Bleed is crucial in printing because it prevents unsightly white strips from appearing along the edges of your printed materials.
The Problem: Unwanted White Strips
- During the printing process, slight movements and variations can occur.
- These shifts can cause the cutting blade to trim a bit off from the intended design area.
- As a result, if your design ends exactly at the page edge, you often end up with thin white strips where the color should extend.
- These white strips make the print look unprofessional and unfinished.
The Solution: Bleed
- Bleed is the extra area of your design that extends beyond the intended trim edge.
- By adding bleed, the design extends into this extra space.
- When printed and trimmed, any slight variations result in the color extending fully to the edge.
- The result is a clean and professional-looking print without any unwanted white borders.
How to Use Bleed
- Always add bleed to your design.
- The standard bleed amount is usually 3mm to 5mm, but it's best to check the printing requirements.
- Make sure any color, images, or design elements intended to reach the edge extend fully into the bleed area.
- Consult your printing service for their specific bleed requirements.
Example
| Scenario | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Without Bleed | Design ends at the trim edge; no extra color extends beyond the cut line. | Chance of white strips appearing due to trimming variations. |
| With Bleed | Design extends beyond the trim edge, into the bleed area. | Clean edge, no white strips, professional print. |
Conclusion
Bleed is not just a technical detail; it's an essential part of the design and printing process that guarantees a professional and polished final product by eliminating white strips. According to our reference, the main reason for using bleed on printed material is to avoid the white strips which run around the edge of your print that can occur due to movement of the document during the printing process.
