: Adobe Illustrator - equal bleed on multiple documents I'm working on a design, that needs to be printed in multiple sizes (mostly in 4:5 ratio, sizes from 8x10 to 32x40 inches). Each printed

@Kevin459

An image (jpg/tif/psd/png) doesn't have a bleed setting. You can't add bleed in any standardized way.

The correct format for print files is PDF since it "knows" its own size, can have multiple pages, can have bleed and crop marks etc. It's the best format for print files. An image is just a "dumb" rectangle containing pixels and will require special attention from the print shop.

A PDF made in Photoshop is in reality an image wrapped in a PDF, so just saving your file as a PDF from Photoshop won't do. You'll have to start using InDesign or Illustrator to make print files.

A "good" workflow could be like this (a very short description, sorry):


Create your document in InDesign in the desired dimensions, set the Bleed to 0.25" and take the bleed into account from the very start.
All images should be created/edited in Photoshop and then placed in InDesign as linked files. This way you separate design and content. You can move, scale and rotate your images in InDesign without actually changing the image files. And you can edit your images separately without changing the design in InDesign - the images simply update to reflect the changes.
All text and vector graphics should be made in InDesign. This ensures a crisper result on print because text and vector prints at a much larger resolution than images. Furthermore, it's just practical to have the text separate from the images.
When your artwork is done, you can export a PDF with 0.25" bleed and crop marks.


So, if I were you, I would expand the canvas of each image by 0.25" on all sides and adjust the artwork, then place them in InDesign and export with bleed and crop marks.

You could also just place the images and scale them, if the design allows it.

(BTW, black/white print is just one color. The white color comes from the paper and is not regarded as a "color". You are only using one kind of ink.)

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@Murray976

Illustrator doesn't offer margin guides the way applications such as InDesign do.

You can set the bleed amount in the Artboard settings and get guides for the bleed.

But for the safe area you'll need to measure and place guides yourself.

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