Back from the break! Yes, we're knuckling down into the second Most Common Design Problem. You Could say this next problem is the most gruesome part of the design process, as it has to do with blood!

Or more accurately "bleeding your document"!

Design Problem #2 is "No Bleed in the Document"!

Yikes, maybe I'll get someone else to do the design for me! Yeah, some of the terms in the industry can be a little unusual sometimes! When we talk about bleeding your document, it means when the background graphic or image 'bleeds' over the edge of the page. It's to allow for the cutting tolerance of equipment.

Guilotines, Slitters and Timmers (regardless what brand or how expensive they are) can't cut every sheet in exactly the same position. There is some movement in the process. To allow for this we put 'bleed' our document, so if the cutter, cuts slightly bigger you won't get the unsightly effect of 'white paper' on the edge of it!

How do I bleed the document then?

Now if you have a document which has a background that you wish to run right to the edge of the paper, you will need to make the background go even further past the edge of the document. It should be at least 3-5mm. If it's a business card or brochure 3mm is fine, however, magazines require 5mm. 5mm would be fine for all products. (you can't have too much bleed!)

Now, I want you to understand that this is for EVERY edge of the paper! So you would have 5mm going past the TOP of your document, 5mm going past the BOTTOM of your document, 5mm going past the LEFT SIDE of your document, 5mm going past the RIGHT SIDE of your document.

Simple huh?

The weird thing is that so many people get it wrong!

I know that you wouldn't make that mistake, don't I? (wink, wink, nod, nod!)

I'll give you a hint what the next article is...The reverse of bleed....