54 Elements of Card DesignBackgroundsUse the following suggestions to help you select a background for a professional-looking card. Forbest results, make sure that the background design does not emphasize the location of cardfeatures, such as embedded electronics. Consider using a white background for the card to achieve consistent professional results. Consider using smaller blocks of color, patterned areas, or gradients to highlight printed cardfeatures such as a name, photo, or logo. Avoid using a solid-color background over a large area of the card. It can show flaws on thecard (such as an uneven surface) or the location of card features (such as a smart card chip).Image PlacementUse the following suggestions to help you locate importantimages, such as a photo, logo, or bar code. When placing images,avoid uneven areas and areas of high wear, which can result ininconsistent print quality. Do not place an important image on the front of the card inthe same area as a magnetic stripe or other machine-readable feature. Frequent use of a card in a reader can wearaway the image on the opposite side of the card. Do not place an important image directly on the opposite side of a signature panel. This cancause residue from the signature panel to interfere with printing on an adjacent card. Placethe image above, below, or to the side of the panel. Do not place an important image directly on the opposite side of a smart card chip. The cardmight not be as flat in that area, and printing voids may occur.PhotoBetterPhotoLocationFront of Card
