently asked questions

How much margin should a greetings card have?

At least 10mm from the trim on all sides, and 15mm at the bottom of the front so a shop rack doesn't hide anything important.

Should the design be centred?

Place the focal point slightly above the mathematical centre. Dead-centre layouts look like they're sinking down the page.

How much should go on the front of a card?

One idea. If you can't describe the front in a single short sentence, there's too much on it.