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Bleed is the term that refers to printed image of your design that goes beyond the final trim edge. This includes any artwork, photos and background colors that bleeds off the edge. The bleed gives the printer a small amount of space to account for movement of the paper while running through the press, and design inconsistencies. Bleed ensures that no unprinted edges occur in the final trimmed design.

How do you create a bleed?
Simple, you create your art so it actually extends beyond the final trim size of the design. Our minimum bleed is 1/8″ (.125″) on all files that have any run-off.  Example shown here is set up for a finished business of 3.5 x 2 inch (h x w).

Supply Press Quality PDFs
Export your file with the bleeds on when exporting to PDF with Adobe Acrobat Standard Press Quality settings. Example shows the two main options for exporting as a press quality. We request that color bars are not included and crop marks are optional.

Branding is often a critical factor in determining your print process, such as with stationery items. If you have specific Pantone Ink colors for your company logo please provide those ink colors. Often times spot color printing will require 2 passes to achieve 3 color printing, in some instances full color (CMYK process printing) may be the better option.

The option to convert Pantone Inks to process printing for short run digital printing or projects that include full color designs/photography is always available and done in our prepress department with our Pantone Matching System with superb results. Read more about the Pantone here.

Many graphics software programs give you the choice to work in either RGB or CMYK. These are called “color spaces”. Scanners and digital cameras create images using combinations of just three colors: Red, Green and Blue (called “RGB”). These are the primary colors of light, which computers use to display images on your screen. Printing presses print full color pictures using a different set of colors, the primary colors of pigment: Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), Yellow and Black (called “CMYK”). This is “4-color process” or “full-color” printing that comprises the majority of magazines and marketing materials you see every day.

Microsoft Office and Publisher default to RGB.  With Microsoft Publisher it is easy to convert everything to a CMYK color space or to start a new document using the CMYK color space.

The following programs do not have the capability to convert to CMYK.  Our prepress department can assist you in converting your files. Ask for your estimate to include color conversion file prep.

 

Paper choice is maybe the single most important decision you’ll make when it comes to creating a great printed piece. It can have as much impact on the final product as ink and the design. It affects how, when, and where the printed piece can be used. It can also have a significant effect on price at higher quantities.

Paper Finishes Available:

• Uncoated (non-reflective, standard)
• Coated (includes Matte/Dull/Gloss)
• Laser (smoother than standard uncoated)
• Wove (slightly textured but mostly smooth to the touch-most common stationery finish)
• Laid (subtle embossed horizontal lines)
• Linen (subtle embossed crosshatch lines)
• Felt (subtle embossed crater-like depressions
• Light Cockle (subtle embossed wavy, rippled, puckered finish)

Paper comes in a variety of weights, but the real question is whether you want text weight or card stock. Not all finishes, and colors are available in all weights. Colonial Printing will help guide you in your selections. The big question is to whether you want cardstock or a non-cardstock sheet

Bond/Text/Book weights available:

• 20 lb (most common copier paper)
• 24 lb (most common weight of stationery and rag/cotton bond papers and matching envelopes)
• 28 lb
• 60 lb (offers less see through for printing with inks or heavy coverage)
• 70 lb
• 80 lb
• 100 lb

TERMS USED FOR PAPER WEIGHT:
BOND: This common paper is used in a wide variety of applications, from business forms to household stationery.
BOOK: Aptly named, this paper is found mainly in books. It is well suited for two-sided printing and is very durable.
OFFSET: This paper is used in offset printing presses because of its ability to resist tearing in the large fast machines.
TEXT: Text paper comes in many different colors and textures making it perfect for such applications as announcements and brochures.

Card stock weights available:

• 65 lb
• 67 lb
• 80 lb
• 100 lb
• 110 lb
• 111 lb
• 120 lb
• 130 lb
• 14 pt
• 16 pt

TERMS USED FOR PAPER WEIGHT:
COVER: Cover paper, also known as cardstock, is a heavy, stiff sheet which folds and resists damage well.
VELLUM BRISTOL: This paper is a heavy, board-grade paper with a soft surface used, among other things, for catalog or paperback book covers.
INDEX: Index paper is stiff, inexpensive and absorbs ink well, making it the prime choice for index cards and business reply cards
TAG: Tag paper is dense and strong, used for store tags.

Paper comes in a variety of sizes. Our most common papers sizes are listed below. Not all stocks are available in all sheet sizes. Often times we must order “parent sheets” from the paper mill. To achieve bleeds we print on over size stock. Most of our offset and digital jobs require a .125″ bleed margin all around to achieve color or design that goes off the edge. We cannot print edge to edge.

Standard Sheet Sizes:

• 8.5 x 11
• 8.5 x 14
• 11 x 17
• 12 x 18* digital or full color printing only
• 13 x 19* digital or full color printing only
• 13 x 20* digital or full color printing only

Colonial Printing will print your job the most cost-efficient way by whether running multiple-up or ganged on a sheet all you need to do is provide the quantity and finish size, we’ll do the rest.

Wide Format sizes are excluded from the above size. Ask your customer service rep for more information.

Colonial Printing offers traditional commercial bindery options performed by an experienced production team. Our digital equipment also has options such as half fold, booklet making and stapling all done in-line. Let us help customize your project.

Bindery Options:

• Book Binding
  • Saddle Staple (2 center staples)
  • GBC
  • Velo
  • Tape
  • Spiral
  • Wiro
• Collate
• Cut
• Die Cut
• Drill
• 3-hole or 2-hole custom drilling
• Fold
  • Half fold
  • Tri fold
  • Gate fold
  • Z folds
  • Parallel fold
  • Accordion fold
  • Quarter fold
  • Half/Tri fold
  • Tri/Half fold
• Numbering
• Pad
• Perforate
• Score