Bleed refers to the area outside the final trim size of your artwork. It ensures that your design extends right to the edge of the paper without leaving any unwanted, often cheap-looking, borders. When your artwork is printed, it is common for minor shifts to occur during printing and trimming, and the bleed area prevents white space from showing on the edges.
Most items we print require 3mm bleed on each edge, so for example an A6 flyer that needs to be 105x148mm will be set up at 111x154mm before trimming. Some items are different though. Banners in particular require more because of the hemming, so contact us before ordering for specific requirements.
The safe area is the area within your design where all important content, such as text, logos, or essential elements, should be placed. This area helps make sure your content is not trimmed off during the cutting process. Anything outside the safe area is at risk of being trimmed off or ending up too close to the edge.
For most print jobs, we recommend a margin of at least 3mm from the edge of the final trim size, although 5mm is better. On banners with hems and eyelets, you should try to keep important content 60mm within the edge to be safe.
If you do not include bleed, your design may end up with unwanted white edges after printing. Always extend backgrounds, including images and background colours, beyond the trim size by at least 3mm.
The bleed area is for backgrounds and elements that should run off the page. Do not place important text or logos there, as they may be trimmed off. Keep key content within the safe area too.
If you set your artwork up for a large size, such as A3, but it is going to be printed at a smaller size, such as A6, the bleed and safe area will not work correctly unless you adjust the artwork. Make sure your artwork matches the intended print size and update the bleed and safe area accordingly.
Different printers may have different specifications for bleed. We use industry standard guidelines, so if you follow ours, including the required amount of bleed and safe area, we will be able to produce your job cleanly.
If you are designing artwork for a specific size, such as A3, but might want to print it at a smaller size, such as A6, make sure your artwork is proportionally scaled and that the bleed area is still correctly applied for the new size. The elements within your design may need to be repositioned or resized to fit within the new trim and safe areas.
Setting up your artwork correctly with bleed and a safe area is essential for top-quality print. Even if you have printed the job elsewhere before, please check our specific requirements before ordering.
Need help setting up your artwork? Do not hesitate to contact us.
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