Many people have their own wishes for cards they want created. They make realistic (or completely non-realistic) cards, and they want to see how they look. For every card creating contest, I create most of the cards. Also, some people privately ask me to make cards for them. So, I'm making everyone aware that I will create cards for them.

To request a card creation, send me the card essentials (including a verse or similar text, please!), and preferably a URL to a picture (though if you can't find one, I'll look), to redemptionct@yahoo.com.

What if you want to make your own card? Well, there are several methods. The most direct is to go to Cactus headquarters and force Doug Gray to construct one for you. Since that is unlikely, we'll outline the other ways:

A) The most common method is to use a template. A template will have the background, an empty picture box, an empty icon box, an empty verse box, and usually no text at all (except for sometimes the artist). Here's a template you can use, or you can make your own. Many people prefer to make ultra-rare card templates, since many people like making very powerful cards. The downside to this method is that the cards end up looking the same from afar, and often they don't look as good. It is easier, though, and the card is bound to look somewhat accurate.

B) Other people (usually those who have been making cards for a while, such as Eric Largent and myself) prefer to make them piece-by-piece. I have saved on my computer the outline of a Redemption card. From there I fill in a background, add a picture, add the verse box, etc., until all the elements are there. Sometimes, the card can look very good, and you can make a wider variety of cards.

After you have the basics, you have to find a picture, add text, find a verse, and get an icon.

A) Finding a picture for your card is often a very difficult task, especially if you have a Bible-based card. I recommend you to the Google Image Search, but many cards are still difficult to locate a picture for. This can be the most time-consuming part.

B) Adding the text must be done carefully for a good-looking card. The font to use for most card text is Lucian, which comes free with Corel products. Similar to it is a more standard font, BernhardMod BT. The illustrator name and copyright information are in the font CG Omega, which is not a common font. However, there are many similar-looking fonts out there. Be sure to use Small Caps for the Cactus Game Design, Inc. The identifiers (Israelite King, Philistine Giant, etc.) in between the verse box and image are in Arial, capitalized. If you don't have the font Arial... wow.
If you do not have any of the fonts listed here, e-mail me and I will send you them.

Special abilities can often clash with the image below. Try a variety of colors for the text, and if none seem to work, use a solid shadow, or just type the same exact thing in a separate box and put it close by. Experiment with colors, but usually white text with a black shadow or vice versa work very well (see the two different versions of Gathering of Angels to see what I mean; the original had hard-to-read red, while the newer one uses a clearer white).

C) The verse is also important. Bible-based cards will often have a simple-to-find verse and reference (Redemption cards standardly use the King James Version. You can do a search for, i.e., "Leviticus 3:16" "King James" on Google). Non-Bible based cards are usually dialogue from those characters (since most people like using characters from cartoons, etc.). Try your best to not make the dialogue include multiple characters; there is no easy way to integrate that into the verse box.

D) The icon is another difficulty here. You can use these links: here, and here.

You made your card. Now what?

Well, show it to your friends, your family, your website visitors, those few guys on your AIM buddy list that you don't know who they are... Advertise your work. Your work WILL get better over time (heck, even Cactus' did!), so don't let early criticism get to you. Compare the Abraham entry from Contest #1 with the Sinning Hand from Contest #5. Big difference.