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eightball's picture
12 pencils

tri fold brochures

1st off I'd like to say how glad I am 2 find this site!!!

I am doing a tri fold brochure in InDesign CS2, however, I dont know how to set it up....having problems with the prepress, for e.g. dont know how to properly indicate fold marks, also does it have 2 be facing pages,etc... Can someone please give me step by step directions.........Its greatly appreciated.

Commenting on this Forum topic is closed.

natobasso's picture
3953 pencils

First off, glad to see you here!

Second, has your printer sent you a template they prefer to use for the paper size you want to print on? If not, there's lots of resources out there to help you do this.

I'll make it easy for you, but you should verify all specs with your printer first:

  1. 11" W x 8.5" H Document size (landscape)
  2. Set 1/4" bleed, though 1/8" is oftentimes sufficient; do this with InDesign's document features when you first create your layout, don't use guides for this by hand!
  3. Set a 1/8" live area/margins, again, in ID doc set up
  4. Set your fold lines outside the trim line (your doc size 11x8.5) in 100%K (use a guide for both so they line up; Should be dotted lines that at least cross into the bleed area but not trim line, .25px wide)
  5. Lastly, export PDF/X-1a with bleed lines, trim lines, crop marks and color management options on. You'll get a fully print-prepped document with trim and crop lines made for you. Easy!

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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work

eightball's picture
12 pencils

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. However, i am still confused about fold marks :(

If my fold marks r outside of the trim line then how can I show them in the PDF....i can show bleed and crop marks but there is no option for "fold lines" in pdf presets.

Also, i guess its a dumb question but what does px stand for, because i never learned that in school!

3dogmama's picture
1991 pencils

Draw your foldmarks close to but outside of the print area and when you output with bleed they'll show.

ttfn!
3dogmama

"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber

natobasso's picture
3953 pencils

If you want to be really 'detail oriented' send along a printed proof (not for color proof) folded correctly so the production folks can see how the piece needs to end up.

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Powerpoint is not a design application

mara06's picture
2548 pencils

Fold lines shouldn't be in K or they'll print. Use Registration instead.

Mara

natobasso's picture
3953 pencils

Oh contraire: They get trimmed off, just like the color and registration. This way, they don't have to line up on four plates; just one. Though the registration marks do this job quite well so maybe that's a moot point.

----
Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work

mara06's picture
2548 pencils

Oh, sorry. I thought you meant that the fold lines would go clear across the layout.

Which nobody in his or her right mind does.

Which just goes to show what kind of people I hang out with.

*sigh*

Lesson learned? I must NEVER post responses on the fly, when there isn't time to think a bit first. I'm bad enough when I *do* have the time! :-)

Mara

natobasso's picture
3953 pencils

Hey, no worries. You're always so polite I never misconstrue your meaning. :)

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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work

thornysarus's picture
926 pencils

Looks like Nato and Mara have you covered... Just pointing out that this is usually called a "Letter Fold" in the printing biz.

Besides, it only folds twice, technically making it a bi-fold. Right?

But yeah... I know everyone calls them that. :)

Terrell Thornhill

e-zign Design Group

thornysarus's picture
926 pencils

The panels shouldn't all be the same size. The panel that folds inside should be slightly narrower in width, or your piece won't fold flat.

Make a mockup with a piece of printer paper and you'll see what I mean.

Terrell Thornhill

e-zign Design Group

natobasso's picture
3953 pencils

No really I didn't forget! I posted and just didn't put this in...silly me. :)

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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work

mara06's picture
2548 pencils

True. And different printers have different folding machinery with varying degrees of precision in their folds, then there's also the issue of what paper you're printing on -- thicker ones obviously need more leeway than something that'll fold knife-edge crisp -- so the specs can differ from one place to the next. It's best to get your dimensions from the printer before you begin the layout.

Good catch on the "trifold" misnomer. Never thought about that, but you're right!

Mara

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