Michi method: binder art pages explained

Updated 15 Oct 2026 · Prices: Cardmarket, 30-day average

The Michi method turns a binder page into one single picture. The real cards stay in their pockets, and the empty pockets are filled with artwork that continues around exactly those cards. The idea was made popular by the collector Michi on TikTok and Instagram; since then, any page where the gaps between the cards become part of the image goes by that name.

How the method works by hand

1. Pick the cards. One to four cards that share a theme: the three starters of a line, one Pokémon in several forms, a card with a strong background.
2. Choose the spots. On a 3×3 page the key card usually sits in the centre or on the diagonal. Its position decides where the picture has to continue.
3. Build the artwork. The image has to pick up the colours and lines of the cards: horizon, sky, water. A card is 63 × 88 mm; a 3×3 page with margins is about 197 × 272 mm.
4. Print and cut. Print on matte photo paper, cut to card size, slide into the free pockets. Glossy paper reflects more behind the sleeve.

The hard part is the artwork. Someone else's art almost never fits the spots where your cards sit, and painting it yourself takes hours per page.

Things to watch

• For your own binder only. Prints of other people's art or official images are for private pages, not for sale.
• The card stays the star. The artwork should be calmer than the card, or the card disappears in the picture.
• Side-loading binders. With pockets that open at the side, cut pieces do not slip out.

The Michi method digitally with Binderplan

In Binderplan you put your cards into the pockets of a page and let the artwork be painted around them. The image follows the real cards and their positions; the cards themselves stay unchanged. You can print the result as a PDF to cut out. An artwork page costs 12 credits, and every new account starts with 12 credits — one page to try. The showcase holds 33 public artwork pages by other collectors as examples.

Frequently asked questions

How many cards do I need for an artwork page?

One is enough. One to four cards is typical; the rest of the page becomes artwork.

Which binders work best?

Binders with 9 pockets per page (3×3), ideally side-loading. Binderplan can also plan 2×2 up to 5×5.

Am I allowed to print the artwork?

For your own binder, yes. You must not sell it or pass it off as real cards.

Plan your binder – free, no sign-up

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