What is bleed in printing?

Laura Ashton • Sep 26, 2021

What is bleed in printing? If you are supplying your own artwork then one of the artwork requirements we ask for is 3mm bleed.... But what is bleed in printing?

When we print your business cards, leaflets, posters, stickers etc we don't print directly onto the final sized sheet, such as A5 for a flyer. We print them on larger sheets as our printing machines can't print to the edge (just as your desktop printers can't) and also we can get lots on one sheet which can be more efficient.


Due to the printing process, as accurate as they are getting now, there is still a slight movement between sheets and so between one sheet and the next there could be a slight difference of position. So without a bleed area these slight movements would become apparent when trimmed, as a white edge may appear.

So how does a bleed area help? 

Printers bleed is a 3mm extra area outside of all 4 trim edges where the images and background colours continues across.
So if there is a slight movement you won't see a white edge but instead your image will continue as though the movement was never there. 


But 3mm sounds like a lot of movement 

Your printed jobs aren't likely to be 3mm off centre but we ask for 3mm so we are better safe than sorry. 

How do I set up a bleed area? 

In a program such as Indesign and Illustrator you can set the bleed area in your document settings. Then when you export to PDF ensure you have set 3mm as the bleed in the export settings. 

In a program such as photoshop it doesn't have bleed settings so you will have to create your file as the size including bleed. So for an A4 (210 x297mm) you will need to create a file that is 216 x303 mm ( A4 size plus 3mm extra at every edge). Then you could add on some margins to be sure you don't mistakingly put any logos or text too close to that edge. 

For setting up in photoshop here are some common print sizes with the bleed included to help you out:


Finished size Photoshop document size including bleed
Business card (85 x 55 mm) 91 x 61mm
A3 (297 x 420mm) 303 x 426mm
A4 (210 x 297 mm) 216 x 303mm
A5 (148 x 210 mm) 154 x 216mm
A6 (105 x 148mm) 111 x 154mm

In a program such as Canva it won't display your bleed area but just be mindful that you are positioning images past the trim edge. Then export as a "print pdf", check the box for "tick marks and bleed". Then you can check your PDF to see if you have everything bleeding over that needs to be.


Be aware in Canva that some sizes, such as business card, actually aren't the correct sizes for the UK. 

So what is bleed in printing? Basically bleed is just the images and background colours "bleeding" over an extra 3mm from the trim edges. Not as scary as it sounds, but an important part of supplying artwork. 

If you are having any difficulties with setting up your artwork then please get in touch. We aren't computers that just reject your artwork or print whether it's right or wrong. We are people that are happy to assist and will let you know if we can see any potential issues. 

Alternatively if you'd like us to create the artwork and provide a design service then we'd be happy to discuss this further. 

Is your job ready to print?

Then get in touch with us and lets get your print into production! We offer many printing services - various sizes, material and binding options available. Let us know what you need and we can help advise on the best options and give quotes on various quantities. 

Do you know what your print needs to say, but struggling to get the right design?

Don't worry, we offer a professional design service at affordable prices. Get your UK design and print service all in one place.

Read more on our design service here.

See our printed services page here


PRINTING SERVICES UK - GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PRINT SERVICE
BASED IN SHEFFIELD


We are a Sheffield Printers but we can deliver to the whole of the UK.


Call us on 07824 806299 

Or email print@abovethebelow.co.uk

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