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abstract_Melody5E5D
Participant
June 5, 2022
Answered

Document size - margins confusion

  • June 5, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 2138 views

Hello,

 

I am new to InDesign so apologies if this is a stupid question. 


I have to design an ad for a newspaper and the dimensions are quite odd. Width 2.68" by height 2.25".

 

Usually, I would use 0.25 margins and bleed but I am just a bit confused with how everything looks. There is a much larger margin size/white space than usual and I am unsure if I am supposed to have everything designed to reach the black lines/ go over that white space to the edge or if I should have everything designed within the pink/purple lines (but then there are the huge margins just there). Can someone please help me out? I was just told to stay within the purple/pink lines and to never reach the bleed so I am confused about the actual document size/ad size. I hope this makes sense..

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer rob day

HI @abstract_Melody5E5D You can take the Margin, Trim, Bleed terms literally. The Trim line is where the page would be cut if it was output as a single page and trimmed, the Bleed is the amount that would be cut off, and the Margin would be the visual space from an object set on the margin to the trim edge.

 

So to illustrate Jame’s post:

 

 

 

Your ad is going to be placed in another page layout and not trimmed, so you don’t really need to include a bleed—if you do and your ad gets placed with its bleed it will be 3.18" not 2.68":

 

1 reply

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
June 5, 2022

I'm only partly following what you see as the problems, but here's some thoughts. This isn't as much an InDesign-specific issue as it is an ad-layout one in general.

 

  • Print ad sizes are usually keyed to page size and column width. 2.25 x 2.675 (rounded) is pretty standard - two and a quarter by two and five-eighths inches.
  • You usually do not have bleed allowance for less than full page ads. (Sometimes for half-page.) So I'd say you have to keep all ink, all content inside the ad dimensions. If you have a solid background, it has to stay at the ad size. If you run a keyline around the outside, it has to be on the 'inside' so that the total ad size is still that of the assigned space.
  • Unless there are unusual requirements or rules, you should be able to run ad content right to the edges, even if they are undefined (no background, no border). The inside pink lines are probably meant to guide you to a best, uncrowded look for the page of ads overall, but they seem quite generous for a small ad and may be a template mistake.
  • I'd keep ad content about a quarter inch away from the actual borders of the ad, but certainly no more. Use white space effectively, but don't crowd it all in that (slightly ridiculous) center rectangle unless other layout rules say you have to.

 

That clear things up any?

 

—

    S
    Sophie24728283dc4x
    Participant
    June 5, 2022

    Thank you, James! That's very helpful. Our organization has so far only done 1/4 page ad sizes (since I started) that I could just edit from an old template, so I got confused with the new sizing for this ad (I am very new to this job). When you say keep it within the ad dimensions/ ad size, is that counting the margin then or is that what is within the purple/pink lines? For example, would I make the extra content such as the background reach the black lines but keep the wording and photo and everything important within the pink/purple lines? Sorry, I wasn't sure if that was what you meant by the keyline and keeping things on the inside. I noticed from an old template that the wording would go right up to the pink/ purple lines and there was a bit of background that went outside those lines but those margins seemed much smaller - that's where I was coming from before. Would I be able to send you a message with the attached ad to show what I mean, in case that is easier? Again, thank you so much for replying, I appreciate it!

    rob day
    Community Expert
    rob dayCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    June 5, 2022

    HI @abstract_Melody5E5D You can take the Margin, Trim, Bleed terms literally. The Trim line is where the page would be cut if it was output as a single page and trimmed, the Bleed is the amount that would be cut off, and the Margin would be the visual space from an object set on the margin to the trim edge.

     

    So to illustrate Jame’s post:

     

     

     

    Your ad is going to be placed in another page layout and not trimmed, so you don’t really need to include a bleed—if you do and your ad gets placed with its bleed it will be 3.18" not 2.68":

     

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