Are you currently working on a design project that requires bleed? Bleed is necessary in printing to prevent trimmed edges from being visible. If you’re not familiar with bleed, let us explain. Bleed is the area of any document (such as an image or document) that extends beyond its borders.
Bleed is intended to be trimmed away after printing but will appear as part of the final document if it isn’t included. Bleed in printing ensures that no white spaces show up along the edge of your design files once they are printed and cut to final size.
In the example above, you can see the teal lines that are guides so you know how far to extend the color so that no unwanted white appears in your print job and the guides also indicate where the type needs to stay in order that you don't lose any of your content.
Read on to learn more about bleed and how you can use it in your design projects.
What is Bleed in Printing?
A bleed is the part of an image that extends beyond the document’s border, usually about a quarter inch. A bleed is necessary for most printed materials, such as brochures, business cards, posters, etc., as it ensures that no white areas show up along the edge of your design once it is printed and cut to final size. In this image, notice that the document is trimmed to the outer edge of the design. Since the design extends beyond the document’s edge, this white space would appear if the design file was printed and the document was cut to size. Bleed allows printers to trim the document down to the edge of the design while still keeping the design intact.
How to Use Bleed in Printing
If you’re using a software program like Adobe InDesign or Adobe Illustrator, it is likely that you’ll be prompted to add a bleed. If you are using an older version of InDesign, you might want to add your bleed manually. When you are creating your design, make sure to extend the design by a quarter inch beyond the document’s edge. You can use the tools from your design program, such as the rulers and guidelines, to help you align your design with the document’s edge. Once you’ve finished your design, go to the print menu and make sure “bleed” is selected as a feature. This will add the bleed to your document.
Why is Bleed Important in Printing?
A bleed is important for printing because it ensures that no stray white edges show up along the final printed product. If a design file isn’t printed with a bleed, any white edges will be incorporated into the design and will be visible along the final product. If a design includes type, an image, or a logo, these white edges can interrupt the design aesthetics. Bleed allows you to extend the design to the edge of the page and still have the white edges trimmed away. In the image above, you can see that the red line extends beyond the page’s edge. Without a bleed, white would show up along the page’s edge. Since the red line extends beyond the page’s edge, the printer can trim the page down to the red line while still keeping the design intact.
When Should You Use Bleed in Printing?
There are a few instances where you might want to add a bleed to your design. If you are printing a business card or a postcard that includes a photo or other design elements, you will want to add a bleed. If you are printing a brochure and have a client photo on the front, you should also include a bleed. When printing on a large scale (i.e., postcards, posters, etc.), bleeds are typically 1/8-inch. For business cards, postcards, and other printed materials with photos, bleeds are usually 1/4-inch.
Bottom line
A bleed is the part of an image that extends beyond the document’s border. Bleed is important for printing because it ensures that no stray white edges show up along the final printed product. If you are creating a design for printing, make sure to extend the design by a quarter inch beyond the page’s edge. Once you’ve finished your design, go to the print menu and select “bleed” as a feature. If you are designing for print, it is important to remember the importance of bleed. By adding a bleed to your design, you can ensure that no stray white edges show up along the final printed product.
Yorumlar