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- 1). Determine what elements you want to be a part of your post card. You may want to include images, quotations or a quick message, but it is a good idea to choose these elements beforehand so that you can fit all of them on the postcard.
- 2). Determine whether or not your printer can print on coated paper of around 80 or 90 point thickness. This type of paper is ideal for postcards, and it comes in three finishes: matted, dull or glossy. Your printer manual should indicate the types of paper that your printer can print, and each printer has different capabilities. If your printer cannot print on this type of paper, then you can use regular paper, although this may affect the quality of your post card and make it flimsy.
- 3). Load the paper into the printer tray.
- 4). Find an image on your computer that you would like to print, and open it up in Microsoft Paint or Preview, which are the respective image programs for PCs and Mac computers that should come pre-installed with your operating system. You can open these images in the programs by right-clicking them and selecting "open with...". This will present a list of options, and you should select Paint or Preview.
- 5). Open the print menu, and click "settings" and then "preview". This will bring up a menu, in which you can select the size of your photograph. Postcards must fit within the U.S. Postal Service regulations. They require that postcards be at least 3.5 inches high and 5 inches long, and postcards can be no larger than 6.125 inches wide and 11.5 inches long. Many printers have a "photo" setting that allows you to print within these parameters, but, otherwise, you should select the proper setting and print the photograph so that it fits within these guidelines.
- 6). Print the photograph.
- 7). Cut the photograph out, so that you have a piece of paper with a photograph on one side and nothing on the other side. Be sure that your photograph fits within the U.S. Postal Service parameters for postcard size.
- 8). Flip your card over so that you are looking at the blank side, with the photograph face down. On this side, you will inscribe your message, place the postage and fill out the address.
- 9). Place a stamp in the top-right corner of the postcard. One postage stamp should be enough, as long as your postcard adheres to the size requirements.
- 10
Draw a vertical line down the middle of your postcard. The stamp should be on the right side of your line at the top of the card. - 11
Inscribe the name and address of the recipient to the right of the line and below the stamp. - 12
Write a small note or phrase on the lower left side of the postcard. - 13
Write your name and return address on the upper left-hand side of the postcard.
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