Business Card Artwork: Size, Safety Margin, Colour Profile
A guide to preparing business card artwork: 90x55 mm plus 3 mm bleed, 4 mm safety margin, CMYK and 300 dpi, PDF with fonts converted to curves.
The standard business card artwork in Latvia is 90x55 mm in finished size, and the file should be prepared with a 3 mm bleed on each side — that makes 96x61 mm with bleed. The safety margin (at least 4 mm from the cut line) should be free of text, logos and other important elements. Colour mode — CMYK with the Coated FOGRA39 profile, image resolution 300 dpi, file — PDF with fonts converted to curves.
Size and bleed
Printing is done on a larger sheet, and the cards are then cut with a cutter. Cutting accuracy is approximately ±0.5 mm, so the background and background images need to extend 3 mm beyond the finished size. If the background ends exactly on the 90x55 mm line, a white stripe may appear on some of the cards.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Finished size | 90x55 mm |
| Size with bleed | 96x61 mm (3 mm on each side) |
| Safety margin | 4 mm from the cut line |
| Resolution | 300 dpi (at 1:1 scale) |
| Colour mode | CMYK, Coated FOGRA39 |
| File | PDF (PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-1a) |
If you're planning a card with rounded corners, increase the safety margin to 5 mm — the corner radius "eats into" extra space. A vertical (portrait orientation) card is made the same way, just 55x90 mm.
Safety margin: what shouldn't be there
The safety margin is a 4 mm strip along all four edges. It should not contain:
- text — phone number, email, address, job title;
- logos and brand elements;
- thin frame lines along the edge (even a 1 mm offset makes the frame look uneven visually);
- QR code — leave at least 5 mm of clearance and a minimum size of 15x15 mm.
The background, colour fields and photographs can extend into the safety margin — they simply need to run all the way to the bleed edge.
Colour profile and black colours
On screen colours are RGB, in print — CMYK. If you submit an RGB file, conversion will happen automatically and bright blues, greens and oranges will become duller. So create your artwork in CMYK mode from the start and check colours with the Coated FOGRA39 profile enabled.
Black text and black background
For small black text (up to 12 pt), use 100% K — without C, M, Y. If the text contains all four colours, the edges of letters on a 90x55 mm card may look blurred. For large black areas, such as a black card background, use "rich black": C 60, M 40, Y 40, K 100 — this looks deeper than 100% K alone.
Pantone colours are converted to CMYK in digital printing, so corporate tones may differ by one shade. If your brand colour is critical, we can prepare one test sheet before the full print run.
Fonts, lines and images
- Fonts should be converted to curves (Create Outlines / Convert to Curves) or embedded in the PDF file. This eliminates the risk of a font being substituted in the print file.
- The minimum text size that remains legible is 6 pt; contact information is usually set at 7–9 pt.
- Minimum line thickness — 0.25 pt. Thinner lines may print as broken.
- Images should be 300 dpi at finished size. A photo taken from a website (72 dpi) will look pixelated on a card.
- Vector graphics (.ai, .eps, .pdf) are the best option for a logo — they can be scaled without any loss of quality.
How to submit your file and what happens next
Send a single PDF file with two pages — the first page is the front, the second is the back. If the back is blank (single-sided printing), please note this in your email. Name the file with the company name and size, for example `company_businesscards_90x55.pdf`.
Send files to info@attaprint.lv or WhatsApp +371 25776699. Artwork checking at Atta Print is free of charge: we check bleed, resolution, colour mode and fonts, and send you a digital proof for approval within one business day. You can also place your order in the business cards section.
Prices and timelines
| Item | Price excl. VAT | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Business cards 90x55 mm, 300 gsm, 100 pcs | from 25.00 EUR/set | single- or double-sided printing |
| From 3 sets (300 pcs) | from 22.00 EUR/set | 300 pcs = approx. 66.00 EUR |
| Artwork preparation / check | 0.00 EUR | if the file meets the requirements |
Prices are indicative and excl. VAT; the exact amount depends on quantity, paper and number of printed sides. Production time for business cards is usually 3–5 business days from artwork approval; for larger orders combined with promotional products, 5–10 business days. Urgent jobs — by agreement with your project manager.
Most common artwork mistakes
- No bleed. The file is exactly 90x55 mm — it needs to be re-saved with a 3 mm bleed.
- RGB file. Colours come out duller in print than they appeared on screen.
- Text too close to the edge. A 1–2 mm margin is too small; you need at least 4 mm.
- JPG from a presentation. A 72 dpi image at 90x55 mm size isn't usable for printing.
- Two separate files with no explanation. It's unclear which side is the front.
- Crop marks inside the artwork. Crop marks should be placed outside the bleed edge.
If you don't have any artwork at all, we can prepare it based on your logo and text — before that, take a look at our other printing services, since flyers or stickers are often ordered together with business cards, and it's efficient to design them in one go.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard business card size in Latvia?
90x55 mm. With a 3 mm bleed, the file is 96x61 mm. An 85x55 mm format also exists, which saves space in a wallet compartment, but 90x55 mm is the most common.
Can I send artwork as a Canva or Word file?
A Canva project can be exported as a PDF with bleed — this is usable, you just need to check that the colours are CMYK. Word and PowerPoint files aren't suitable for printing: they have no bleed and the colours are RGB. In that case, we'll redraw the artwork for you.
How much does artwork checking and correction cost?
Checking and the digital proof are free of charge. If the bleed or colour mode needs correcting, this is usually done as part of the order; creating a completely new artwork is agreed separately.
Is 100 business cards the minimum order quantity?
Yes, a set is 100 pieces for approximately 25.00 EUR excl. VAT. From three sets the price drops to approximately 22.00 EUR per set.
How do I prepare a business card with rounded corners?
The artwork is made the same way — 90x55 mm plus 3 mm bleed, with no drawn rounding. Simply increase the safety margin to 5 mm and specify the desired corner radius (usually 3 mm) in your email.
Send your artwork or description to info@attaprint.lv, call +371 25776699 or message us on WhatsApp at the same number — our contact details are also available in the Contacts section. We prepare quotes and artwork review comments within one business day.
FAQ
What is the standard business card size in Latvia?
90x55 mm in finished size. With a 3 mm bleed on each side, the file is 96x61 mm. An 85x55 mm format also exists, but 90x55 mm is the most common.
Can I send artwork as a Canva or Word file?
A Canva project can be exported as a PDF with bleed — this is usable, you just need to check that the colours are CMYK. Word and PowerPoint files aren't suitable for printing, since they lack a bleed area and the colours are RGB; in that case, we'll redraw the artwork for you.
How much does artwork checking and correction cost?
Artwork checking and the digital proof are free of charge. Minor corrections, such as adding bleed or changing the colour mode, are usually done as part of the order; creating a completely new artwork is agreed separately.
Is 100 business cards the minimum order quantity?
Yes, one set is 100 pieces at 90x55 mm on 300 gsm paper for 25.00 EUR excl. VAT. From three sets the price is 22.00 EUR per set, meaning 300 pieces costs 66.00 EUR excl. VAT.
How do I prepare a business card with rounded corners?
The artwork is prepared the same way — 90x55 mm plus 3 mm bleed, with no drawn rounding. The safety margin is increased to 5 mm, and the desired corner radius, usually 3 mm, is specified in the order.
How long is the production time?
For business cards, usually 3–5 business days from artwork approval. If the order includes other products as well, the timeline is 3–10 business days; urgent jobs are handled by agreement.
