THE CARDKIND FIELD GUIDE
How to design a portrait trading card
The best card feels like its subject before anyone reads the name. Start with a face, a defining trait and one good joke.
1. Choose a portrait that survives the crop
Use a bright, clear photo with space around the head and shoulders. A simple background helps a small face stay readable. Cardkind fills a landscape portrait window inside a tall card, so a tightly cropped selfie may lose hair or shoulders. Open Photo position & effects, start with the lowest zoom, then move the image until the eyes sit comfortably above the middle.
For two people, stand close together and leave space on both sides. For a pet, focus on the eyes and avoid a busy background. You can also use your own drawing; a portrait does not have to be a photograph.
2. Pick an era, then keep it consistent
| Frame | Good starting point |
|---|---|
| Classic ’99 | Warm gold edges and lively, nostalgic color for an all-purpose collectible. |
| Arcane | Dark plum framing and serif lettering for a thoughtful fantasy character. |
| Neon Future | Dark surfaces and mint highlights for a cosmic or technology theme. |
| Vintage | Warm brown and paper tones for old-school explorer portraits. |
| Celestial | Blue tones for dreamy, ocean or cosmic characters. |
| Rose Gold | Soft copper framing for a gift or friendship set. |
These are original Cardkind frames. Changing a frame does not redraw the portrait. The separate Natural, Vivid, Vintage and Silver treatments adjust the photo’s color.
3. Write powers that sound like a person
Use the signature move for an action: Playlist Rescue, Snack Summoner or Deadline Dash. Use the description for one concrete result. “Finds the perfect song for an awkward silence” is more memorable than “Has great music skills.” The everyday superpower is a permanent personality trait, such as remembering everyone’s favorite coffee order.
Keep the main move under five words. Read the final card on a phone, not just at full size. If the description feels cramped, simplify it. The flavor line works best as a tiny story or an affectionate quote.
4. Make stats serve the occasion
For keepsakes, HP and power are playful labels. For a game, agree on shared limits before making the cards. Equal HP keeps a friendship set balanced; rarity can describe a story role instead of deciding who is “best.” Card numbers make a group feel like a complete collection: 001 / 008 through 008 / 008.
5. Check before sharing
Read every line, inspect the face crop and download a copy. Your collection is local to this browser and can disappear when site data is cleared. Ask the person pictured before posting a card publicly, and leave out private addresses, schools and contact information.
Make your card