Custom HoloKote^®

Custom HoloKote^® enables the implementation of a personalised HoloKote^® watermark into the standard print process. 
This watermark could be an organisation’s logo, or some other unique security design.  No special film is required, just one with the clear overlay panel.

The Custom HoloKote^® process can be divided into 3 steps with this page focusing on the design and submission steps:

1. Designing your Custom HoloKote^®   (this page)
2. Submitting your Custom HoloKote^®  (this page)
3. Installing your Custom HoloKote^®     (please see the related solution opposite 👉)

1. Designing your Custom HoloKote^®

Your personalised Custom HoloKote^® design needs to be created as a file ready for upload inside your Magicard Support Account. You can design your Custom HoloKote^® artwork in any application like Photoshop, Gimp, Paintshop Pro or any other equivelant application.

The following video and information below will provide the correct dimensions for this file and offer guidance for a design that will print perfectly.

• Download the example photoshop file shown in the video above, from here ❐

Image Dimensions

Images created for submission into the online tool (in your Magicard Support Account) must be as follows:

The dimensions below are correct for all printers

Landscape 1013 x 642 pixels @ 300 dpi	Portrait 642 x 1013 pixels @ 300 dpi

300 dpi  refers to the resolution in pixels-per-inch:  print resolution.   Any less dpi risks pixelated poor quality images when printed. Custom HoloKote^® cannot be rotated once in-printer. If both landscape and portrait are required that would need 2 different files.

Image Design

Please note each design tip listed below to help you create your own perfect Custom HoloKote^®

You can also download useful blank ID Card Templates in various formats from: 
https://support.magicard.com/solution/card-templates/

Black and White Only and No Greyscale.

Each pixel must be:

• 100% black (the printed parts of your design), or
• 100% white (this will be the blank area)

⛔️ Colour	⛔️ Greyscale	✅ Black or White only = Perfect

But not too much black!

You also must avoid very large areas of black.
During printing this will generate a lot of heat and risk sticking the film to the card or creasing the ribbon.  

⛔️ Woah, that's a lot of black ♨️	✅ Ahh, that's better 😎

No transparency

For example a .png background must be white, not transparent.

⛔️ Transparent background	✅ White background

Card Features

Consider if your design should account for contact chip, holopatch or magstripe features within the card stock you will be using.

⛔️ Part of design over card features	✅ Design avoids card features

Avoid very small detail

Very thin lines or very small text may not be legible when printed, make these slightly bigger.

⛔️ Less than 2 pixels	✅ More than 2 pixels

Do not copy any other design or logo ⚠️

Both automated and human image checks run against each uploaded file. Plus, it's just not the done thing.  Let your creativity free... don't copy others.

⛔️	⛔️

Here's some things you can do... ✅

✅ Full logo, centralised.	✅ Repeat tiled pattern, or align in one area.

HoloPatch card stock

HoloPatch is a gold foil stamp applied to card stock at manufacture.

💡 You can align part of your design over this patch to highlight it!

✅ Repeat the logo over the Holopatch	✅ Create a tiled effect across the whole card

Learn more here: 

https://magicard.com/holokote  ❐
and select Holpatch below the image.

Finally, save your design as one of the valid file types:

1. png
2. jpeg / jpg
3. gif

  TOP TIP:  You could send your saved file to print using only the K Resin panel to check how things line up before submitting.
   👀  This is just a guide for the layout, it will not look opaque like the final HoloKote watermark effect.

2. Submitting your Custom HoloKote^® via your Magicard Support Account

Once you have finished your Custom HoloKote^® design the saved file is ready to be submitted via your Magicard Support Account. The video below will demonstrate this process which has a few main steps:

1. Create your Magicard Support Account.
   • Your registration confirmation email will have contained a link to simply set up a password and your account will be ready.
   • If you had previously registered your printer but did not set up your Support Account then you can use the same email address with which you registered. You may need to follow the password reset option if required.
2. Register your printer.  (unless already registered as above)
3. Follow the link in the menu to Create new HoloKote® or from your registered printer menu choose Create HoloKote® for this printer.
4. Then follow through the online process, as shown below:

Once you have submitted your Custom HoloKote® via your support account we will email you confirmation of your submission.

Soon after the submission is approved we will instruct the original vendor of the printer to fulfil payment
 - (where applicable Magicard may have enough sales information to approve your order immediately, otherwise we will need to pass the order to the original vendor to process payment).

When that is complete you will be informed by email that your Custom HoloKote® is now ready for for download and installation into your printer.

3. Installing Custom HoloKote^® into your printer

The final step is to install the Custom HoloKote® .jfif file into your printer. 

We have split that into a seperate article linked opposite 👉