Why Are Print Bleeds Important
If you have been in the design industry since the pre-digital era, you are more than likely familiar with print bleeds. This is not always the case with those new to the industry as they are more heavily influenced by digital design. Regardless of your level of design industry experience, you will likely discover the need for printing with bleeds in your work. Since the use of bleeds in printing is necessary all across the design industry, it is important for you to know as much as possible about this topic. In order to help you, we have put together an easy to follow reference article on what print bleeds are, as well as their benefits, to spotlight why they are important.
What Are Print Bleeds?
In general, a print bleed is a continuation of an image or color that goes beyond the area where your final artwork will be trimmed. In the areas where any image, element or background color touches the edge of the page, you will need to apply bleed to it. It can also be explained this way…Extending a color or image beyond the edge does not leave a margin so it is said that it “bleeds.”
Keep in mind that solid colors, photos, and patterns might bleed (extend off) one or more sides of the page so you will need to add bleed to every side touched by the artwork. For example, if you have a solid color background on your artwork, you will have to bleed on all four sides. On the other hand, if the image only touches one side, you will only need to bleed it off that one side.
The Benefits
Here are a few specific reasons why it’s important when sending artwork to be printed:
- Artwork Covers the Entire Page
When the artwork covers the full page, this is known as a full bleed. As this ensures there are not any margins on the page or the artwork, the final look and feel is what you intended it to have while designing it.
- Provides Artwork the Ability to Shift During High Speed Printing
Modern printing is high-tech in nature as well as speedy in delivering the final product. Print bleeds allow current print technology to maintain the accuracy and consistency of the printed image when in place.
- No White Border On the Design (Post-Cutting)
During the process of trimming, cutting or cropping the artwork, the art might have some unintended white borders. You can avoid this by using bleeds as it tells the machine precisely where to cut.
Bleeds vs. Crop Marks
As stated earlier, a print bleed is a continuation of an image or color past the point where the final artwork is meant to be trimmed. Crop marks assign where the print will be cut or trimmed. Crop marks make sure the artwork is cut where you planned it during the design process. Since paper is cut in lifts of hundreds of pieces at a time the crop marks and page contents can shift slightly from sheet to sheet. Having bleed ensures no unintended white boarders.
This an important aspect of the print design and production process. If you need a hand getting up to speed on print bleeds, call our production team.
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