FAQ

What is Brown Bottle?

Are these templates really free?

Why Brown Bottle?

How do I use your greeting card templates?

What image format are templates?

Can I print cards at home, or at a photo lab?

Why did my photo lab refuse to print my cards?

Are your templates licensed for commercial use?

How can I contact you with other questions?

What is Brown Bottle?

Brown Bottle is a collection of free digital templates that can be used to create your own photo greeting cards.

Are these templates really free?

Yes, mostly. Templates are free to download and use for personal (non-commercial) use. They can be shared, but Brown Bottle must be attributed as the source. Details of this license are available online, and a short summary is included with each template download. All other rights are reserved.

Why Brown Bottle?

"Brown Bottle" is a call-back to the good old days of photofinishing, when photo chemicals were stored in brown bottles.

How do I use your greeting card templates?

Select a horizontal or vertical style based on the orientation of your original image. Each template design includes a transparent area. Using image editing software that supports layers, position your photo underneath the template so it shows through this area. GIMP and Paint.NET are examples of free software that is suitable.

What image format are templates?

Templates are PNG files, 8 or 24 bit color with an alpha (transparency) channel. Greeting card templates are designed for 1-up, 300 dpi, printing on 4x6" paper. Business card templates are 3-up on the same size sheet. Horizontal and vertical styles are included in a compressed ZIP file.

Can I print cards at home, or at a photo lab?

Either. For best quality and lowest price, a professional lab is recommended. Digital photo services are available at many drug and convenience stores as well as mail order services online.

Why did my photo lab refuse to print my cards?

Photo labs will not reproduce copyrighted material without authorization of the original creator. Since copyright status is not always clear, many labs will reject any order that "looks" professional. We provide a release form that will authorize your lab to print cards made using our templates and your personal photo. However, using a professional photograph with our templates would require a release from the original photographer.

Are your templates licensed for commercial use?

By default, no. With the sole exception of allowing photo labs to print cards made by their customers using our templates, no commercial use is allowed. If you would like to inquire about a commercial license, please contact us with the details of your project or business.

How can I contact you with other questions?

Contact us by e-mail at brownbottle@xoynq.com with your questions or comments.