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jeremyb84147792
Participant
November 4, 2023
Answered

Bleed/crop marks for oddly shaped design

  • November 4, 2023
  • 5 replies
  • 3589 views

I am designing a label that needs to go on a bottle. The design is oldly shaped (kinda like a triangle with a curve). The professional printer owner said he can cut it out.

But...

I am confused as to how to add bleeds and crop lines. When I do it it simply adds the bleed/crop lines to the artboard and not direclty around my oddly shaped image.

If someone could do a screen recording of how this is done I'd be forever thankful.

Thank you! 🙏

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Michael Ambroise

@jeremyb84147792 To add Bleed and Trim line directly around to you design in this case, you can also use the "Offset path" option in illustrator.

5 replies

Michael Ambroise
Community Expert
Michael AmbroiseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 6, 2023

Hello Jeremy,
Were you able to resolve the issue?

_______Senior graphic designer | United Nations Population Fund
Jacob Bugge
Community Expert
Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 5, 2023

Jeremy,

 

Based on your screenshot in the other thread merged into this,

https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/bleed-crop-marks-for-oddly-shaped-design/td-p/14209762?attachment-id=175358

 

I trust (and hope) that the label is for the (cylindrical) side of the bottle, rather than for the (conical) neck (where I believe it would look funny)?

 

The exact way depending on exactly how the label was created, it can be quite easy to create the bleed with the help of Object>Path>Offset Path.

 

By the looks of it,. it could have been made with one water photo at the bottom, then a white band across, the text, and a Clipping Path round the whole thing at the top.

 

If that is the case, you can just copy the Clipping Mask and give it a magenta stroke, then offset it to give enough bleed and use that a new larger Clipping Mask, then extend the length of the white band beyound the new Clipping Mask.

 

    J
    jeremyb84147792Author
    Participant
    November 4, 2023

    Thanks so much! The Printer said to mark the crop lines with a megenta color. That's all he told me. 

    J
    jeremyb84147792Author
    Participant
    November 5, 2023

    I am hoping this is not an absolutely ridiculous request.

     

    I certainly know it's not anyone's responsiblity to help a lost designer...but I thought I would ask.

     

    I am new to Illustrator (but used Photoshop for years). 

     

    I have a project where I need to add bleeds and crop lines to an image that has to be printed and cut out (at a professional printers place).

     

    However, the image is not a standard retangle or square. It's an oddly shaped image.

     

    The printer said he can cut it out but I need to add extra bleeds and "magenta" lines. 

     

    I am lost. 

     

    Would anyone be willing to add these for me if I send you the AI file? 

     

    I'd be forever thankful 🙏

    P.S. I attached a screen shot (not true quaity) of the image for your reference. 

      Monika Gause
      Community Expert
      Monika GauseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 5, 2023

      This is a self help forum. We can help you make it your self.

      You need to find the horizontal center of the design (which is the point.)

      Draw a guide.

      Then with the pen tool draw the straight lines. https://creativecloud.adobe.com/cc/learn/illustrator/web/use-pen-tool?locale=en-x-AFRICA

      The top curved border is most probably part of a circle. Draw a circle from the center (your guide) and adjust it until it matches the top line.

      Then use the shapebuilder tool to build a shape.

       

      Is that screenshot the final size? Then you need to add bleed to the outside. Do you have a larger image of that water (?). You will need it.

      Michael Ambroise
      Community Expert
      Michael AmbroiseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      November 4, 2023

      @jeremyb84147792 To add Bleed and Trim line directly around to you design in this case, you can also use the "Offset path" option in illustrator.

      _______Senior graphic designer | United Nations Population Fund
        Michael Ambroise
        Community Expert
        Michael AmbroiseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 5, 2023

        You can try this also !

        _______Senior graphic designer | United Nations Population Fund
          Michael Ambroise
          Community Expert
          Michael AmbroiseCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          November 5, 2023

          A bleed serves as a safety margin when trimming the document after printing. Therefore, if your content extends beyond the edge of the page, such as a colored background or an image, you should extend it to the bleed to avoid white lines appearing along the edge of your document.

          _______Senior graphic designer | United Nations Population Fund
            Monika Gause
            Community Expert
            Monika GauseCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            November 4, 2023

            It's called a dieline and it's basically the shape of the label drawn as a path. One path.

            You need to ask the printer how the dieline needs to be assigned. Some printers want a specific color. Some want it on a specific layer. You have to ask that.

             

            Here are examples for setting that up. Please ask the printer for the details. You need to do that.

            https://youtu.be/dLGGwYqma08

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