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Perfect Art Work for Perfect Binding [PDF format]

by Angela Bi, OooLa Printing, June 14, 2008

It is a challenge for a graphic designer to set art work properly for perfect book binding because we have found numerous, but very similar mistakes. I have a practical guide to avoid those pitfalls, which should make both the graphic designers and the pressmen happy working together.

Let’s say you have a magazine or a book of 100 pages at size of 8.5” x 11”. It is likely you will have it perfectly bound with hot melted glue or PUR since it may be too thick to be saddle stitched well. Unlike saddle stitching, perfect binding has the following extra things:

1. It has a spine or gutter;
2. The inside front cover is glued with the first inside page;
3. The inside back cover is glued with the last inside page;
4. It has a hinge score.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate cover PDF files that a designer should prepare for the pressman. 

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Fig 1. OutsideCovers.pdf
Please note: Back cover is on the left, and the front cover is on the right, not vice versa.
①—bleed, usually 1/8” or 3 mm;
②—spine;
③—side glue or the position of hinge score, 1/4” or 7 mm

Fig 2. InsideCovers.pdf

The implications to graphic designing are as follows:

1. Please design the spine and gutter. For the outside covers, you may use the spine wisely. The thickness of spine ② varies, depending on the number of pages and paper stock.. Consult your printer for a fair good estimate of the spine width (thickness of the book) if you are not sure. The spine is printable on outside cover, but not on inside cover;
2. Keep in mind that there are side glues between the inside covers with the first and last pages. On the inside covers, no critical graphic elements should be present on the side glue position ③;
3. When you design the inside text pages, pay special attentions to the first and last page. Please make sure there are no critical graphic elements on glue position ③. Please refer to the figures 3 and 4. The hinge will be 1/4” or 7 mm from the spice. Make sure there are at least additional 1/8” or 3 mm space between the words and the hinge.

Fig 3. First Inside Page

Fig 4. Last Inside Page

To make perfect binding perfect is very challenging. Your properly designed art work is the guide to this end. When you submit your art files to the prepress man, prepare OutsideCover.pdf and InsideCover.pdf separately from the inside pages. In addition, neither should the outside covers be broken into two individual pages, nor should the inside covers be.

Angela Bi is COO of OooLa Printing. She could be reached at angela@ooola.com.. More info about her could be found here .
Copyright by OooLa Printing. This article can be freely distributed and modified as long as proper credits are given to the author and OooLa Printing.