"Bleed" sounds like something from a horror movie, but in the printing world, it just means "ink that goes off the edge of the page."
What EXACTLY is Bleed?
When a machine cuts your book pages, the blade might slip slightly. To prevent an ugly white stripe on the edge of your photos, we print the image slightly larger. This extra zone is called the Bleed.
Scenario A: When to Choose "No Bleed"
- You are writing a novel or standard non-fiction book.
- Your book is mostly text.
- Images are centered on the page with white space around them.
Scenario B: When to Choose "Bleed"
- Children's picture books.
- Photography or cookbooks.
- Any colored elements that touch the edge of the paper.
Critical Math: If you select "Bleed," your PDF needs to be bigger than your trim size (add 0.125" to top, bottom, and outside edges).
