Creative binder layouts · 24 August 2026
Extended Art and the Michi Method
Artwork inserts can continue a card’s scene, connect several cards or turn empty pockets into one illustration. Plan the physical crop before printing.
What the terms describe
Collectors use “Extended Art” for imagery that visually continues beyond a card’s printed border. “Michi Method” is commonly used for coordinated binder inserts that create a larger scene around or between cards. Usage varies between communities, so the planner treats the labels as organisation choices rather than different image-processing modes.
Start with the pocket rectangle
A single trading-card pocket is taller than it is wide. Two pockets across create a wide rectangle, while two pockets down create a tall one. Include the real seam or gap between pockets when preparing a file for printing, even if the virtual plan uses one merged preview area.
Higher-resolution source artwork gives more freedom to crop. Keep important faces and text away from seam positions and page edges.
Use merged pockets as a planning surface
- Select every pocket in one rectangular block on the same page.
- Right-click and choose to merge the selected pockets.
- Upload a PNG, JPG/JPEG, GIF, WebP or SVG. The browser decodes and re-encodes it as a static image.
- Drag the uploaded item onto the merged area.
- Choose Fill or Fit, adjust zoom and drag the crop until the intended part is visible.
The binder and card grid remain fixed. Only the artwork scale and position are stored.
Fill, Fit and zoom
Fill covers the complete merged rectangle and may crop edges. Fit keeps the complete image visible and may leave space around it. Zoom can then emphasise a focal point, while dragging changes which part sits behind the pocket area.
Test the design in the same row and column layout as the intended physical binder. A crop that works across two 3 × 3 pockets may not translate to a 4 × 3 page.
Use lawful, appropriate images
Only upload material you have the right to use. Do not upload unlawful, exploitative, malicious or privacy-invasive content. Custom files remain in local browser storage until you deliberately create a shared link; a shared snapshot includes compressed copies of custom artwork visible to anyone with that link.
Printing note: the virtual preview is a planning aid, not a print template. Measure the physical pockets and allow for printer scaling, bleed and seams before producing inserts.