6.125" x 9.25" document in Illustrator

[mirza5313]

Hi, I have an issue regarding 6.125" x 9.25"  document setup for KDP self-publishing. when I create a document with Top and bottom bleed 0.125 in x 0.125 in and left and right with 0.25 in x 0.25" I got 6.50 x 9.25" but what I need is 6.125" x 9.25"

Can anyone help me to get this done? I am too new in this field? snapshot is attached herewith of what I did in terms of bleed:

[Bill Silbert]

The Document Setup window which you've shown only shows the bleed you've designated. Could you also post a screen shot showing your Artboard Options dialog window which will show the actual dimensions of your artboard? You can access it by double-clicking on the artboard tool in your tool panel. When you're done with that dialog window you can click on any other tool in the tool panel to close it.

[mirza5313]

Thanks Bill Silbert I have attached artboard screnshot and yes its 6x9 page size.

[Bill Silbert]

Your actual document size is what you are seeing in the Artboard Options dialog. Whatever you set there is what will be recognized as the trim size when you either print the document using trim marks from the Marks and Bleeds section of Illustrator's Print dialog or save the document as an Adobe pdf. I do agree with Jane that this job should be done in InDesign though. Illustrator is a drawing program with some page layout capabilities. InDesign is created as a page layout program. It uses continuous pages rather than artboards which allows for a much smaller and more efficient files. InDesign's type features are much more sophisticated as well. Bottom line, as my good friend Jeff Witchel (ACE) always says: "You don't bang in a nail with a screwdriver."

I also agree with Anna that a digital job does not need bleed anyway.

[Jacob Bugge]

Mirza,

My guess is that for the best possible on sceen appearance you should place the Artboard so that it is contained within whole pixels (having its corners at whole pixel values of X and Y). 1 inch is 72 points/pixels.

In your screenshot in post # 14 you have X = -1.69 in and Y = 13.19 for the centre which is off in both directions. If you move the Artboard centre to X = -1.5 in and Y = 13 in (or X = -1.625 in and Y = 13.125 in or similar if you wish to get closer to the original values) you will be fine.

[jane-e]

mirza5313  wrote

Hi, I have an issue regarding 6.125" x 9.25"  document setup for KDP self-publishing. 

Hi Mirza,

Are you creating just the cover or are you trying to create the entire document using Illustrator?

It's okay to create the cover for Kindle Direct Publishing using Illustrator, but the book should be done in InDesign.

~ Jane

[mirza5313]

Unfortunately, I am doing the whole book in Illustrator not just cover page.

[Anna Lander]

is your artboard 6" x 9"?

then you just need to change the horizontal (left&right) bleed to 0.0625.

But you don't need to set bleed for digital publication. Bleed is a printing option, to provide some safe space for any cutting machine inaccuracies. You can set the artboard as 6.125" x 9.25" by Artboard tool.

[mirza5313]

Thanks, Anna Lander for your help, but I am sorry when I put 0.0625 in left and right bleed boxes I got 6.13x9.25" page size but I need 6.125" x 9.25" for KDP direct publishing?

[mirza5313]

I am trying to get hardback via KDP so this is not a digital publication

[Bill Silbert]

mirza5313  wrote

I am trying to get hardback via KDP so this is not a digital publication

As I said in my last post, whatever is set in the Artboard Options dialog is the trim size. Whatever bleed you set does not affect the trim size.

[mirza5313]

So, any recommendation in my situations? I have not much knowledge of InDesign that's why I use Illustrator to create my book.

[Anna Lander]

Just set the artboard dimensions 6.125" x 9.25"

If you plan to print the book later, add bleed (e.g. 0.2" each side) to use it for print preparing. You can update the bleed size when you contact the printing house.

[mirza5313]

Anna Lander when I set artboard dimensions 6.125" x 9.25" directly I got 6.13 x 9.5" but this is not the correct dimensions want?

[jane-e]

mirza5313  wrote

So, any recommendation in my situations? I have not much knowledge of InDesign that's why I use Illustrator to create my book.

Hi

My recommendation would be to watch a couple of courses on lynda.com (now LinkenInLearning), maybe starting here:

Tony Harmer: Creating Ebooks for the Kindle

Jason Matthews: Learning Ebook Publishing

A problem you will have using Illustrator is that it doesn’t have pages or master pages or headers and footers. Plus the number of artboards limited to what you can fit in 226“ x 226”.

Jane

[mirza5313]

But at least I can create bleed and margin etc using Illustrator?

[jane-e]

Hi Mirza,

Illustrator does not have margins. You can either

• drag out guides from the ruler or
• draw a rectangle for the page area > center it on the artboard > Cmd+5 to convert the rectangle to a guide > Copy > Paste on all Artboards

Either way, put your guides on a separate layer so you can lock and hide/show them easily.

Yes, bleeds will be on all artboards.

Put your headers/footers/page numbers on a separate layer so that when you have changes, you can

• select all on the layer and delete
• create new ones > copy > paste to all artboards

Expect this to be tedious and frustrating, as Illustrator was never meant for long documents, but ask again if you need help. Good luck!

Jane

[Anna Lander]

please show the screenshot with the artboard dimensions

the difference that you tell about is too big for just rounding

I've created an artboard with your dimensions. 6.13" is just rounding of 6.125" in the field (if you look at the ruler, you'll see that the real size is right, 6.125"). The vertical dimension is 9.25", exactly, in Control Panel and in reality as well.

[mirza5313]

Here are the screenshots what I did and what put in terms of bleed and page size etc:

Please see the snapshots how I set the width, hights and bleed, etc to get the 6.125" x 9.25"  pdf file for KDP direct publishing?

KDP requirements they sent me you can see HERE also if you can tell me how to setup document using InDesign would be really helpful?

[Anna Lander]

You are still trying to set the SUM of the artboard dimensions and bleed as a resulting page size (trim size in printing terms). But you just have to set it directly as the Artboard size, not counting bleed

bleed (e.g. 0.2") is an additional space around a page for printing reqruiments.

[mirza5313]

Anna Lander your point to put directly 6.125 x 9.25 at artboard width and height?

[Anna Lander]

yes

and when you make layout, keep in mind that vertical bleed is 0.125" top and 0.125' bottom, and horizontal bleed 0.125 is just outside (remember it when create guies, margins etc.)

[Bill Silbert]

Please read my post #9 carefully. Bleed is not counted in the size you enter into the Artboard Option dialog.

[Jacob Bugge]

Mirza, others,

I am afraid you will have to set the page/Artboard size to 6.125 in x 9.25 in, because the KDP requirements say this on page 3 of 5:

Accounting for bleed is important because it prevents a white border from appearing at the edge of the page when the book is trimmed. If your book has bleed, add 0.125" (3 mm) to the page width and 0.25" (6 mm) to the page height. For example, if your trim size is 6" x 9" (15.24 x 22.86 cm), set the page size to 6.125" x 9.25" (15.54 x 23.46 cm). See the images below for the layout

[mirza5313]

Thanks, Jacob Bugge can you please attach images for the layout?