When creating layouts for professional printing, two critical concepts to understand are Bleeding and Safety Zone. These terms refer to specific areas of your design that ensure the final printed product looks exactly as intended.
Understanding Bleeding
Bleeding refers to any part of your design that extends beyond the edge of where the final product will be trimmed. Essentially, the bleed is the area that will be cut off during the trimming process. The purpose of a bleed is to ensure that no unprinted edges occur in the final trimmed document.
In professional printing, it’s crucial to avoid blank areas near the edges after trimming. To achieve this, extending the design into the bleed area is necessary. This practice ensures that your design fully covers the print area without leaving any unintended blank spaces.
Quick Tip
ℹ️ You can add bleeding to your designs in the blueprint editor. For detailed instructions, read the Blueprint’s Bleeding Size article.
The Importance of Safety Zone
While bleeding deals with the edges, the Safety Zone is equally important. This is the area where you should avoid placing any key elements of your design. The safety zone is a margin inside the edges of your document.
The risk is that cuts in the printing process can be inaccurate. They can extend too far inside, potentially cutting into important design elements. By keeping these elements within the safety zone, you ensure they are not trimmed off or compromised during the cutting process.
