How do I determine the spine size when designing a perfect bound magazine cover?
As one of the top magazine printing companies, it’s best to contact us for more specific information on determining the correct spine size. Visit our tools page and scroll down to find the spine calculator.
How do I convert RGB to CMYK?
How do I convert RGB and/or Spot Colors in Acrobat?
How do I design a page for a perfect bound magazine?
Perfect-bound publications are bound by stacking text signatures and then wrapping and gluing a cover around the text; this results in a flat spine. The nature of this style of binding is that the publication doesn’t lay flat when opened. Two important design considerations should be made to obtain optimal results in the finished product:
- Gutter Margin: Increase the gutter margin to accommodate the fact that the innermost portion of the page is lost visually (approximately 0.125” of each page will be lost, according to our team). This adjustment will keep inner and outer text column margins consistent and produce the best result.
- Crossovers: Page elements from one page that continue to the facing page across the gutter should be spread apart to compensate for the visual loss referenced in step one above. Examples of adjustments that could be used are duplicating photos and shifting left-and-right, or spreading headline text apart with spaces. Note that the inside front and the inside back cover to first and last text page crossovers would utilize the same adjustment as text pages. However, we estimate that the adjustment value would be based on 0.1875”, which represents the side-glue/hinge-score area of the cover.
Get more information from our catalog printing experts here:
How do I design a page for saddle stitched magazine?
How do I set up a gatefold cover for a magazine?
Our magazine printing experts have created two pages with detailed instructions here:
How do I design a two-page crossover for a perfect-bound magazine?
What export settings do I use when designing a magazine?
Our magazine printing professionals will tell you that creating the proper type of PDF is a crucial element in having your document print correctly! Follow the steps on this page to install the recommended Cummings PDF Presets for InDesign or Quark:
How do I create a trim box when designing a magazine?
- Open PDF in Acrobat
- Select Document / Crop Pages
- Change crop box to trim box
- Add the necessary trim to all sides, which depends on how large the bounding box is
- Click OK and save the file
How do I convert a PDF to EPS in Acrobat Professional?
What is “web growth” and why does it look like the cover of my magazine is cut shorter than the text?
Paper is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs or loses moisture based on environmental conditions. Web paper has a lower moisture content than sheetfed paper to prevent blistering during the printing process. As it passes through the web dryer, it loses even more moisture, causing it to shrink. Once printed, the paper gradually absorbs moisture from the air, leading to inevitable expansion—primarily in the cross-grain direction. This growth is most noticeable along the face edge of a magazine or book.
- Adjust Web Dryer Temperatures: Keeping them as low as possible while still effectively drying the ink can help reduce excessive moisture loss.
- Use Low-Solvent Inks: These require lower drying temperatures, which can help retain more paper stability.
- Allow Time for Reacclimation: Printed web pages should rest in a climate-controlled environment for about four days before final trimming to allow them to stabilize in size.
Did You Know?
According to Statista, the number of readers in the print newspaper and magazine market is expected to amount to 35.3 million users in 2029? With the market expected to soar, magazines must be designed accurately.
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