Expert: Amy - 10/9/2009

Question
Hi Amy,

I created a business card for a friend. He brought it to the printer and they want me to set the colors to full bleed. I am working with Illustrator 9 and I cannot find the answer to this in either the manual or in the application.

Can you help with this.

Thank you,
Nancy

Answer
Hi Nancy.

It's not really an Illustrator issue, just a design issue.

If you have colors or images that extend right up to and off the edge of your business card, they extend those objects further off the edge, to allow for the eventual trim.

Add .125" space to all the edges of your card. That's the bleed size. 2.25" x 3.75." The old border of your card now becomes the trim line/finished size.

This is easy with colored areas on your card, like maybe a colored rectangle background, just extend the filled objects' edges over to the new bleed line.

If you have a background image that you want to bleed, you have to plan ahead and make that object larger by .125" in each direction that you want it to bleed.

I hope this helps!
Amy