Working with Bleeds?

[Oramue]

I understand the concept of bleed and live area, I'm just confused about how Draw X3 interprets this.

I want to print something on 8.5" x 11" with standard 1/4" bleeds. So I set up a bleed of .25 inches on the Page setup and it expands the bleed area line, rather than shrinking it as I expected. Am I supposed to change the page size to reflect the "live" area or should I pull my elements to fit the expansive bleed line?

[sallybode]

If you are exporting to .pdf, you can just do your page size the size of finished trim and drag whatever bleeds past the edge to your .25". I'd set up guidelines for that.

Or you can work on the size paper that the printer will work on, this is better as you can put more information of your own such as fold lines. And if they are actually going to print your work on over sized paper, sometimes they want two up or front and back on one side and they do a work and turn. (That means they use the same plates to print on both sides, just turn the paper when they need to.) Or a work and tumble, which means instead of going head to head, the paper is now with the image head to toe.

The more you talk with your printer, the better you can furnish them just what they are looking for. They may also need you not to center the work on the page if you are compensating for the press's gripper margin.