BLEED
What is it?
Do I need it?
How do I create it?
Every tried printing right to the edge
of the paper on your home printer?
You probably found that you end up with a bit cut off.
You wanted this.
But you got this.
Why?
Because the printer needs to grip the edge of the paper
to pull it and guide it on its path and it can’t print on the
bits it grips.
So how do the professionals do it?
Well, we have the same problem but worse as the grip
area on a press is even larger than that of a home printer.
So we print the image on a bigger sheet
and then cut the unwanted white bits off.
We print this.
Then guillotine the edges
off to end up with this.
So what’s the problem?
Can you imagine how hard it is though to cut exactly to the edge
of the image?
Especially as the image can shift a little bit during the run and can
even vary from sheet to sheet - especially when digital printing is
used where this variation can be us much as 2-3mm.
If we printed on a larger sheet then tried to cut a whole stack of
paper you might find that the top sheet is about right but the sheets
underneath will vary and white edges will show.
Sheet 1
Perfect
Sheet 4
Image has shifted up
Sheet 2
Image has shifted down & to the right
Sheet 5
Perfect
Sheet 3
Image has shifted down
Sheet 6
Image has shifted to the left
What’s the answer?
You make the image slightly larger than you actually want.
So if you want an A4 leaflet (297x210mm) which has an image
that goes right to the edge of the sheet, you create the image 3mm
larger on all 4 edges (303x216mm).
The extra 3mm on all 4 edges should be parts of the image that
you don’t mind being cut off.
You want this.
So you design this.
(The dotted line indicates where we will cut to).
If the image shifts during the run it won’t matter. Once the stack is cut, the
knife’s edge will still slice through some printing and it will look fine.
The image will BLEED off the edge of the sheet.
So can I have text going right up to the edge of the sheet?
No.
As we’ve now learned, the image can shift during the run by up to
3mm so this is the absolute mimimum that you should leave
between the edge of the sheet and important logos, text, phone
numbers etc.
In fact, we suggest important data is kept 7mm or more from the
intended edge of the sheet.
020 8695 0101
(The dotted line indicates
where we will cut to).
020 8695 0101
7mm min.
Do I need to create bleed for every job?
No.
Just make sure that no printing goes closer than 7mm to the edge
of the sheet.
What about cut marks?
Always nice to have them but we don’t really need them providing
you have added 3mm bleed all round we will sort it out.
I’ve already got a design but I haven’t added bleed?
There are a couple of solutions.
1) We can reduce it so that it has a small 5mm white border on all
4 edges.
2) It may be possible for us to enlarge it to be bigger than the
intended size and create the bleed that way. However, this will
only work if there isn’t any important data too close to the edge.
Is it different for Books?
Paperback Books: Whilst we can produce the inner pages of books
with bleed, all text & important data needs to be at least 18mm
from the binding edge and 12mm from the other 3.
Wire Books : All text & important data needs to be 15mm from the
binding edge and 10mm from the other 3.
How do I create Bleed in InDesign?
These basic instructions are for version CS3. You may have to adapt them for other versions.
Let’s assume you want an A4 document and you want images to go right to the edge of the
sheet.
We now know that we have to extend these images off the edge of the page so when guillotined
down, we end up with a nice clean edge with no white border showing.
Open up a new document.
In the Opening Dialogue, set your page size, colums & margins as required
Then from the same Opening Dialogue, select ‘More Options’
Set Margins to 7mm
Set Bleed to 3mm on all 4 edges
Set Slug to 0mm on all 4 edges.
OK
When it opens you will have
The document (black border)
The inside margins (purple border)
The Bleed area (red border)
Design your job making sure any images that need to Bleed are dragged off the edge of the
document to ‘kiss’ the red border. Don’t forget to keep all important data & text 7mm from the
edge of the edge of the sheet (in other words, within the purple border).
When you have finished your design you need to create a PDF.
Choose File > Adobe PDF Presets > High Quality Print
Give it a name and specify where you want to save it to.
Save
A window will open (Export Adobe PDF settings)
On the left menu:
Compression : Leave this alone
Marks & Bleeds : Choose ‘Crop Marks’ (but no others) and ‘Use Document Bleed Setting’
Output : Leave this alone
Advanced : Leave this alone
Security : Leave this alone
Summary : Leave this alone
then Export.
Open your PDF and make sure it is all there, including the cut marks.
Let’s hope that worked!
How do I create Bleed in Illustrator?
These basic instructions are for version CS3. You may have to adapt them for other versions.
Information will appear here shortly.
Keep turning the pages to find out about Word, Publisher & Photoshop.
How do I create Bleed in Microsoft Word?
Many will tell you can’t - well in fact you can.
These basic instructions are for Word 2007 for Windows.
You may have to adapt them for other versions.
Let’s assume you want an A4 document and you want images to go right to the edge of the
sheet.
From what we read earlier, we now know that we have to extend these images off the edge of
the page so when guillotined down, we end up with a nice clean edge with no white border
showing.
In Microsoft Word, the only way to do this is to make the sheet bigger than A4 to included the
Bleed area.
Open up a new document - A4.
In the Page Layout Tab; Size > More Paper Sizes
Change the width to 216mm (21.6cm) and the height to 303mm (30.3cm).
Press OK and you’ve now got a sheet that’s 3mm bigger than A4 on all 4 edges.
So, you’ve now got room for the Bleed
Now we need to set the ‘Safe Area’. The area within which we should put all text and other
important data so it doesn’t go too close to the edge of the sheet and run the risk of being cut
off.
So in the Page Layout > Margins > Custom Margins, change all 4 margins to 1.0cm. Press OK
and ‘Ignore’ any warning messages about margins being outside of the printable area.
Now, go to the View tab and make sure ‘Gridlines’ is checked.
(Note. The gridlines won’t print so don’t worry).
You’re now ready to start designing.
Any important text or data should be kept inside the gridlines but images that you want to print
right to the edge of the sheet need to ‘kiss’ the very edge of the document.
This means that if you want to place images on the page that need to Bleed , just drag them to
the edge of the sheet. Remember that we’ll cut about 3mm off.
When you have finished your design you need to create a PDF.
Choose File > Save As > PDF
Give it a name and specify where you want to save it to.
Below that, make sure it says Standard and not Minimum size.
Then choose Publish.
Open your PDF and make sure it is all there, including the bleed area.
Let’s hope that worked!
Oh, if not go to our home page where there are some ready made templates you could try.
But I want A5.
Ok, follow all of the previous instructions but change the width to 154.5mm (15.45cm) and the
height to 216mm (21.6cm).
Then start designing.
But I want to design it in A4 but have it printed as A5
Ok, but we need 5mm bleed and 10mm safe area so when we reduce it to A5 nothing is too
tight.
So, follow all the previous instructions but the document size should be 220mm (22cm) and the
height should be 307mm (30.7cm).
The margins should be 1.5cm.
How do I create Bleed in Photoshop?
These basic instructions are for version CS3. You may have to adapt them for other versions.
Well, first thing to say here is that Photoshop is a photo editing software which you use to
create a design to place into a page layout software like InDesign.
However, there is no reason why you can’t create a sucessful design for one or two pages and
incorporate bleed.
Let’s assume you want an A4 document and you want images to go right to the edge of the
sheet.
We now know that we have to
extend these images off the edge of
the page so when guillotined down,
we end up with a nice clean edge
with no white border showing.
Therefore we need to start with a
sheet bigger than A4.
The first question though is CMYK
or RGB?
If you know what you are doing and
work in CMYK then follow the
example. If you’re not use RGB.
Now we need to set up some guides for ourself so we can see the Bleed area.
We want to be accurate so don’t rely on dragging guides into position.
Instead, choose View > New Guide and set 4 guides exactly 3mm from the edge of the sheet.
(Vertical ones at 0.3cm & 21.3cm) (Horizontal ones at 0.3cm & 30cm)
That’s the Bleed sorted out.
Now we need to add margins for ourself to make sure we don’t put any text or important data
too close to the edge of where the sheet is going to be cut.
It’s exactly the same procedure.
View > New Guide and set 4 guides exactly 1.0cm from the edge of the sheet.
(Vertical ones at 1.0cm & 20.6cm) (Horizontal ones at 1.0cm & 29.3cm)
Now View > Lock Guides
That’s the Safe Area sorted out.
Design your job making sure any images that need to Bleed are dragged to the very edge of the
document.
Don’t forget to keep all important data & text 7mm from the edge of the edge of the sheet
(remember, that’s the inner border you created).
When you have finished your design you need to create a PDF.
Choose File > Safe As > Photoshop PDF
Give it an name and a destination, then SAVE
Choose High Quality Print and DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE.
SAVE PDF
Open the PDF and check to make sure everything is there, remember the 3mm on the outer
edge will be trimmed off.
But I want A5.
Ok, follow all of the previous instructions but change the width to 154.5mm (15.45cm) and the
height to 216mm (21.6cm).
View > New Guide and set 4 guides exactly 3mm from the edge of the sheet. (Vertical ones at
0.3cm & 15.15cm) (Horizontal ones at 0.3cm & 21.3cm)
View > New Guide and set 4 guides exactly 1.0cm from the edge of the sheet.
(Vertical ones at 1.0cm & 14.45cm) (Horizontal ones at 1.0cm & 20.6cm)
Then start designing.
But I want to design it in A4 but have it printed as A5
Ok, but we need 5mm bleed and 10mm safe area so when we reduce it to A5 nothing is too
tight.
So, follow all the previous instructions but the document size should be 220mm (22cm) and the
height should be 307mm (30.7cm).
View > New Guide and set 4 guides exactly 5mm from the edge of the sheet. (Vertical ones at
0.5cm & 21.5cm) (Horizontal ones at 0.5cm & 30.2cm)
View > New Guide and set 4 guides exactly 1.5cm from the edge of the sheet.
(Vertical ones at 1.5cm & 20.5cm) (Horizontal ones at 1.5cm & 29.2cm)
How do I create Bleed in Microsoft Publisher?
These basic instructions are for Publisher 2007 for Windows.
You may have to adapt them for other versions.
Let’s assume you want an A4 document and you want images to go right to the edge of the
sheet.
From what we read earlier, we now know that we have to extend these images off the edge of
the page so when guillotined down, we end up with a nice clean edge with no white border
showing.
In Microsoft Publisher, the only way to do this is to make the sheet bigger than A4 to included
the Bleed area.
PDF creation software can also be used to achieve bleed but let’s assume that either you don’t
want to pay for this or you don’t want to learn new software. Let’s just assume you’re looking
for a simple way to achieve it.
Open up a new document - A4.
Then choose File > Page Set Up
In the right hand side of the window change the width to 21.6cm and the height to 30.3cm.
Change all 4 margins to 0.3cm.
OK
So, you’ve now created an area which shows an A4 document plus 3mm for the Bleed
Now we need to set the ‘Safe Area’. The area within which we should put all text and other
important data so it doesn’t go too close to the edge of the sheet and run the risk of being cut
off.
Arrange > Ruler Guides > Format Ruler Guides
Horizontal > 1cm > Set
Horizontal > 29.3cm > Set
Vertical > 1cm > Set
Vertical > 20.6cm > Set
OK
That’s the Safe Area sorted out.
Design your job making sure any images that need to Bleed are dragged to the very edge of the
document.
Don’t forget to keep all important data & text 7mm from the edge of the edge of the sheet
(remember, that’s the inner green border you created).
When you have finished your design you need to create a PDF.
Choose File > Save As >
Give it a name and specify where you want to save it to.
Save as Type > PDF
Below that, make sure it says High Quality Printing. If not change it.
Then choose Save.
Open your PDF and make sure it is all there, including the bleed area.
Let’s hope that worked!
But I want A5.
Ok, follow all of the previous instructions but change the width to 154.5mm (15.45cm) and the
height to 216mm (21.6cm).
Arrange > Ruler Guides > Format Ruler Guides
Horizontal > 1cm > Set
Horizontal > 20.6cm > Set
Vertical > 1cm > Set
Vertical > 14.45cm > Set
OK
Then start designing.
But I want to design it in A4 but have it printed as A5
Ok, but we need 5mm bleed and 10mm safe area so when we reduce it to A5 nothing is too
tight.
So, follow all the previous instructions but the document size should be 220mm (22cm) and the
height should be 307mm (30.7cm).
The margins should be 0.5cm.
Arrange > Ruler Guides > Format Ruler Guides
Horizontal > 1cm > Set
Horizontal > 29.2cm > Set
Vertical > 1cm > Set
Vertical > 20.5cm > Set