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Layout Tips

Margins & Bleeds

Bleeds
Bleed occurs when an image or element on a page extends beyond the trim edge, leaving no margin. To accommodate a bleed your design must extend at least 1/8” (0.125 in) beyond all edges of your document. We recommend that you supply 1/4” (0.25 in) of bleed on all sides if possible. Doing so eliminates the risk of white space occurring between the design and the edge of the paper when being trimmed.

Margins
When Designing and arranging Layout please consider margins in your document.

Other than items intended to bleed, it is a good idea to make sure any “live copy” items are at least 3/16" from the trim edge. This will ensure that critical copy/images will not be cut off during the trimming process.

Binding & Booklets

When binding your booklet with Cerlox, Wire or Coil please make sure any “live copy” items are 3/8” from the binding edge. This will ensure that critical copy/images will not be cut off during the trimming process. Avoid setting up documents with facing pages, as bleeds will not work on any overlapped page spreads. Also remember to insert blank pages at the end of odd numbered sections to ensure section starts appear on the right page.

For Saddle stitched binding your document should be set up with “Facing Pages” and with a page count divisible by 4.(ex 4,8,12 etc).

N'ups

When laying out Business Cards, Postcards, etc please layout as 1up. PacBlue uses predetermined trimming templates and will imposition at the file preparation process.

Folds

When laying out your document that will have more than one fold such as a letter fold as shown below.

If the finished, open flat width is 11 inches, build the file with two panels that are 3-11/16 inches wide and one panel 3-5/8 inches wide. Keep in mind that the inside and outside of the piece are mirrors of each other: The outside of the brochure will need the short trim panel on the left, and the inside of the brochure will need the short trim panel on the right.

Correct: