Common Printing Mistakes: Bleeds, Margins, and Alignment

Printing is a precision game, and translating something perfectly from a design to the final product requires excellent attention to detail. Get careless, and simple mistakes will quickly turn into obvious, distracting errors on the page. 

Of course, the very best way to avoid disappointment is to work with a world class print partner with a robust pre-press process. But besides that, you can also study up on these common print design mistakes. Learn to avoid some familiar pitfalls, and what to watch out for as you’re designing your printed pieces.

3 Mistakes that Designers Make with Bleeds, Margins, and Gutters

1. When you’re setting up a bleed, make sure it meets the minimum size requirements. Most US printers will ask for .125” of bleed on each trim edge, to ensure adequate leeway during cutting. However, it never hurts to double check with your printer and confirm their preferred dimensions.
2. Don’t let your margins and gutters shrink (too far). Designs change during the development process, and that’s nothing to be concerned about in and of itself. However, be wary of content creep. The more you add to your original plan, the more tempting it will be to shave a bit off your margins here and there. Do that enough, and before you know it, you’ll end up with an over-stuffed design that’s difficult to understand and chaotic to behold.    ‍
3. Confirm your terms with your printer. If you’ve read our article on margins and gutters, then you know that gutters can mean quite a few different things in the world of printing. So, even if you think you’re all on the same page (pun intended), it’s worth pausing to confirm you’re all in agreement on what means what.

How to Avoid Print Mistakes with Proper Setup

One of the best practices to get into as a print designer is setting up your bleed, margins, and gutters before you start adding content. Lay out your guidelines, mark the rough locations for different design elements, then take a moment to assess your plan and check that it meets all minimum spacing requirements set by your printer. Then, if your design software allows it, keep your guides in place as you work. That way, you’ll never have to guess about whether or not your critical information is positioned correctly.

The Consequences of Print Mistakes

When print design mistakes make it through the pre-press process, it can lead to big disappointment. Insufficient gutters between facing pages can lead to distorted images and illegible text. Too little bleed can leave awkward blank spaces behind, ruining the aesthetic impact of photos and illustrations. Ultimately, these mistakes look unprofessional and sloppy; less than desirable traits for just about everybody.

Fortunately, with a little care and accurate measuring, it’s easy to avoid these kinds of mistakes, even if you’re a novice at designing print materials. What’s more, when you work with Wallace Carlson Printing, we’re always happy to provide guidance and assistance with formatting your files. We’ll work with you to ensure that every project turns out just as you hoped it would. So, are you ready to experience the best service and quality the print world has to offer? Get in touch with us today at Wallace Carlson!