little trick : big results

how to deal with ink transfers

in probably 80 percent of the business cards i design, i put something on the back. it is a good use of the space for either leaving the branding unobstructed on its own side, or for including extra information the client has requested. and for dramatic effect, in all of those cases, i use a contrasting colour from the other side of the card. now i am clearly not the only designer doing so, hence the reason i am broaching the subject today.

although by all account this design approach creates fantastic results, there is one inherent nasty little problem to it: ink transfer.

when you put your cards in your business card holder, there is always a natural friction that occurs between the cards. over time this will result in a slight transfer of ink, and you will then notice some discoloration on the front of your cards, sometimes more obvious around the edges. this problem is much more visible with dark and strong colours, but is common to all. simply put, the front of your card will just seem dirty, specially if it is white. it doesn’t take long either for that to happen, and the fresher the ink, the faster the transfer.

here is an example of ink transfer. notice how clean the bottom card looks in comparison to the top one. those cards are about two-weeks off the press. you can clearly see in the white area of the card that the brown from the back has transfered onto the front.

here is my recommendation

when putting your cards in your holder, simply put them back to back. it will take you seconds, but never again will you hand out a card that looks dirty. a card is like a suit: people will judge you on it. so keeps them impeccable!

all business card designs by GR:D