To add bleed in Photoshop, you need to increase the canvas size to extend beyond your intended trim size, allowing for slight imperfections during printing. Here's how:
Steps to Add Bleed
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Open the Canvas Size Dialog: Navigate to Image > Canvas Size in the top menu.
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Adjust Canvas Size for Bleeds: A common bleed size is 0.125 inches (1/8 inch) on each side. Therefore, you need to add 0.25 inches to both the width and the height of your document's final trim size.
- For example, if your desired trim size is 8.5 x 11 inches, you would set the canvas size to 8.75 x 11.25 inches.
Document Dimension Desired Trim Size (Inches) Bleed Added (Inches) New Canvas Size (Inches) Width 8.5 0.25 8.75 Height 11 0.25 11.25 -
Confirm the Extension Direction: In the Canvas Size dialog box, the "Anchor" option allows you to specify the direction in which the canvas expands. Usually, you'll want to keep the anchor in the center so that the canvas extends equally in all directions.
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Extend Artwork to the Bleed Line: Make sure that any elements that you want to extend to the edge of the printed piece (like background colors or images) go all the way to the new canvas edges. This ensures that there won't be any unwanted white edges after trimming.
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Optional: Create Safety Lines (Margins): While not strictly part of adding bleed, creating safety lines is highly recommended. These act as visual guides to keep important text and graphics from being trimmed off. You can create guidelines by dragging from the rulers (View > Rulers, if they're not visible). Position the guides 0.125 inches (or your chosen bleed amount) inside the trim edge.
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Keep Important Content Within the Safety Line: Ensure that any crucial design elements like text, logos, or important imagery are positioned within the safety margin to prevent them from being accidentally cut off during the trimming process.
By following these steps, you'll successfully add bleed to your Photoshop document and prepare it for professional printing.
