Design Your Own Magnets

You can design your own magnets to share photos, memories and announcements with friends and family members and even print them – quick, easy and affordably – without any prior knowledge of graphic design if you follow the steps detailed below.

Why design your own magnets?

You can design your own magnets for many reasons. Share photos with friends and family without a frame by printing postcard-, square- or business card-size magnets for the refrigerator. Or, announce an upcoming celebration or event (or series of events) in a way that can’t be ignored. When you share with magnets, you offer your loved ones a unique opportunity to display what is special about you. The following are some fun reasons to share with magnets:

• Family photos
• Photos of the kids having fun
• Athletic photos
• Athletic/band calendars
• Wedding announcements
• Graduation announcements
• Save-the-date reminders
• Anniversary announcements
• Recital announcements

Take a photo The easiest way to design your own magnets is to use a photo as your main design. Get a photograph of your subject – whether it is your children, yourself, your parents, your dog – whoever it may be. Use a digital camera and set it to a high resolution so you can be sure that your magnets do not come out looking grainy.

Get a free magnet template

Your next step will be to download a free magnet layout template. Instead of pre-made graphics, these templates are clean slates that only include helpful guidelines for layout purposes. They also come pre-formatted in the correct size, color mode and resolution.

Finish your design

Open your free magnet template in your favorite editing program. You can use Microsoft Word, Open Office, Photoshop, Paint.NET or any of a number of other programs. Import your photo over the template and drag its size to fit. Next, you can have a blast adding text, borders, shapes and symbols with whatever tools your editing program offers. Make sure you delete the helpful guide template layer once you have everything in place. You're ready to go to print!

Print your magnets

Upload your design file to your favorite printing company, choose your magnet printing options, and make sure you double-check an electronic proof (or order a hardcopy proof to be sure) before you approve the full run. If you've followed each step with care and had some fun along the way, your magnets are sure to be printed to impress. One final note: If you're sending magnets to a lot of people such as with save-the-date reminders or wedding invitation magnets, you should consider having your printing company mail them out for you. This can save you time and money in addressing and stuffing envelopes, affixing postage, and making trips to the post office. All you have to do is provide a list of names and addresses, and your printer can handle your magnet printing and sending for you hassle-free.