Build Your First Custom Card with Our Free PDF Tutorial Guide 🧡
If you’ve ever wanted to design your own trading cards but didn’t know where to start, this is for you.
At ELKOYTCG Academy we’ve created a Free PDF Tutorial Guide that walks you through the entire process of building your first custom card – step by step, with screenshots and clear explanations. And yes, it’s completely free. 🎁
👉 Product link: https://elkoytcgacademy.com/products/free-pdf-tutorial-guide
What Is the Free PDF Tutorial Guide?
The guide is a short, beginner-friendly PDF that shows you how to go from a blank canvas to a finished, printable card design.
Inside, you’ll find:
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✅ A clear step-by-step workflow
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✅ Basic settings for canvas size & resolution
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✅ Tips on choosing and adapting artwork
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✅ How to place text, frame and card details correctly
You don’t need to be a professional designer or know advanced software. The guide is written so anyone can follow it.
Who Is This Guide For?
This free PDF is perfect if you:
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🃏 Love TCGs and want to personalise your decks
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🎨 Want to turn your own art or AI art into real card designs
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🧪 Are testing the waters before investing in more advanced tools
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👨🏫 Plan to create full custom decks for your friends, community, or playgroup
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💻 Prefer learning from a short, structured document instead of long courses
Whether you are completely new or you’ve already tried some edits in Photoshop/Canva, this guide will help you create cleaner, more “real” looking cards.
What You’ll Learn Step by Step
Here’s a sneak peek at what the PDF covers:
1. Preparing Your Canvas
You’ll learn the correct size and resolution for card designs, so your prints look sharp and professional.
2. Adding the Artwork
We show you how to:
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Import your art
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Position it inside the frame
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Crop and resize it without losing quality
You’ll also get tips on choosing compositions that feel powerful and readable on the table.
3. Setting Up the Frame and Layout
You’ll see how to use a card template/frame so your design instantly looks like a real card, with:
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Title bar
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Type line
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Text box
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Power/toughness (for creatures)
4. Writing the Rules Text
The guide explains how to structure:
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Card name and type
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Abilities and effects
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Flavour text
You’ll understand how to format text so it’s easy to read and visually balanced.
5. Exporting Your Card
Finally, the PDF shows how to:
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Export your design as a high-quality PNG or JPG
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Prepare it for printing or digital use
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Avoid common mistakes like blurry prints or wrong proportions
How to Get the Guide (It’s Free!)
Grabbing your copy is simple:
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Go to the product page:
https://elkoytcgacademy.com/products/free-pdf-tutorial-guide -
Add the guide to your cart (price will show as $0.00).
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Complete the checkout (you won’t be charged).
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You’ll receive a download link to the PDF in your email or directly on the confirmation page.
You can save it on your computer, tablet or phone and keep it as your reference while designing.
Combine It with Our Free Video Tutorial
If you prefer learning visually, you can also check our free YouTube tutorial where we design a card on screen in just a few minutes.
Using the PDF + video together is the fastest way to understand the whole process and repeat it on your own.
Start Your Custom Card Journey Today 🚀
Creating your own cards is one of the most satisfying parts of the TCG hobby. With this Free PDF Tutorial Guide, you’ll:
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Design your first card from scratch
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Understand the basic structure of a professional card layout
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Be ready to build entire themed decks in your own style
Download it now, follow the steps, and let your first custom card come to life.
When you finish, tag @elkoytcg on social media – we’d love to see what you create! 💜