What is a "bleed" and how much does my file need to have?

The very edges of the document are called the bleed area. To prevent an unwanted white border from showing at the edge of your document, be sure to extend any background colours or design elements past the trim dimensions.

Preferably, please setup your layout documents with 1/8" bleed or more (1/4" is ideal), for both PDF and application files.

What is a "type safety area"? How much do I need to allow for?

Your printed piece is cut as close as physically possible to the trim line, but because of the mechanical tolerances involved in printing, the actual cut can sometimes happen slightly inside the trim marks.

Therefore it is recommended that to keep your text and important images within the "safe margin" you should ensure there is adequate type safety - our minimum is 1/8" but 1/4" is preferred.

What is resolution? What should my file be set to for best results?

Resolution refers to the number of dots per inch (dpi), or the amount of detail the image has. Most documents prepared for printing should be 300 dpi at 100% of the final print size. Higher resolution means a more detailed image, and also larger file and longer upload time.

What’s the difference between CMYK vs. RGB? Which mode should I use for a print file?

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) are the colors used in the printing process, whereas RGB (Red, Green and Blue) are the colours used by screen displays such as your monitor.

Your document should be created in CMYK mode so that the colors that you see on the screen most closely match the final printed product. If you create your document in RGB, the colors in your printed product may vary slightly. Many of the bright values produced by your monitor cannot be reproduced in print.

Other questions? Contact Us!

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