Bleed in Book Design

[tina21]

So I need to make a book for a class but for the life of me I can't remember if and how bleed might influence the montage I'll do after the book is completed and needs to be properly arranged for printing.

[eliddell]

Bleed is intended to guard against bad paper trimming in professional printing and usually extends 1/8" (~3mm) beyond the edge of the page, but it's only needed if you have elements on the page that are supposed to print right out to the edge. If you have a margin of 1/4" or more all around (or are printing it yourself on paper already at the correct size), you shouldn't need a bleed at all. Does that help?

Note: There are some special considerations for cross-page spreads, but that's gutter, not bleed, IIRC.

[tina21]

I have lots of pictures that will go right out to the edge so bleed is essential. I just don't remember if in someway influences the editing afterwards. My clean page is 16.3 x 20.8 so with the bleed it'll be 16.8 x 21.8 (bleed of 5mm on top, bottom and outside). In editing (or montage) the width and height I'll input will be the clean page one (16.3 x 20.8) and then crop marks (along with color bars etc) will be put there separately (in 3mm).

So unless I'm forgetting something of seriously great importance and somehow I also missed to do in every other works I've done (and I'm consulting) the bleed is only for the designing of the book for the pictures that go right out to the edge.

[eliddell]

If I'm understanding you correctly, then yes, you've got it right.

[tina21]

*phew* thank you for your help now I'll only have to find some examples of how the pages line up in montage (pre-press) to make sure mine is correct ^^