Graphic Design Layout Specifications for Printing

Topics

Bleed| Safe Design Zone| Panel Dimensions| Size Specs| Creative Resources

Bleed

Bleed is the amount of printed information which extends beyond the finished size of your piece.

• Bleed allows us to print your piece slightly oversized and cut it down to its exact size. This gives a final seamless appearance of the image "bleeding" off the edges.
• We recommend that you build your file with bleed dimensions of an extra 1/8 inch (.125") on each side. This increases the total width and height of your document by 1/4 inch (.25"). For example, a 3.5 x 2" business card is designed as a 3.75 x 2.25" file.
• We are happy to provide templates for your use that include bleed dimensions.
• If you do not design your piece with bleeds, we are happy to add bleed free of charge!

Bleed| Safe Design Zone| Panel Dimensions| Size Specs| Creative Resources

Safe Design Zone

The safe design zone is the 1/8 inch (.125") area surrounding the inside trim edge of your piece.

• Keeping your critical content-text, images, graphics-within the safe design zone ensures that nothing will be positioned too close to the edge, where it could be impacted by trimming variances of up to 1/32 inch. In the 3.5 x 2" business card example, all important content should be positioned within the interior 3.25 x 1.75".
• The safe design zone decreases to 1/16 inch (.0625") for envelopes, and increases to 3/16 inch (.1875") for catalogs with more than 36 pages.
• Borders around the outside edge should be at least 1/8 inch (.125") wide to avoid any visual variance after trimming.

Bleed| Safe Design Zone| Panel Dimensions| Size Specs| Creative Resources

Panel Dimensions

The best way to understand panel dimensions is to make a quick mock-up of your folded piece. The panel dimensions are listed from narrowest to widest. Once you have a folded mock-up, write the dimensions on the appropriate panels, both front and back. Then translate your page and panel information into your design layout.

• Dimensions are provided at bleed size/at trim size
• We are happy to provide templates for your use that include fold line indicators.

Tri Fold
8.5 x 11	3.6347	3.6667	3.6987
8.5 x 14	4.6347	4.6667	4.6987
11 x 17	5.6347	5.6667	5.6987

Closed Gate Fold
8.5 x 11	2.735	2.75	2.765	2.75
8.5 x 14	3.485	3.55	3.515	3.5
11 x 17	4.235	4.25	4.265	4.25

Z Fold
8.5 x 11	3.67	3.67	3.67
8.5 x 14	4.67	4.67	4.67
11 x 17	5.67	5.67	5.67

4-Panel Barrel Roll
8.5 x 11	2.69	2.73	2.77	2.81
8.5 x 14	3.44	3.48	3.52	3.56
11 x 17	4.19	4.23	4.27	4.31

4-Panel Fold / Double Parallel
8.5 x 11	2.75	2.75	2.75	2.75
8.5 x 14	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50
11 x 17	4.25	4.25	4.25	4.25

Accordion Fold / M Fold
8.5 x 11	2.75	2.75	2.75	2.75
8.5 x 14	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50
11 x 17	4.25	4.25	4.25	4.25