Rules for creating layouts for our company

  1. We accept layouts in the following formats: JPG (max quality!), TIFF, CDR, AI, PDF, EPS.
  2. Color palette – CMYK, Grayscale.
  3. Layout resolution – minimum 300 dpi – for layouts up to 12×12 inches, 150 dpi – for any layouts larger.
  4. Bleeds, bleed margins and safe indents in layouts.

Bleeds, bleed margins, indents. All these are the names of one of the most important details that must be taken into account when preparing a layout for printing. Insufficient indentation in printing is a common mistake of novice designers. Different types of printed products require an individual approach.

What types of bleeds are there, what are they for and how to avoid mistakes when creating a layout, we will tell you below.

Bleeds: what is it

Bleeds are the necessary enlargement of a layout, performed during its prepress preparation. The enlargement is necessary for the correct cutting of printed materials after printing. The main reason for the need for bleeds is a small error that occurs on any equipment during the cutting of printed products. To compensate for such an error at the layout creation stage, the designer should add on each side of the layout:
1. 4 mm for a layout for products that will be printed on any material except Alucobond (aluminum-plastic composite)
2. 8 mm for a layout for products that will be printed on Alucobond (aluminum-plastic composite)

In addition to bleeds, the files for printing also take into account the “safe zone” – from 8 mm of fields from the inner edge of the image. All important information: logo, photo or text should be located at a distance of about 10 mm inward from the edge of the layout.

No fields – an error in the layout

As a rule, clients are guided by the version of the layout that they want to see in the finished form and mistakenly believe that bleed margins are a purely technical task that the printing house deals with. If the future product has a white background, then adding fields will not be difficult, but in the case of a colored background, this option is excluded and there is a high probability that the layout will be returned for revision.

The most common errors in the layout file include:

  • Placing important elements too close to the edge. This may result in some information being cut off. For a 24×18 sign, you should leave about 12 mm from the edge (8 mm is the safe zone, 4 mm is the allowance);
  • The design elements and background image have a “cut” format.