The file that we’ve created so far is pretty much all the printer should need. You can also make use of the new Artboards feature in Photoshop to make this process even easier but that’s for another post -) What about trim marks? I find Smart Objects to be particularly useful as they retain the original size of the content so you can adjust things later on.
Photoshop add artboard free#
Anything that bleeds will need to extend past the guides (the trim edge) to the bleed edge.įeel free to use layers, shapes, and anything else that you normally use to produce the final product in Photoshop. Keep in mind that the final printed piece will be trimmed at the location of the guides in the Photoshop document.
Now that you have the foundation for the document created, simply build the document as desired using the guides as a reference point. When you’re finished, you should end up with a document that is to the bleed size of your final project and guides indicating where the document will trim. Your canvas extension color can remain the background color unless you want the added amount to be a different color. Make sure that the anchor at the bottom of the dialog box is set to the center to force the document to add pixels from the middle out.Īnother option is to choose the relative checkbox and enter the amount that you want to increase your document by. To achieve this, choose Image > Canvas Size and change to dimensions to the correct amount. If your project requires more than 1/8″ bleed, simply add that amount. In this example, we’re working with a 6″ x 4″ document so we’ll add the 1/8″ amount to all four sides to come up with 4 1/4″ x 6 1/4″. Using some basic math, you can determine that if your desired bleed amount is 1/8″ on all four sides, simply add 1/8″ to each dimension. Now increase the image size (document size) to the size of the project including the bleed. Do this for all four sides of the document. The guide should snap to the edge of the document automatically. Click on the ruler and drag a guide to the edge of the document. Make sure that rulers are displayed by choosing View > Rulers, and also make sure that snapping is enabled by choosing View > Snap. You can also begin with an existing project and implement the techniques that I describe here, but I find that it’s easiest to understand if you start with a new document. When in doubt, ask! Create the documentīegin by creating a new document in Photoshop to the trim size (final size) and resolution that you need. Some projects (like perfect bound books and banners) often require a larger bleed. Standard bleed in the printing industry is 1/8″ but it’s a good idea to check with your printer to be sure. Preferably you’ll do this at the very beginning of the project instead of at the end, because sometimes at the end of your project, you’ve already removed valuable image information that you would need to create the bleed. Regardless of the application you use, one of the first things you need to determine is the finished size of the printed piece. I placed a black border around the project so you could see the white sliver. If the project file doesn’t contain bleed, you run the risk of revealing a white sliver (blank paper) along the edge of the printed piece, which doesn’t look good at all. To avoid this mess, the project must be printed on a larger piece of paper that includes bleed (image area extended past the trim edge) and then trimmed down to produce the final product. Ink will build up and create a big ink splotch at the edge of the paper. In the case of a printing press, it technically can print to the edge of the paper, but the results will be poor.
The reason is that printing presses (and even most digital printers) cannot print to the edge of a piece of paper. Whenever you have a project where the final printed appearance contains ink that goes to the edge of the paper, bleed is required. You’ll never hear someone in the web or video industry ask for a file that contains bleed. What is bleed?īleed is a requirement specific to print jobs. Although Photoshop doesn’t have a specific bleed setting that can be applied to a document, it can still be accomplished with a little bit of forethought and pre-planning. Photoshop on the other hand, seems to be conspicuously missing this feature. Both Illustrator and InDesign provide the ability to create a file that contains bleed marks that serve as a reference for you when designing your project.
Photoshop add artboard how to#
One question that I receive on a fairly regular basis, is how to add bleed to an image or project in Photoshop.