Illustrator bleed question

[Stephen 00]

Hi,

In Illustrator CS if I was preparing a file for print and it need 5mm bleed all round would I have to manually add the bleed on when setting the document up or does the save as pdf add it for you (marks & bleeds). For example if I was doing an A5 leaflet would the size at startup be 148mm x 210mm or 158mm x 220mm. I am just used to working with InDesign, which you can set all that up when opening the document.

Cheers.

[WannaBrie]

The bleed should be OUTSIDE the document size. Dont include it in the size of the document, when printing the document, just check the marks and bleeds dialog box for the appropriate settings. Hope that helps.

[budafist]

Yup, your document size should be set as the final size you want it to be trimmed to and just make sure that anything that bleeds hangs over the edge. Just make sure that when you save as you type in 5mm for all values under bleeds option.

[Stephen 00]

Thank you.

[Cooper]

You can do it either way to be honest. Sometimes it's easier to just set it up at the size with bleed and then drop in guides to remind you what the actual finish size will be. The press can cope with either option and sometimes it's better to let them worry about where and how the crop marks are applied.

[pseudodigm]

You can do it either way to be honest. Sometimes it's easier to just set it up at the size with bleed and then drop in guides to remind you what the actual finish size will be. The press can cope with either option and sometimes it's better to let them worry about where and how the crop marks are applied.

That's actually what I do usually. Mayhap my printer hates me, but I've never had complaints.

I guess I was always worried that the file, when opened, wouldn't have the bleeds in it if I set it outside of the document border. It would certainly be easier on ME if I did it your way though...hmm.

[urstwile]

It's always a good idea to check with your printer to see how they want you to set the file up. :)

[WannaBrie]

^Agreed. However, I have to say in my prepress days, I used to hate files that came in with the bleed set into the document becuz it meant I had to recreate it with bleed outside. It was just more work for me.

[urstwile]

Your way Brie (and mine as well) is the one that is closest to the way it's done in InDesign. Although oddly, Modern Postcard (we use them a lot for direct mail) prefers the bleed built within the document size.

[budafist]

I prefer the bleed set up outside the page because it means that when I place it into a lay it's automatically correct as per the other pdfs I get.

If you draw the guides in and draw your crop marks and stuff, that's fine, but why create extra work for yourself when the software does it for you?

Also, I usually assume that artwork is centred on a page. Bad assumption. If you set it up properly the resulting pdf will centre the artwork on the page, but if you draw the crop marks yourself, sometimes they are...well, they're wherever the heck you put them.

So that means I have to line it up for imposition by eye. Sure I can zoom in, but it's better to just centre stuff mathematically on the page.

[Road Racer]

That's actually what I do usually. Mayhap my printer hates me, but I've never had complaints.

I guess I was always worried that the file, when opened, wouldn't have the bleeds in it if I set it outside of the document border. It would certainly be easier on ME if I did it your way though...hmm.


VERY bad idea and habit! When a prepress person in a hurry sees the actual size, they will proceed with the actual size, which in this case would be bigger than the intended size. You are just looking for problems! Get in the habit of pulling the bleeds .125" (standard us size) out past your actual size box.

[Cooper]

VERY bad idea and habit! When a prepress person in a hurry sees the actual size, they will proceed with the actual size, which in this case would be bigger than the intended size. You are just looking for problems! Get in the habit of pulling the bleeds .125" (standard us size) out past your actual size box.
If a prepress person is in too much of a hurry to read my concise but explicit print specifications, they've got some explaining to do.

[frailer]

When your file is ready to roll, [or rock, or both],...Save As>PDF...when the Save As dialogue box pops up, make sure you set bleed, [3mm, whatever], check "Trims" button, and make sure you check the "Retain Illustrator Editing Capabilities", [whatever the wording is]. It should be on by default, but check it!
Then, after the Save As, open up your brand new PDF in Acrobat. Check your Trim size, Bleed size, etc. Make sure it's going to behave at the printers.

They can then check where it originated, if they need to, and edit it in Illy if they have to.
.ai files are OK, but this way, there shouldn't be any confusion between you and your printer. He/she knows where they're going with placing/imposing the file, because the trims and bleeds are there...and you've checked them, right?

;) Just my 2 bob's worth.

[jimking]

If a prepress person is in too much of a hurry to read my concise but explicit print specifications, they've got some explaining to do.
I agree with Roadracer, it is a bad habit to get into. You should set your file up correctly with bleed outside the document size. This leaves no guess work and speed and time is money. It wouldn't be the way you'd set the file up in InDesign, Quark or Photoshop for that matter so why do it this way in Illustrator.

[urstwile]

^^^presactly^^^