Bleed Margin

Bleed Margin

Bleed Margin is extra space around the edges of a printed page where images or colors extend past the final cut line, making sure the design looks clean after trimming. In publication design, bleed margin helps keep photos, backgrounds, or artwork from having white lines at the edges of the page. A helpful fact is that bleed margin is often set to 3 millimeters in many countries, but some printers ask for 5 millimeters or more for large-format publications, like magazines with thick paper or special finishes. This extra space is important for double-page spreads, where images cross the center fold, because it keeps the visual flow smooth when pages are bound together.

print layout, trim line, publication design, magazine spread

— Kevin Green