Tutorial: Setting Up Bleed in Adobe Illustrator for Print

When preparing your artwork for print, it's crucial to include a bleed. Bleed ensures that your design extends to the edge of the paper after trimming, preventing white borders due to slight misalignments. In this tutorial, we'll guide you through the steps to set up a bleed in Adobe Illustrator. For optimal results, always supply files with a 5mm bleed and avoid adding crop marks unless for small format jobs.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Open Your Document in Adobe Illustrator

   • Start by opening your existing document or creating a new one in Adobe Illustrator.

2. Set Up Bleed

   • Navigate to the top menu and select File -> Document Setup.

   • In the Document Setup window, you'll find the Bleed section. Set all bleed parameters (Top, Bottom, Left, and Right) to 5mm.

   • Click OK to apply these settings.

3. Adjust Your Artwork to Fit the Bleed

   • You’ll notice a red box around your document edges. This red box represents the bleed area.

   • To ensure your artwork extends into the bleed area, select the images or elements that need adjustment.

   • Click and drag the corners of the bounding box to enlarge the images until they meet the edge of the bleed box. Hold the Shift key while resizing to maintain the image proportions and avoid distortion.

4. Save Your File as a PDF

   • Once your artwork is correctly positioned, go to File -> Save As.

   • In the Save As dialog box, select Adobe PDF from the format dropdown menu and click Save.

5. Configure PDF Settings

   • After clicking Save, the Save Adobe PDF dialog box will appear.

   • From the side menu, select Marks and Bleeds.

   • For small format jobs, such as business cards, enable the Trim Marks option in the Marks section to include trim marks in your PDF. Trim marks indicate where the paper should be cut.

   • For larger jobs, do not select trim marks. This ensures a clean and professional finish without unnecessary marks.

   • In the Bleed and Slug section, check the option Use Document Bleed Settings to ensure the bleed values set earlier are applied.

   • Click Save PDF to finalize and save your document with the correct settings.

Importance of Bleed

Including a bleed in your design is essential for ensuring a professional finish. Without a bleed, minor variations in cutting can result in unwanted white borders on the edges of your prints. By extending your artwork beyond the trim line, you ensure that the final product looks polished and seamless. Always provide files with a 5mm bleed for the best results and avoid adding crop marks to ensure clean, professional printing.

By following these steps, you can be confident that your artwork will be printed exactly as intended, with no unwanted edges or borders. Remember, attention to detail in the preparation stages can significantly impact the quality of your printed materials.