Illustrator Crop Marks

Question

Hi.I have a problem. In the last month, when I save my designs for printing (PDF) and add crop marks, my design gets bigger in size. For example, if I have to cut 100x150mm card and I add crop marks when saving, file size at the end is 105x155mm and there is 2mm bleed. So 3mm came from where? 2 printing houses are pissed, because I send them wrong sizes and it took me long time since I figured this out. Same thing with Indesign - crop marks made my cover design bigger. And now, just yesterday I got my prints back and colors have changed. Printing house says its not their fault, my PDF looks normal.... what is going on?

Monika Gause · Answer

Crop marks of course need space on the paper.

Crop marks do not make a lot of sense when you do not add bleed.

Your printer should tell you exactly how they need the file set up. Crop marks, amount of bleed, color profile. They do use color management, right? Because if no, you are in even bigger trouble than you thought.

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