Although technically these tips apply to any graphics software, this particular tutorial over at Spoon Graphics focuses on the exact steps to set up bleeds for print design in your document within Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. The method to do so in other graphics application might be slightly different, but these walkthroughs should give you enough info to apply it to non-Adobe software.
Bleeds – if you are not already aware – are a method of extending your file beyond the print margins when printing items on your page that go off the edge. This allows for some wiggle room when the commercial printer crops your printed pages down to their finished size, since the cuts can be slightly off.
Particularly useful are the tips for doing this in Illustrator and Photoshop, where there are no settings in the document setup to allow for bleeds. InDesign however has a built-in system to do so.
Also, these tips are centered on an A4 paper size with a 3mm bleeds (UK standards), so for you U.S. folks just remember that a standard bleed is usually 1/8″, or 0.125″ in decimal inches.
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