Crop Marks

Crop marks, also known as trim marks or registration marks, are thin lines placed at the corners of a printed piece or document. These marks indicate where the printer should trim the paper to achieve the correct final size after printing. Crop marks are essential in ensuring that the printed piece is trimmed accurately, maintaining the intended layout and design.

Synonym

Trim Marks

Examples

1. Brochures: When printing brochures, crop marks are used to indicate where the paper should be cut to ensure the final piece is the correct size.
2. Business Cards: On business cards, crop marks are placed at each corner of the card to guide the cutting process after printing.
3. Booklets: In booklet printing, crop marks help align the pages correctly before binding, ensuring all pages are uniform in size.

Recommendations

• Maintain Visibility: Crop marks should be clearly visible and printed in a contrasting color to the background to ensure they are easily seen during the cutting process.

• Accuracy in Placement: Proper placement of crop marks is crucial. They should be positioned slightly outside the printed area to avoid any part of the image or text being visible after trimming.

• Check Before Printing: Always double-check the placement and visibility of crop marks in your artwork file before sending it to print to avoid errors in the trimming process.

To learn more about this or other print techniques, contact AP&B today!