When you print a document, you ideally want the ink to go all the way to the edge of the paper. This creates a professional look and feel, and ensures that your text and images are printed exactly as you intended them to be. However, this is not always possible, and that’s where bleed comes in.
One of the most popular terms in printing and design is bleed and slug. But what exactly are these? Bleed is the term used to describe when ink is printed beyond the edge of the paper. On the other hand, slug is the term used for the extra space that is left around the edge of the document.
More About Bleed and Slug
When creating a document that will be printed, it is important to take bleed and slug into account.
In a much more understandable point, bleed is the part of your design that gets trimmed off. Slug, on the other hand, is the extra space that is intentionally left blank around the edge of the document.
This area gives the printer a margin of error to work with in case the blade slips or moves slightly when cutting down your project to its finished size. It also allows for any slight fluctuations in the printing process itself.
In short, you need bleed to avoid having white lines around the edge of your printed project, and slug is there to give the printer some room to work with.
2 Types of Bleed
Bleed comes in two types: intentional and unintentional.
Intentional bleed is when you design your project with the intention of having the ink go all the way to the edge of the paper. This is usually done for aesthetic reasons, and it requires you to print on a larger sheet of paper than you intend to use for the final product.
Unintentional bleed, on the other hand, is when the ink accidentally goes beyond the edge of the paper. This often happens because the printer was not set up properly, or because the paper was not aligned correctly in the printer.
3 Reasons for Using Bleed
There are three main reasons why you would want to use bleed in your printing projects:
1. To avoid white lines around the edge of your printed project
2. To create a borderless effect
3. To make sure that your colors go all the way to the edge of the paper
Using bleed is especially important if you are printing on dark colored paper. If you do not use bleed, you run the risk of having white lines around the edge of your project.
3 Reasons for Using Slug
There are three main reasons why you would want to use slug in your printing projects:
1. To give the printer some room to work with
2. To avoid cutting off any important text or images
3. To make sure that your project is printed correctly
When to Use Bleed or Slug
Now that you know what bleed and slug are, you might be wondering when you should use them.
As a general rule of thumb, you should always use bleed if you are printing on a dark-colored paper. This will help to avoid any white lines around the edge of your project.
If you are printing on a light-colored paper, you can usually get away with not using bleed. However, it is always better to err on the side of caution and use it just to be safe.
Slug, on the other hand, should always be used regardless of what color paper you are printing on. This is because it gives the printer some room to work with and helps to avoid any potential printing errors.
How Much Bleed and Slug Should You Use?
The amount of bleed and slug that you should use will depend on the size of your project.
As a general rule, you should always leave at least 1/8 inch (3.175 mm) of bleed around the edge of your project. If you are working with a large project, you may need to use more bleed.
For slug, you should always leave at least 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) of space around the edge of your document. This will give the printer enough room to work with and will help to avoid any potential printing errors.
When to remove a slug?
You should remove slug when you are finished printing your project. This is because it is not necessary for the final product and it can actually make your project look unprofessional if it is left in.
To remove the slug, simply trim it off with a pair of scissors or a paper cutter.
Should a bleed be removed?
No, you should not remove bleed. This is because it is an important part of the printing process and it helps to ensure that your project turns out looking its best.
If you remove the bleed, you run the risk of having white lines around the edge of your project.
Considerations When Using Bleed and Slug
Now that you know what bleed a slug are, and when to use them, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
First, you need to make sure that your printer is able to print bleeds. Not all printers are capable of printing projects with bleed, so it is important to check with your printer beforehand.
Second, you need to account for the bleed when you are designing your project. This means that you need to make sure that any important text or images are at least 1/8 inch (3.175 mm) away from the edge of the paper.
Third, you need to use heavier-weight paper when using bleed. This is because the extra ink can make the paper curl or wrinkle if it is not heavy enough.
Finally, you need to be careful when trimming your project. This is because you will need to account for the bleed when trimming off the excess paper.
If you are not careful, you may end up cutting off some of the important text or images on your project.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, bleed and slug are two important factors to take into account when creating a print project. Bleed helps to avoid white lines around the edge of your project, while slug gives the printer some room to work with.
When deciding whether or not to use bleed or slug, you should always err on the side of caution and use them just to be safe. This will help to ensure that your project is printed correctly and looks its best.
