How We Design Realistic Prop IDs Without Breaking Rules

Get a Scannable Novelty ID That Passes Every Check

Most people only ever see the finished prop ID.

Sharp photo, clean layout, the little details that make it feel like something official but not too official.

What they don’t see is the hours of decisions, edits, corrections, and “nope, that’s not allowed” conversations happening behind the scenes.

So instead of giving you the polished marketing version, I’ll walk you through how we actually design these cards the way I’d explain it if you were sitting next to me watching the process unfold.

Let’s dive in.

1. Realism Doesn’t Come From Copying It Comes From Discipline

One of the first things we teach new designers at fakeids.com is this simple truth:

If you copy a real ID, you’ve already failed.

Real IDs are protected by federal law and we respect that.

Some states even protect layouts, hologram shapes, and microtext patterns. Designers need to know that and respect it.

What we do instead is study structure rather than identity:

how spacing creates hierarchy
how colors guide the eye
how photos sit in a frame
how typefaces affect readability
how background patterns add depth without distracting

When you understand these, you can create something that feels believable without ever crossing a line.

This is the same approach movie prop designers use for passports, FBI badges, and boarding passes. They follow the visual logic not the original design.

And honestly?

It gives us more creative freedom.

2. Your Photo Is the Heart of the Card (And The Hardest Part of Our Job)

I’d be honest here, 70% of the quality of your final card depends on the photo you upload.

And I say this as someone who has spent too many nights fixing:

sideways selfies
photos taken in yellow bathroom lighting
“portrait mode” images with fake blur
blurry nightclub photos
pictures where someone cropped their forehead off

When a good photo comes in, the design process becomes smooth.

When a bad one comes in, we fight with it for 20 minutes.

Here’s what we actually do with your photo:

Photo Workflow (Actual Steps)

import into Photoshop
adjust exposure (usually +0.15 to +0.35)
fix color temperature (most photos are too warm)
lift shadows under the chin
soften harsh flash
clean the background
apply skin-tone balancing using selective color
crop using gridlines (eyes in the top third)
sharpen edges without overdoing clarity

It’s not magic.

It’s just careful retouching the same way photographers prep headshots.

When customers follow the instructions (“use a real camera, don’t stand too close”), everything becomes easier.

3. Building the Card Layout The Part You’d Be Shocked To See

People think we “use templates.”

We don’t. Templates create sameness and mistakes.

We build every layout manually, based on a fictional design system.

However all our Ids will have all every details which will make it almost perfect to real ID.

Here’s how it usually goes:

1. Start with a blank 1012×638px canvas

This gives us enough space to design at print resolution.

2. Create a background layer

This is NOT a state background.

We design our own patterns:

geometric wave lines
overlapping hex patterns
soft gradients
modern vector textures

Sometimes we reject 4–5 backgrounds before choosing the one that feels balanced.

3. Add structural guides

This is where it gets technical.

We use:

8pt padding grids
16pt spacing grids
4-column layouts
vertical rhythm guides

These grids keep the whole card clean and readable.

4. Typography

We use fonts that are:

open-license
modern
readable
NOT used on state IDs

Inter, Roboto, Source Sans fonts you see in tech interfaces, not government documents.

5. Placing customer data

This part requires judgment.

Two IDs never look the same because:

long names wrap differently
different eye colors affect spacing
birthdays with double digits need special alignment
some customers include middle names, others don’t

It’s like fitting text into a UI card everything has to feel natural.

6. Adding fictional security artwork

This is the fun part for us:

UV-style waves
hologram-inspired shapes
micro-pattern layers
abstract seals
texture overlays

These are custom-created assets.

We never reuse official symbols. You’d be surprised how many times designers say:

“Nope, remove that too close to something real.”

Compliance matters.

4. The Compliance Phase: The Part We Take Very Seriously

Every card goes through a quick internal checklist before printing.

Here are things we absolutely NEVER include:

state seals
flags, coats of arms
barcodes with real format
PDF417 codes
MRZ passport lines
real hologram icons
DMV text strings
official color patterns
state-shaped shadows or outlines
serial formats used by US IDs

If a design even feels like it’s drifting close to something official, we rebuild it.

5. Why Our Cards Feel “Real” Even Though They’re Not

Let me tell you a secret, realism doesn’t come from copying a government ID it comes from good graphic design.

The way shadows fall.
The spacing around the photo.
The sharpness of the edges.
The background depth.
The consistency of the text.

These are real design principles the same ones taught in UI/UX and brand identity work.

Someone with a good eye for spacing can make anything look legitimate without using any protected elements.

That’s why our cards feel smooth, clean, and polished.

6. Printing: The Part Customers Never Think About

Printing is a science.

If you’ve ever held a cheap novelty card from another site, you’ve felt:

dull colors
flat surfaces
blurry edges
low-res lamination
inconsistent thickness

We don’t do any of that.

Here’s our typical print workflow:

Convert artwork to CMYK
Apply print-safe color profiles
Print onto Teslin or composite PVC
Add laminate layers
Trim edges
Round corners
Inspect manually
Print duplicate
Pack discreetly

This is why our cards last for years and don’t peel.

7. Human Mistakes Are Caught Because Humans Review Everything

Every designer has a story of catching something weird:

a customer accidentally typed “1997” twice
a space got added at the end of a last name
a height was submitted as “6’09”
a middle name was the same as the last name
the eye color didn’t match the photo

We fix obvious mistakes quietly before printing.

You’d be shocked how many times this saves an order.

8. Your Data: What Actually Happens Behind The Scenes

Here’s the real truth nobody here wants your data.

The designers only see:

your text
your photo
your signature (if added)

That’s it.

And after we print your cards:

files are kept temporarily
deleted automatically in short intervals
never fed into AI
never stored long-term
never reused for anything

Designers care about making the card look good not keeping your information.

9. Why This Entire Process Matters

Prop IDs aren’t toys.

People use them for:

film and photography
cosplay
collectibles
creative projects
character design
novelty gifts
theatre productions

So they need to look good, feel good, and print well without ever crossing into replica territory.

That balance realism along with compliance is the whole reason our design workflow exists.

And honestly?

It’s why we’ve been doing this for years without issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do you copy real state IDs when designing prop IDs?

No. Our designers only use original artwork, fictional elements, and custom patterns. We study design principles, never government templates or protected symbols.

2. What makes a prop ID look realistic if nothing is copied?

Realism comes from professional graphic design clean spacing, sharp photos, balanced colors, and layered textures. These are visual principles, not replicas of official IDs.

3. What security-style features do you include?

We use cinematic, fictional elements like abstract hologram-style shapes and geometric patterns. None of them match real government holograms, barcodes, or seals.

4. How do designers edit the uploaded photo?

A real designer adjusts exposure, color balance, clarity, and alignment manually inside Photoshop. There are no auto-filters or AI tools in the editing process.

5. How do you ensure the designs stay legal?

Before printing, every card goes through a compliance review to ensure no state symbols, protected layouts, barcode formats, or government identifiers are used.

6. What printing material do you use for prop IDs?

We print on Teslin or composite PVC, laminate for durability, and check each card by hand. You receive two copies your main card and a free duplicate.