What is bleed and why does it matter? Have you ever printed a picture or a design and wished there was something that you could do about the noticeable white edges around your print?
Back in the day, there didn’t use to be any other option besides trimming them. But as it turns out, now there is! Have you ever heard of the concept of bleeding when it comes to printing?
While the name may sound off-putting, the end result will leave you speechless. Keep reading to learn more about bleeding and why you need to be using it.
What is Bleeding?
In the printing world, bleed is when any images or elements on a page go beyond the edge of the page.
Why is that important? Bleed ensures that no unwanted white edges will be seen after a document has been trimmed.
Thus, it vastly improves the quality of your work.
Why is Bleed Important?
Bleed is important because it helps create a professional-looking document, which is incredibly important in today’s corporate world.
If the bleed is not used, white edges may be visible after the document is trimmed, which can give your document an unfinished look.
You’ve already put in all that hard work already, so go the extra mile to ensure that no margins show up and ruin the quality.
How to Set It Up in Your Document
When setting up bleed in your document, you will need to add an extra .125” (3mm) of space around your trim area.
This will ensure that all images and elements on your page extend beyond the edge of the page.
If you are creating a full bleed document, you will need to add .25” (6mm) of space around your trim area. This will ensure that your document has a completely finished look.
Does Bleed Really Matter?
If you want your printed piece to have a professional look, bleed is absolutely critical! It only matters because of what the end result is.
If you were to compare documents with one that has full bleed and one that doesn’t, you’d see a BIG difference. So, the next time you ask “what is bleed” you’ll know what it is and how important it is!
Full Printing
Full bleed printing is a printing technique that allows images and other design elements to extend to the edge of a page (or “bleed off the edge”), without leaving a white border.
- It is commonly used in magazines, catalogs, brochures, and other marketing materials, where it creates a more immersive reading experience, and helps the publication to fill its pages more effectively.
- Full bleed printing can also be used to create unique effects, such as backgrounds that extend all the way to the edge of the paper, or images that appear to “bleed” off the edge of the page.
- While full bleed printing is not essential for every type of document, it can be a useful tool for creating more eye-catching and professional-looking prints.
Remember, bleed is critical for creating a professional-looking document. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a high school student or sharing a presentation in the office, bleeding reveals that you’re willing to go the extra mile. So ask your printer to add bleed to your document before sending it to print!
If you are interested in using full-bleed printing for your next project, Contact Zipp Printing today!