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Posts Tagged ‘Shapes’

There is more involved in the difference of a 4×6 postcard vs 4.25×5.5 postcard than just the overall size.  The shapes are different.  The 4×6 is more of rectangle shape and the 4.25×5.5 is more of a square shape.

So when we are supplied a photo for use on a postcard these shapes can make a big difference in what part of the photo becomes cropped to fit the card.

Below is an example of a photo being set in a frame on the front of the card.

On the first card the photo is set within a frame on a 4.25×5.5 sized card:

On this second card the photo is set within a frame on a 4×6 sized card:

The photo was not cropped to fit the 4×6 sized frame so the main difference you see is additional width in the frame on each end.  The photo would have to be cropped on either the top or bottom to give a more even fit for a uniform frame.  The top could not be cropped because it was already cutting into the groom’s head.  There was very little room to crop some of the bottom without cutting out the ring on the bride’s hand.  So the best choice for 4×6 was to not crop and add more frame on the ends.

So selection of the size of a postcard for a photo to fit on affects more than just the size of the end card, it also has an affect on how well the photo fits the shape of the card.  This affect has a greater influence when the photo cannot be cropped to fit.

If needed, we will recommend a postcard size that gives a better fit when we create a design for our customer’s cards.

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