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• • January 5, 2012 at 8:09 am #61340
    Nigel Mitchell

    Member

    I am designing a cover which is not a problem but i need to add printers marks to indicate where the spine should be – can somebody guide me??

  • January 5, 2012 at 9:08 am #61342
    Eugene Tyson

    Member

    It's not clear what version of InDesign you are using. But in CS5 they allow different page sizes. And crop marks are added automatically.

    https://creativepro.com/int…..gn-cs5.php

  • January 5, 2012 at 9:33 am #61343
    Nigel Mitchell

    Member

    OK, I am using CS 5 and indeed they add the crop (trim and bleed) automatically when you export it as long as those are ticked in the check box. When i create a cover/book jacket, i work out the sizes and then make this up as a one page document using 2 columns in the colume box and enter the spine width. This is all fine and dandy but it doesn't allow me to add printers marks to indicate where the spine is.

    I am sure there is an ingenious way to do this!!

  • January 5, 2012 at 12:27 pm #61344
    Anne-Marie Concepcion

    Member

    With CS5 you can use multiple pages for a single spread, and those page sizes can be mixed. So you'd set up 3 pages: back cover, spine, and front cover, in one spread. When you export this to PDF with “spreads” enabled, the crop marks appear for the spine as wel as the covers.

    OR with any version you can do it with your method (faking it in as one page). To create the fold/crop marks, use the Line tool w/a .5 pt weight and manually draw these in where you want them. Drag them from somewhere inside the bleed allowance — close to the trim edge — out into the pasteboard a bit. Include a bleed measure (Export PDF > Marks and Bleeds) even if you don't have any artwork bleeding, otherwise the manual crop marks won't show in the PDF.

    I do this alot to show folds (I use a dashed stroke for my line).

    AM

  • January 5, 2012 at 1:38 pm #61345
    Coreen Montagna

    Member

    Are you sure your printer WANTS you to include marks for the spine? The few printing companies I have worked with for producing full spread covers have not wanted these types of marks. They tell you how large the front and back cover should be including bleeds. They automatically assume whatever is in between the back and front is the spine.

  • January 5, 2012 at 6:07 pm #61347
    Bob Rubey

    Member

    I recently tried Anne-Marie's approach with CS5, and it's a time saver.

    With other versions I create top and bottom slug areas of .375″ or .5″. I draw my spine marks from the outside edge of the bleed area to the edge of the slug area (I don't like having the marks in the bleed area). I also prefer a 1/4 pt. stroke, AND this is one of those rare instances where you really should use the Registration swatch. Then when you export to PDF be sure to include the slug area.

    And while I've never used it, you make want to check out Dan Rodney's Make Book Jacket script.

    Bob

  • January 6, 2012 at 2:29 am #61349
    Nigel Mitchell

    Member

    Many thanks for your constructive replies folks, i will piece my next cover, book jacket together as you suggest.

    The printers did insist on spine marks but of course if you get your outer crop/bleed marks correct it is obvioud where the spine should fall

  • January 6, 2012 at 8:22 am #61351
    Anne-Marie Concepcion

    Member

    Bob, excellent, excellent answer! Of course the slug area is a smarter place to put your own hand-drawn marks (because some of the bleed allowance might end up in the final, trimmed piece — that's why you extend artwork into the bleed in the first place).

    And to use registration color for those, and .25 line weight.Thanks so much!

    I forgot to mention that sometimes, it's quicker to drag out a frame that defines the spine area but extends into the pasteboard (slug area or bleed area) and then use the Make Cropmarks script on that frame. (It's one of the free scripts.) Delete the frame and you're done. Those marks are selectable so you can delete them, change their weight, etc.

    AM

  • January 6, 2012 at 7:22 pm #61352
    Bob Rubey

    Member

    Thanks Anne-Marie. Not bad for a guy who only scored a four on your Geekness Quiz. Using the Make Cropmarks script hadn't crossed my mind even though I use it occasionally.

    BTW, do I get an extra geek point for having a cat named Kes?

  • January 6, 2012 at 7:39 pm #61353
    Anne-Marie Concepcion

    Member

    Hahahaha yes you certainly do! That is impressive.

    I would like to name my next dog Snippet, if it fits him/her well.

    AM

  • January 6, 2012 at 8:55 pm #61354
    Bob Rubey

    Member

    How about Grep as a pet name? But I suppose Michael Murphy would want rights to that….

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