Business Cards
When laying out business cards, it is best to allow at least 3/16" margins around the edge of the card. Placing type too close to the edge will make a business card look crowded and difficult to read. Images however can go to the edges and should be extended 1/8" past the edges of the card. This is a necessary bleed area, that will be cut off in the final piece. The most common business card size is 3.5" x 2" They are printed many up on a larger sheet and machine cut.» Indesign
» PDF files
Postcards
Postcards are similar to business cards in layout guidelines, but with larger margins. usually at least 1/4" or more, depending on content. Bleeds should also be 1/8". The most common sizes are 4"x6", 4.25"x6", 4.25"x5.5", 5"x7", 5.5"x8.5" and 6"x9". The USPS has requirements that must be met to mail postcards at the cheaper rate, such as a blank area of 5/8" at the bottom of the card on the address side to allow for a barcode to be applied.» Indesign
» PDF files
Tabs
Larger binders will often need divider tabs to separate sections. Most commonly these are 1/2” wide and stick out past the common 8.5” width of a binder or book. Depending on the number of tabs, they range in length and position, most commonly in banks of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8. Tabs with long lines of text require fewer tabs per bank and can repeat; for example 3 sets of 4 bank tabs for a 12 chapter book.
» Indesign, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
» PDF files, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Newsletters, Catalogs and Booklets
Multiple page documents are generally laid out in sequential order also called reader spreads. Programs such as InDesign and QuarkXPress are designed for this exact task. Just prior to printing, pages are usually imposed into printer spreads, which depend on the binding type. For example an FGST booklet has the first and last page printed side by side, then folded , gathered, stitched and trimmed. The trimming is necessary to give the booklet a flat edge where the pages would normally shingle out, or creep. If the binding were to be a coil or a wire, the imposition could be a “cut and stack.” All of these details are usually handled by Rhino, and you must only supply a sequential file for printing, but knowing these details helps during layout to avoid putting elements too close to the folds or edges that may get trimmed.Brochures
One of the most common brochure formats is the trifold, most commonly 8.5"x11" folded into thirds. In this case the finished piece is usually 3.66" wide by 8.5" tall. The margins should be something like .5" and the gutters between the panels always twice the margins; in this example that would be 1" gutters, which when folded in their middle give .5" margins all the way around.» Indesign (Trifold)» PDF files (Trifold)
» Indesign (Rollfold) » PDF files (Rollfold)