Crop marks

[lmulej]

Dear,

I was preparing graphics for printing but suddenly realised, that I don' t know, how to set crop marks manually. I am posting 2 screen-shots from xara and pdf - where I would like to have marks.

Can you please tell me, how to set them?

Thanks, Luka

[James Allen]

Hi lmulej,

I noticed you are using Xara Xtreme 5. Here is a page that has information about setting crop marks in 5:

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...419-Crop-Marks

[Albacore]

Your set up has full colour so you have to ask your printer what does he want you to leave for cutting. Many cut manually some cut are done using preprogrammed sizes but all will be slightly off some more than others. Normally it is some where around 2 to 4 mm so you will need to ask. The way that I do it is to set out using 3 rectangles, in your case, of the correct size in the Layer Guides I know this looks strange but it works then about 1 mm away from the rectangles I place the crop marks in a new layer about 4 to 5 mm in length and then save that as a template and I do it for the size of paper the printers are going to use. Please remember they want the fewest passes through their printers as possible. In the UK we use SRA 3 in the USA I think they use A3+ so your doc. may have a lot more than 3 rectangles in one layout and it saves you money if you do the layout as you have mostly done it already. If you need any more info please don't hesitate to ask as I normally visit every morning UK time.

[zaphodeist]

File>>Print Options>>Imagesetting
Enable Output Printer Marks

[lmulej]

Dear all!

First of all, thank you for all your answers.

James Allen:
I am using Xara Designer Pro 6, but anyway checked your link, but I didn' t find the answer I am looking for. Thanx anyway.

Albacore:
Can I kindly ask you to send me some example? I am not sure I understand right what you do for setting crop marks manually.

neodeist:
This I do anyway, when I want to have my marks printed.

Thank you ALL for your answers, but I am still looking for the solution.


Best regards, Luka

[gwpriester]

In Print Options check Output Printers Marks.

Check or uncheck the printers marks you wish to use.

Export to PDF/X

See attached PDF file.

Your output page size needs to be large enough to display the printers marks.

[minimiro]

the correct way is the same size as outside marks....
I mean if you wish to have 200x100mm finall printout, you should create your design with 204x104mm size
In this way, from every side will be cuted 2mm.... in your design now problem is downpart where dark blue is in touch with upper side of down flier...
as standart are set 1,5/2/3mm for cuting.... like minimum between two cuts is distance 3mm this mean 1,5mm cutout.... for every piece.....

hope this could be understood

P.S. If this will be printed on offset press, dont lose your time....
I mean just make your design with +2mm on side added and sent them...
Before print, prepress makers in your print house have to add not just several cut marks, also the mid mark, the side mark, color bars with % values for measuring the ink density etc etc etc.... and not on last place they will duplicate your design in their own print size.... in depence of size, paper type, mashine, quality etc they will chose in which exactly print size they will print it....

[Albacore]

I have very quickly laid out an SR3 doc for your job putting the crop marks manually. I have taken the bleed as 2mm as might be from your printer, my printer want's 3mm.

1. I use the Guide Layer palette to quickly draw a rectangle the actual size of my finish shape

2. I then copy rectangle or clone and the make that copied rectangle 4mm longer and 4mm wider and centre it over the first

3.Group these two rectangles and then "Ctrl + drag & right click" to copy the group as many times that the page size will allow

4. Select all of these groups and centre and distribute them over the page allowing around 10 mm between each group.

5. Group all of this row and do the same down the page "Ctrl + drag & right click" to copy the rows leaving around 10 mm between rows

6. Select all and then distribute so the rows are even throughout the page

7. Make a new layer and call it something like "Crop"

8. In this layer manually insert the crop marks over the inner rectangle, the finished object and group these marks

7. Repeat this along the row by "Ctrl + drag & right click " over the layered inner rectangle. The holding down the "Alt" button gives an accurate placement

8. Group these and the go down the page copying all the crop marks for the layered rectangles

9. It is handy to lock the guide layers when doing the last two jobs

10 Make a new layer and then place your object that you want to print. Make this object very slightly larger than the outer guide layer rectangle

11. Copy this and then repeat the processes of copying the object along and then down

Have a look at the Xara file to see how all of this is done, it's really quite easy! Please excuse the spacinf of the rows it was done in a hurry!