| Most people in today's digital world already use | | | | if the project - If you enter in a bleed vaule of |
| some type of graphic software and have some | | | | .125", you will have .125" on the top, .125" on the |
| idea of how to put together a business card, | | | | bottom, .125" on the left and .125" on the right. So |
| flyer, brochure or postcard with with no, or little, | | | | if you do the math: business card dimension 2" x |
| problem. The problem is their work is unfinished - | | | | 3.5". Height: 2" + .125" +.125" = 2.25" Wrong! Width |
| unfinished meaning their artwork does not have | | | | - 3.5" + .125" + .125" = Wrong again! You will have |
| any needed 'Bleed' values and/or 'Crop Marks' on | | | | to take the bleed value that the printer shop |
| the PDF. Both bleed values and crop marks are | | | | gives you (ex. .125") and then divide it by 2 (for |
| needed in printing so the printer knows exactly | | | | two sides) = .0625 This is correct! So enter in |
| how to handle and cut your product. Have you | | | | .0625" into the 'Bleed Limit' field and press 'apply' |
| ever wondered why the graphics are not | | | | and 'OK'. |
| centered or something important is cut off? The | | | | Note: Add guidelines to your project that don't get |
| reason is because you, through your artwork | | | | printed. This will give you a 'Guideline' as to where |
| have allowed the printers to have thousands of | | | | NOT to put your important text or graphics. With |
| options and ways to print your product. So, | | | | a bleed of .125 the guidelines need to offset the |
| basically, it is a gamble to send your artwork to | | | | business card dimension by .0625" which is .125"/2 |
| the printers without any bleed values and/or crop | | | | since we have two sides. So, the guidelines |
| marks. | | | | dimension vertically would be for example: -.0625", |
| Bleed Values:Bleed values are needed in order for | | | | 0.0", .0625", 1.375", 2.0", 2.0625". Horizontally is: |
| the printers to print 'Beyond' your product size - | | | | -.0625", 0.0", .0625", 2.9375", 3.0", 3.0625". |
| in result, the the edges of your products are | | | | Crop Marks: |
| printed with your graphics and colors and not | | | | Go in File, Print Preview, Settings, Prepress. Check |
| some white line showing up on the face of your | | | | mark the 'Crop/foldmarks' and 'Exterior only'. |
| printing product. If there is no bleed in the file, the | | | | Press 'Apply' and 'OK'. You now have crop marks |
| printing shop might or usually 'Stretches' the file to | | | | on your PDF. Publish to PDF - Done. |
| the bleed in order to print beyond the entire | | | | Method 2 - make your image sizes to the bleed |
| product. This may function for you, unless of | | | | value. Example: 2.125" x 3.625". All we did here |
| course, the stretch process stretches your | | | | was add the bleed value .125 to the width and |
| important text/graphics and then cuts it off or | | | | height of the images. Once you center your |
| the artwork is not centered in your end product. | | | | images, you now have bleed. |
| Printers have very limited control of the out | | | | Note: Add guidelines to your project that don't get |
| come without bleed values. I will explain to you | | | | printed. This will give you a 'Guideline' as to where |
| quick and easy ways to add bleed values to your | | | | NOT to put your important text or graphics. With |
| artwork. | | | | a bleed of .125 the guidelines need to offset the |
| Crop Marks:Crop marks are needed for printers | | | | business card dimension by .0625" which is .125"/2 |
| to align and center your product and most | | | | since we have two sides. So, the guidelines |
| importantly, where to cut your product. There | | | | dimension vertically would be for example: -.0625", |
| can be thousands of ways to place your product | | | | 0.0", .0625", 1.375", 2.0", 2.0625". Horizontally is: |
| on the printing plates and thousands of ways to | | | | -.0625", 0.0", .0625", 2.9375", 3.0", 3.0625". |
| cut your product without crop marks. Using crop | | | | Add your Crop Marks as explained above. Publish |
| marks on your PDF, there is only ONE way to | | | | to PDF - Done. |
| place and cut your product. The odds of "one" are | | | | Adobe Illustrator CS3 - Instructions for Bleed and |
| best. | | | | Crop Marks |
| CorelDRAW 12 - Instructions for Bleed and Crop | | | | 1. Set the Document Setup dimensions to 3.625" |
| Marks | | | | X 2.125" |
| Most people who read this will already have their | | | | 2. Align all your images to the dimensions above. |
| artwork done, so let's move on to make the | | | | (keep in mind the Safety Margin. All important |
| project flawless with any printer shop. A standard | | | | text should be in the window of 1.875" X 3.375"). |
| business card is dimensioned at 2" x 3.5" - this | | | | It is good practice to use 'Guidelines' offset-ed |
| will also be the 'Paper Type/Size of your Corel | | | | .0625 of all 4 sides "IN" of the B-Card size of 2" X |
| project in both Method 1 and 2 below. Next is the | | | | 3.5". |
| bleed. At this point, it is important to know the | | | | 3. Re-Set the Document setup dimensions back |
| bleed value of your printer shop - some are .25" | | | | to 3.5" X 2.0" and leave the images as they are in |
| and really good printer shops are .125". | | | | step 1. This step will leave the needed Bleed to |
| In CorelDRAW 12, there are 2 ways to create | | | | print perfectly to the edges and the Crop Marks |
| bleed. | | | | will come in at the document setup dimensions of |
| Method 1 - (Ex. Business Card - finished size: 2" X | | | | 3.5" X 2.0". |
| 3.5" with bleed of .125": 2.125" X 3.625") | | | | 4. Align some of the graphics IF required. |
| Add bleed to you output print settings. Go into | | | | 5. Save as PDF - Preset to "Press". Marks and |
| File, Print Preview, Settings, Layout - Check mark | | | | Bleeds Tab, "All Printer Marks" will be selected and |
| the 'Bleed Limit'. Keep in mind that you just can't | | | | set to Bleed to zero, because no matter how |
| type in the bleed value into the field. You have to | | | | much you play with the bleed, no effect seems |
| think: The Corel bleed value extends on all 4 sides | | | | to be the result. |