Handmade Greeting Card Catalogue: Flat Lay Layout Guide for Sellers
Handmade greeting cards, scrapbook pages, and paper craft products need expert flat lay photography to show 3D elements, foil, and embellishments clearly. Here's the complete guide.
Why Flat Lay Photography Dominates Stationery Catalogues
Handmade greeting cards, journaling supplies, washi tape collections, and scrapbooking kits are thin, two-dimensional products where **the design is the product**. Flat lay photography — shooting directly from above — is the ideal format because it shows the full artwork area without distortion.
But "flat lay" doesn't mean boring. The difference between a compelling card catalogue and a mediocre one is styling intelligence and lighting precision.
Lighting for Foil, Die-Cuts, and Embellishments
Handmade cards frequently feature: - **Gold or silver hot foil** stamping - **Glitter or metallic cardstock** - **Die-cut intricate shapes** - **3D foam adhesive embellishments** (flowers, bows, rhinestones) - **Wax seal imprints**
Each of these requires slightly different lighting:
| Element | Lighting Approach | |---------|------------------| | Hot foil | Single directional light at 30° — rotate until foil flashes | | Glitter cardstock | Diffused overhead — avoid directional light (causes harsh spotting) | | Die-cut lace | Backlight or light table — let light pass through the cut shapes | | 3D embellishments | 45° side light — creates shadow that shows raised dimension | | Wax seals | 45° directional — reveals the relief pattern in the seal |
Flat Lay Styling for Card Catalogues
Create a **"collection spread"** showing 6–8 cards from the same range arranged in an overlapping fan or grid. Style with: - A matching envelope peeking beneath each card - Dried flowers or washi tape rolls scattered naturally - A ribbon or twine tied around a stack of 3 cards - A handwritten calligraphy name tag as a prop
Card Catalogue Specifications | Field | Example | |-------|---------| | Card Size | A6 (10.5 × 14.8 cm) / DL (10 × 22 cm) | | Paper Weight | 350 GSM premium matte / 300 GSM textured | | Envelope | Included — Kraft / Ivory / Metallic | | Print Method | Handmade / Digital Print + Hand-embellished | | Minimum Order | 1 card (retail) / 12 cards per design (wholesale) | | Custom Printing | Available on orders of 25+ cards |
Always request a digital press proof before authorizing full-volume offset print runs. This lets you inspect binding trims, staple creep, and CMYK color densities on your actual paper stock.