What is bleed and how should you use it?
When designing for print, one term you’ll come across frequently is bleed. This refers to the area of your design that extends beyond the final trim size of your document. While it might sound like a technical detail, understanding how to use bleed is crucial for ensuring your printed materials look professional.
What is bleed?
In printing, bleed is the part of your design that will be trimmed off during the finishing process. It’s essential when your design has elements (such as backgrounds, images, or patterns) that extend all the way to the edge of the paper. Without bleed, any slight misalignment during trimming could result in a white border or an uneven edge, which is especially noticeable if your design runs right to the edge.
Bleed usually extends by 3mm to 5mm (depending on the printer’s specifications) beyond the final trim size of your document. This extra margin allows for any slight movement during the cutting process and ensures that your design reaches the edges without unwanted borders.
Why is bleed important?
Without bleed, your print job could have jagged edges or white borders, which may not look professional or align with your design vision. This is particularly critical for items like business cards, posters, brochures, and flyers where the aesthetic is key to the overall impact. Bleed gives your design a “no-border” look, making it appear more polished and professionally finished.
How to use bleed in your designs
Set the Bleed Area
When you start a design in software like Adobe InDesign or Illustrator, make sure to set up your document with the correct bleed margin. The bleed is typically added to all sides of the design canvas, so your design will extend slightly beyond the trim size.
Extend design elements into the bleed
Ensure any background colours, images, or graphic elements that touch the edge of the page extend into the bleed area. This will prevent any unwanted white spaces after trimming.
Avoid important text in the bleed
Keep all essential text and logos within the trim lines. This ensures that nothing important gets cut off during the trimming process.
Check your file before printing
Always double-check that your design elements extend to the edge of the bleed area. Ensure that you’re exporting your file with bleed settings intact for the printer’s specifications.
Understanding bleed with Practical Printers
Understanding bleed is essential for creating professional-looking printed materials. We, at Practical Printers can help! Call +353 53 9142535 or email info@practicalprinters.ie and we will ensure bleed is incorporated correctly into your designs, to ensure that your final product is crisp, clean, and free from unexpected borders.
