Good morning! My name is Mary and I am the pre-press queen for Compton Press. The guys thought that it would be a good idea to share some tips and tricks with designers out there. So look for tips from me on our web and also on our social media!
Today, I would like to talk about “bleed”. The term “bleed” is used for all objects overlapping the border of your document. After your piece is printed, it will be cropped to its correct size – the bleed in your document give the cropping some room for error. Yes, there are errors when a printed piece is cut – like the machine moves slightly when it runs, paper expands and contracts – so you want to make sure your piece is set up correctly.
In your InDesign® file the settings for a bleed are in the new file dialog box. You need to hit the “more options” button and the bleed and slug will become visible. Standard measurements for the bleed is 1/8” in the US, but sizes may differ per printer, if you’re not sure about the bleed – just ask, any printer will be happy to tell you what they prefer.
Don’t forget to add crop marks to you document too. InDesign® will automatically set the crop marks for you – so make sure they are there.
AND if you have any questions, about how to set up a file with bleeds and crops – just call our team! Our pre-press team will be happy to assist you in getting your file set up correctly.
