How do I design clear plastic cards-which parts will be clear vs. printed?

On clear plastic cards, the card itself is fully transparent plastic, and only the areas where you place ink are printed. Wherever you leave the artwork empty, the plastic stays see-through, which is what creates the signature clear-window look.

• Anything you design and fill with color will print onto the plastic.
• Any area left blank in your file remains transparent on the finished card.
• For text or logos to stay legible over a clear area, consider a printed backing color or a white underprint where offered.
• Plan intentional clear zones as part of the design rather than leaving them by accident.

Treat the empty parts of your file as deliberate clear areas, since that is exactly where the transparency shows through.