Guides & answers
The questions we're asked most, answered properly. No jargon, no upselling — just what you actually need to know before ordering binder artwork.
Extended binder artwork is a set of printed panels that fill the empty pockets around a card so the whole page becomes one picture. Instead of a single card floating in a grid of empty plastic, the scene carries on across the page and your card becomes the focal point. Nothing is stuck to your card and nothing is permanent — the panels slide in and out like any other card.
A standard page has nine pockets in a 3×3 grid. We design one image, split it into eight panels and leave the middle pocket free for your card. Each panel is printed at 63.5 × 88.9 mm, the same size as a standard trading card, so it sits flush in the pocket. Prefer a smaller frame? Two, four and six panel sets surround a card without covering the full page.
As a rule of thumb: 120gsm if you want the best value, 200gsm for a noticeably sturdier feel, 250gsm if you want it to feel closest to a real card in the hand.
Standard size suits almost every nine-pocket binder and most sleeves. Custom fit is for side-loading pockets, jumbo pages, four-pocket pages and display frames, where a standard card leaves a visible gap. Custom fit costs the same to design — we just cut to your numbers instead of ours.
Choose how many cards you want, tell us who the design is for, add their name, companion, colours and a few personality details, then send a clear photo. We design it, email you a proof, and only print once you've said yes. Cards start from £4.95 each depending on your chosen gloss finish, plus £1.75 postage per order. Start one here.
Pick your hero card first, then choose a theme that suits it rather than one that fights it — a fire card next to a snowy scene rarely works. Decide whether the artwork should sit behind the card as a backdrop or lead the eye towards it. Keep detail low in the pockets immediately next to the card so it stays the star, and repeat one or two colours from the card across the page to tie it together.
Keep pages out of direct sunlight, which fades any print over time. Handle panels by the edges — photo gloss shows fingerprints. Store the binder upright rather than stacked flat under weight, and if a panel does get damp, let it dry flat rather than rubbing it. Lost or damaged a panel? Get in touch and we can reprint a single piece.
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