Expert: Ken Black - 1/29/2011

Question
Dear Ken,

I'm designing my first A5 booklet in Indesign CS3 - 36 page. I work on a new intel imac. I've set up my document with facing pages and am concerned about creep as my pages have a 5mm quiet zone  and 3mm bleed. As my document is set up as facing pages, they will not have a bleed on the spine side of every page. Do you have any advice for me?

Thank you
Sonja

Answer
Hi Sonja,

Get in contact with your print provider as soon as possible in the design process. They will have the best information regarding page set up for their process.

In general, you shouldn't need to worry about the creep. The print provider will, or should, take this into account automatically when imposing your file for print. They have the necessary information readily available that will need to be taken into account. Creep is calculated by a formula using the page count and the caliper measurement of the paper for the text and cover.

One piece of advice that will make things less complicated and avoid potential unwanted results would be: Avoid page crossovers of images and graphics. If you have a lot of crossover images or graphics it will be necessary to manually account for creep on an element by element and page by page basis based on the final finished paper thickness.

Again, contact your print provider for the most accurate information.

Thanks,

Ken Black