What is a Bleed and
Why is it Important for Printing?

By Gary D’Atrio

When designing for print, it is nearly impossible to print an image right up to the edge of the paper. Even the best printing presses have some movement of the paper from sheet to sheet which can cause white strips at the edge of some pages.

This can be prevented by extending the image past the trim edge and creating what is known as a bleed. On average, the width of the bleed is 1/8 inch. This will be cut off when the piece is trimmed to the final size to ensure that the image is clean to the edge.

Also, when creating a bleed make sure to leave a margin of at least 3/8 inch from the edge of the page so that important information is not cut off. It will make your printed piece look more professional and easier to read.