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08-31-2008, 07:49 PM | #1 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
Hey Guys. Here it goes, long promised how to on how I make my custom chrome cards. Its taken me a year to develop my technique...and Im sure it can be taken even further to better the proccess with all of your input. It is a very tedious proccess....but the result looks and displays great.
This is just the physical process on how the cards are made. I cant really show you how to do the computer work....that is something you will have to teach yourself..or take classes. The main programs I use are Photoshop and Illustrator....mostly photoshop though. Obviously, you will need a computer and a photoprinter. I use semi gloss photopaper...you can use glossy or matte...whichever gives you the look you prefer. I like semigloss becuase its not shiny and its not dull...right in the middle. Be careful that you do not get your inkjet photopaper wet once it is printed...it will smudge. You can try spraying it with a fixative to protect it...but if you are careful, you should be fine until you get it into a star case for protection. Okay, here are the supplies I use make my cards....all found at Walmart (with the execption of the light table). 1. Exacto knife 2. Box cutter 3. Straight edge 4. Masking tape 5. Black Sharpie 6. 3M spray glue 7. Cutting Mat 8. Brayer...or Automotive Plastic Filler Spreader Tool 9. Clear Craft Glue....(I found the one pictured works best) 10. Corner Rounder 11. Light table...(window maybe) 11. Card Stock 12. Chrome paper....gold or silver. Found at Michaels in the poster board section. For this demostration, I used silver photopaper...its not as reflective as chrome paper...but cheaper and I didnt want to waste my chrome paper for this demonstration...since its more expensive. I posted a side by side pic to see the reflective difference. Last edited by Wyo; 08-31-2008 at 08:57 PM.. |
08-31-2008, 07:52 PM | #2 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
1. This is what you will start out with, once you have printed out the front and the back of your card
2. With your straight edge and exacto knife, cut out the text and area behind the bubble. Use the Black Sharpie to touch up any errors you might have made during the process of cutting. |
08-31-2008, 07:55 PM | #3 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
3. This is what you should have once you trimmed the text and trim. It should all be negative space. Make sure you save the O...you will need it later.
4. Now trim the edges. Start at the bottom, then do the sides. Leave the top. You need to do something special with that. |
08-31-2008, 08:00 PM | #4 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
5. For the top, you will need to leave a small area or tab for registering the front of the card to the back. Trim about an inch on the sides of the top, and it should look like pictured.
6. For the registration step, I use a light table. It has been the ONLY way that I have ever been able to get the front and back to line up perfectly. Ive tried Dozens of different techniques...even registration marks...but I found this the easiest way. So, put a piece of masking tape on the back piece of card art along the top....then flip it over and put it on the light table. 7. The backart on the light table, with it turned on..... |
08-31-2008, 08:05 PM | #5 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
8. On the light table, lay the front art on the top of the back art and register it so that everything lines up perfectly. If you dont have a light table...you might be able to use a window for this. Try to get it as close as possible. Then fold down the tape at the top so you have a hinge at the top.
9. Trim the tape at the top, so that it will hinge freely. 10. Now slide a piece of chrome paper in between the front and back art....with masking tape, make hinges attaching the chrome paper to the back art as pictured. |
08-31-2008, 08:10 PM | #6 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
11.Okay, now you are ready for the spray glue. With the back art taped to the chrome paper, open the hinge so that the front art can be sprayed with glue just like the picture below.
12. Make a mask by placing a piece a paper over the chrome paper and the tab that is holding the front art. YOU DO NOT want to get glue on the tab that is attached to the front art...this will need to be cut away. Only apply spray glue to the front art....not to the chrome paper that is covered up. 13. Now, remove the mask over the chrome paper, and gently attach the front art onto the chrome paper with the use of the hinge. |
08-31-2008, 08:13 PM | #7 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
14. Place a piece of paper over the front art, when you use the brayer to work out any air that might be trapped inside.
15. Now, you with your straight edge you can trim away the tab that is holding the front art to the hinge. You did not apply glue here, so it should cut away easily. Do not cut super hard, or you will go thru the chrome paper. 16. Here the tab is trimmed away. Now make a complete hinge between the chrome paper that holds the front art, and the back art. |
08-31-2008, 08:18 PM | #8 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
17. Now you are ready to glue some cardstock between the chrome paper with the card art and the back art. You can use what ever card stock you want to give it the desired thickness you desire. I just play around with different kinds until I get the tickness I like.
Open up the hinge and spray glue on both parts. 18. Now apply spray glue to both sides of the cardstock. 19. Position the card stock on the back piece of cardart in the hinge. |
08-31-2008, 08:25 PM | #9 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
20. Now, close the hinge. Use the brayer as before to make sure everything gets down flat. Make sure you use paper to protect both sides of your artwork.
21. After the glue that is holding the card together has dried for awhile...(at least 2-3 hours) you can trim the edges. Now you need to measure out your borders. You can make them as thick or as thin as you want. I measure out from the cardart and generally I make mine a little bit less than 3/8 of an inch. You will need to make marks on both the top and bottom of each side, so you will know where to place your straight edge to cut. You should have 8 marks total (2 on each side)...to show where to cut your borders. Also, I like to tape down both sides of the straight edge, so the ruler doesnt walk when Im making the cut with the box cutter. Cut your borders, it doesnt really matter which side you cut first. |
08-31-2008, 08:28 PM | #10 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,062
|
22. After all the edges are cut, use a corner rounder to make the corners smooth.
23. Heres what you should have up to the this point. You will notice the O is missing something.... 22. Get the O that you saved, and trim out the black negative space with your ruler and exacto knife |
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