TLDR
Cardsmith MTG is a quick way to mock up custom card ideas with real-looking layouts, so your designs read clearly across the table.
The “secret” to printable results is boring: use high-res art, keep text away from the edges, and export at the correct card size.
PrintMTG takes your finished files and prints them as proxy-friendly play pieces for casual play and playtesting (not sanctioned tournaments, not resale as real cards).
If you’re making a whole deck, your fastest path is usually: design → export clean images → upload → print → sleeve → tell your table what you did (like an adult).
You know that moment when you have a “simple” custom card idea, and five minutes later you’re writing rules text that would make a judge request PTO.
Good. That’s the exact kind of energy Cardsmith MTG is built for.
Cardsmith MTG lets you turn a concept into an actual-looking card face quickly, so you can stop arguing with your brain and start testing whether your idea is fun, broken, or “fun because it’s broken.” Once your design looks the way you want, PrintMTG can print it as a high-quality proxy card you can shuffle, sleeve, and hand to friends without needing to explain, “Just imagine this is a real card.”
What Cardsmith MTG is (and what it’s not)
Cardsmith MTG is best thought of as a visual card concept tool. It’s built to help you format your custom cards like a real Magic: The Gathering card: mana cost, type line, rules text, power/toughness, and all the layout choices that keep your creation readable.
What it’s not is a shortcut to sanctioned play. If you’re playing in official events, you should assume proxies are not allowed unless the organizer explicitly says otherwise. PrintMTG’s policy is also clear about intent: their prints are for casual play, playtesting, and personal use, not for sanctioned tournaments and not for resale as authentic cards.
So yes: play pieces and testing, great.
No: trying to pass something off as real, absolutely not.
A simple workflow that doesn’t end in “why is my text blurry”
Most printing problems happen because the design step is fun and the file-prep step is… file-prep. The easiest way to keep your finished cards looking clean is to treat the process like two separate jobs:
Design the card face so it reads well.
Export the card face so it prints well.
Step 1: Build the card like it’s going to be read by strangers
Yes, your friends love you. No, they do not want to squint.
When you’re designing in Cardsmith MTG:
Keep the rules text tight and readable. If you need a paragraph break, you probably need a redesign too.
Favor clarity over clever formatting. You can be funny in the flavor text. Your rules text should not require a translator.
Pick art that supports the card at a glance. Not because it’s “optimal,” but because humans play this game with eyeballs.
And if your custom mechanic takes longer to explain than a Commander pregame conversation, consider that a warning label.
Step 2: Export with printing in mind (the part everyone skips once)
If you want PrintMTG to print your designs cleanly, your exported files need to be sized and composed like a physical card. As a baseline, use standard card dimensions and keep important elements away from the edge so minor cutting variation doesn’t eat your mana symbols.
Here’s a quick print-ready export checklist that covers most issues:
Correct size: Export at standard card size (63mm x 88mm).
Safe margins: Keep important text, frames, and borders away from the edge.
High-resolution art: Blurry source art always prints blurry. Printing is rude like that.
Color expectations: Printing workflows often convert RGB to CMYK, which can shift colors.
Use a clean file type: PNG/JPG is usually fine as long as it’s high-resolution and not heavily compressed.
That’s it. No mysticism. Just files.
Printing your Cardsmith MTG designs with PrintMTG
Once you’ve got your card images exported, the printing step is mostly about selecting the right approach:
Printing a handful of customs: Great for one-offs, tokens, joke cards that become table legends, or a mini “secret lair” for your playgroup.
Printing a full deck: Great for playtesting, cubes, or proxy-friendly Commander nights where you want consistent readability and shuffle feel.
PrintMTG’s process is designed around two things that matter in actual games: how the cards look and how they feel in a sleeve. Their public process page breaks down materials and finishing in plain English, including black-core stock and a UV satin-style finish aimed at “real deck” handling.
If you want to understand what your finished order will feel like, it’s worth reading their “How We Print” page and their Proxy Use Policy before you upload anything. It will save you a support email later, and it will also prevent the classic tragedy of “I printed these for a tournament” (followed by the sound of your hopes collapsing into a deck box).
Proxy etiquette: how to not be That Person
Printing custom cards is the easy part. The social part is where people do their most creative work.
If you’re bringing custom cards or proxies to a table, a five-second heads-up avoids 95% of awkwardness. Here’s a simple script:
Rule 0 script you can steal:
“Hey, quick heads-up: I’ve got some printed proxies/custom cards in here. They’re readable and sleeved like everything else. If you’re not into that, I can swap decks.”
That’s it. No speech. No manifesto. Just clarity.
Also:
Don’t surprise people mid-game.
Don’t sneak power spikes into a casual pod and call it “testing.”
Keep backs consistent in sleeves so nobody is doing accidental marked-card science.
If you want the official boundaries in one place, PrintMTG’s proxy policy is very explicit: casual play and playtesting yes, sanctioned tournaments and resale as real cards no.
When Cardsmith MTG is the right tool (and when it isn’t)
Cardsmith MTG shines when you want speed and a clean layout:
Mocking up a custom commander
Making a token that actually matches your deck theme
Prototyping a cube card
Building a “fan set” for your group
When it’s not ideal:
You need extremely precise templating for complex rules interactions (you may want to sanity-check wording against real cards).
You’re trying to do anything deceptive (don’t).
You need a full publishing pipeline (set symbols, collector numbers, exact frame fidelity across a whole set). It can still be done, but you’ll spend more time polishing than designing.
If you want a second opinion on your wording, compare your text to official cards that do something similar. If your custom card reads like three existing cards stapled together, congratulations. You have invented Modern.
FAQs
Is Cardsmith MTG official or endorsed?
No. Cardsmith MTG states it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.
Can I use these printed cards in sanctioned tournaments?
Assume no. PrintMTG explicitly says their proxies are not legal for sanctioned Magic: The Gathering tournaments, with narrow judge-issued proxy exceptions handled by event staff (not third-party printing).
What size should my custom card files be?
Standard MTG-sized cards are 63mm x 88mm. Also leave a little breathing room at the edges for cutting.
Why do my colors look different after printing?
Digital designs are often made in RGB, while many print workflows use CMYK. Conversions can shift saturation and brightness, especially in neon-ish blues and deep purples.
Can I upload any art I find online?
You should use art you own or have rights to use. Cardsmith MTG’s terms say you shouldn’t upload copyrighted images you don’t have rights to, and they describe DMCA takedown handling.
What’s the easiest way to avoid “blurry proxy” syndrome?
Start with higher-resolution art than you think you need, and export cleanly. If the preview looks soft, your print will too. The printer isn’t going to “enhance” it with vibes.