How to put bleeds on Adobe Photoshop files

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Adobe Photoshop is not the greatest piece of software to use for graphic design. As its name suggests, Photoshop is really for photograhs.

However, you can 'force' Photoshop in a way that allows you to create a file that is suitable for your printing job, and this page tells you a bit about how to place bleeds onto a Photoshop file so it will print properly.

 

Bleeds cannot be placed upon Photoshop file at any time.
Due to Photoshop's limitations, bleeds MUST be placed onto your Photoshop file at the time that you first create your file.

 

First, open a new file in Adobe Photoshop (see below).

You will then get a screen that is similar to the below image.

You MUST do the following on this page:

  • Give the file a meaningful name. Commercial printers use the file name to track and trace the file in their databases, so assist your commercial printer by having the name mean something other than "Business Card". The name should describe the product (e.g.: business cards or A4 brochure), and whose product it is. In the above example the name declares that it is Leslie Miller's file, that Leslie comes from TheOnlinePrinter, and that the job is a business card.
  • Set up the correct size of the file, including some space for the bleeds. It is in this area that Photoshop needs to be 'forced'. Simply put: you must make the file 6mm larger that the normal size. In our busines card example, the size of a finished business card is 90mm x 55mm, so the size must be increased by 6mm to 96mm x 61mm. Other standard sizes that must be increased include:
    • A3 — normally 420 x 297mm, but increase to 426 x 303mm;
    • A4 — normally 297 x 210mm, but increase to 303 x 216mm;
    • A5 — normally 210 x 148mm, but increase to 216 x 154mm;
    • A6 — normally 148 x 105mm, but increase to 154 x 111mm;
    • A7 — normally 105 x 74mm, but increase to 111 x 80mm;
    • DL — normally 210 x 99mm, but increase to 216 x 105mm;
  • Set the correct resolution. This is almost always 300 pixels per inch — this is the setting that you should use with TheOnlinePrinter. However, some digital printers do not cope very well with Photohop, and this can be easily overcome by setting the file at 600 pixels per inch.
  • Use the correct Colour Mode. TheOnlinePrinter prints all its jobs using the CMYK colour mode. Some commercial printers, however, use the RGB colour mode. Check with your printer to see which colour mode they use.

You can now click on the "OK" button, and you will get a screen similar to the below image.

 

You now need to put in the bleed lines, and this task is very simple.

Place your mouse over the top ruler, hold down the mouse, and 'drag' it down the page. An aqua line will appear. This must be placed 3mm from the edge of the file, and this must be done on both the top and bottom of the file. You then do the same thing from the left-hand side ruler for each of the left- and right-hand edges.

So, you have now created your bleed lines.

Next, we create the safety margin lines. These are created in the same way as the bleed lines, but these are placed at least 8mm from the edge of the file. If you are creating a file for a job that is larger than a business card, then your safety margin lines should be at least 10mm from the edge of the file.

Your file is ready to be used for your new project.

The image below is of our finished business card. What you will notice is:

  • All the background colours go to the very edge of the file.
  • The card, once it has been printed, will be trimmed at the bleed lines.
  • All the important text and images have been kept inside the safety margin lines.