How to Design Birthday Invitations, Napkins & Matchbooks

Make someone's birthday extra special by designing signature invitations, matches and napkins for the party.

You can always turn the job of designing invitations, napkins and other birthday paper goods over to a professional who will be happy to handle the creative work for a price. But if you're able to tackle the creative process yourself, you'll have fun and put your personal stamp on the occasion. Think like a professional designer: Come up with a focal point that's versatile so it can be enlarged, moved, shrunk and repeated and still look great regardless of size. Bet you'll think of more items than an invite, napkins and matches for this birthday-ready project once you get started.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Design software
• Page layout or word-processing software
• Printer

Instructions

1. Open a new document in your design software of choice to create or locate the birthday symbol you'll use on each item. Start with a photo or draw a birthday cake, candle and party hat--or use an illustration symbolizing the birthday celebrant's hobby. Be adventurous and opt for a clear, crisp head shot of the birthday girl.

2. Import the birthday-themed picture you've chosen or use draw tools to create an outline of an original design. Experiment with colors, filters and other effects until the drawing or photo is to your liking.

3. Grab your text tool. Write a short birthday message, such as "Happy Birthday, Jess, Lookin' Good!" Move the text around to see where it looks best in relation to the image. Try running words across the graphic, above or below it, or split it so half appears on top ("Happy Birthday, Jess") and half on the bottom "Lookin' Good!"). Obey one important design rule: Don't run text over the birthday girl's face under any circumstances.

4. Select the text and try out a few font styles to see which looks best. When in doubt, use a simple, thick typeface such as Impact. Match the color of the typeface to the image, but if the design looks crowded or busy, stick to black letters. Save the finished art as a Jpeg or Tiff.

5. Open three documents in your page layout or word processing program: 1) a 10-inch by 7-inch document that will print four sides of a 5-inch by 7-inch invitation (Name the file "Invite"), 2) a 5-inch by 5-inch document for cocktail napkins or 8-inch by 8-inch document for a standard dinner napkin (name the file "Napkin") and 3) a third file that fits match box or matchbook cover dimensions.

6. Import the Jpeg or Tiff image to each of the three page layout documents. Constrain the image when you stretch or shrink it so it doesn't lose its original proportion when it fills the space within each layout. Save and tag the three files in their native software program or convert all three layouts to PDFs, the file format most printers prefer.

7. Get quotes from printers with the unique types of equipment made to handle, fold and finish paper, card and napkin stocks. Load your files onto a CD and deliver it to the printer or upload the art to the printer's website.

References

• PromoJunkie: Design Party Invitation Cards
• OS Empire: How-to
• Print Templates: Invitation Card Templates