To correctly prepare the file for a folded brochure, pay attention to the following steps:
Place your content according to the template guidelines: safe area, cut line, fold line, and bleed
Place text and graphics following the orientation indicated in the template
Refer to the numbers shown on the template to understand the reading order (first page, last page, how it opens).
Use Designer to create your folded flyer from scratch online, or to ensure your design is correctly positioned on the template
1.BLEED, CUT, FOLD, AND SAFE AREA
Both in the template and when using Designer, you will find guidelines that help you correctly position your artwork.
The template looks like this:
Bleed: the outermost green line. Extend your graphics or background images (those you want to reach the edge of your brochure up to this line. Read here for more information
Cut: the magenta line, located inside the bleed area. Your folded flyer will be cut along this line
Fold: the dashed red lines where the folds will be made. Do not place text too close to these lines to ensure it remains visible after the product is folded
Safe area: the solid red line indicates the area within which to place important text and graphics. In the printing industry, a "mechanical shift" of 1-2 mm is a natural part of the trimming process. It is important to place all key text and graphics within the safe area to ensure they are not cut off or positioned too close to the edge
Here is an example of correctly laid-out graphics and the corresponding printed result:
And here is an example of graphics laid out without following the guidelines, and the corresponding printed result:
When using our online Designer, the line defining the safe area is green, the cut line is magenta, and the lines indicating the folds are yellow and dashed:
USING DESIGNER
The online Designer is a helpful tool when ordering a brochure:
You can create your artwork directly online without the need for specific software
You can upload your own PDF and view a preview of the finished product,to check that everything is as you expected
Example of using Designer to check the preview:
If you still have any questions, feel free to contact us; we’ll be happy to assist you.