Understanding Bleed in Print Design

When designing print materials, it’s essential to consider how the final product will be trimmed. Bleed refers to the extra area of printed design that extends beyond the trim line of your page. This practice ensures that when the printed piece is cut to its final size, any slight shifts that occur during the printing or cutting processes do not leave unwanted white borders around the edges.

Why Bleed is Important

1. Movement During Printing: Printing presses can experience slight shifts or movements, which may cause the printed image to misalign with the trim line. If your design does not extend beyond the trim edge, even a minor shift can result in visible white lines along the edges of your printed piece.

2. Standard Bleed Size: To account for this potential movement, it is standard practice to include at least 3mm of bleed on all edges of your design where bleed is required. This means that any colors, images, or background elements should extend at least 3mm beyond the edge of the final trim size.

3. Die-Cut Jobs: For designs that involve die-cutting—where specific shapes are cut out—it's recommended to increase the bleed to 6mm. This extra margin helps to accommodate additional movement that may occur during the finishing processes.

Design Considerations

• Before Cutting: Ensure that all colors, images, and important design elements extend beyond the artwork’s edge, into the bleed area. This prevents any chance of a white border appearing on the final product after trimming.

• During Cutting: The cutting process removes everything beyond the solid trim line. The bleed area is what is cut away, leaving a clean, edge-to-edge print on your final piece.

Conclusion

By including adequate bleed in your design, you can help ensure a professional and polished appearance in your printed materials. Always check your specifications with your print provider to confirm the required bleed dimensions and avoid any issues with your final output.