8.25 x 10.

75 | Standard | Perfect Binding

Instructions for Adobe Photoshop

Learn More: www.adobe.com/photoshop

8.25 x 10.75 | Standard | Perfect Binding

Page Count: 20 pages min, 384 pages max, multiple of 2 | PDF Size: 300MB max
The trim can vary slightly in either direction, so full page images should fill the bleed area, while text should be kept in the safe zone (0.25 inside the trim line). See examples on the following pages for more information. For the best output, we recommend using images that are 300 dpi. Text should be CMYK with the fonts embedded. There shouldnt be any spot colors used in the file. Dont include printer marks in your PDF, and dont lock it with a password. The first page in your PDF will be your front cover and the last page will be the back cover. You will have the option to upload a spine file separately after your initial PDF upload. A 6mm 2D barcode will be added to the lower righthand corner of your back cover (the last page of the PDF). You can see a preview of this after you upload your PDF to the MagCloud site. Check out the Designing for Perfect Binding post on the MagCloud Blog for more design tips.

BAD: text placed outside the safe zone may be trimmed off

PDF edge trim line safe zone

This is some text in a MagCloud publication that isnt kept inside the safe zone. As a result, some of the text might be cut off in the print copy.

This is some text in a MagCloud publication that isnt kept inside the safe zone. As a result, some of the text might be cut off in the print copy.

PDF file with text outside the safe zone

Trimmed print copy with text cut off

GOOD: text kept inside the safe zone will never get trimmed off

PDF edge trim line safe zone

This is some text that is kept inside the safe zone. Even if the trim is off, none of the text will be cut off.

This is some text that is kept inside the safe zone. Even if the trim is off, none of the text will be cut off.

PDF file with text inside the safe zone

Trimmed print copy with no text cut off

BAD: images that dont fill the bleed might have a white edge

PDF edge trim line safe zone

PDF file with an image that stops at the trim line

Trimmed print copy with a white edge around the image

GOOD: images that fill the bleed will go to the edge of the page

PDF edge trim line safe zone

PDF file with an image that goes to the edge of the PDF

Trimmed print copy with the image to the edge of the page

Option 1: Create Pages Using the MagCloud Template

1. If you havent already, go to the Create tab on the MagCloud website, download the PDF instruction packet for Photoshop from the Getting Started page, and unzip the folder 2. Open Adobe Photoshop CS4 or newer, and go to File > Open 3. If you are creating a righthand page (including the cover, which will be page 1 in your PDF), select the MagCloudTemplate_8.25x10.75_Right.psd file in the unzipped folder. If you are creating a lefthand page select the MagCloudTemplate_8.25x10.75_Left.psd file in the unzipped folder. 4. Click Open 5. Add the content you want to appear on the page, keeping in mind the bleed and safe zone as shown on the next page.

Get to Know the Layout of Your Document*:

The black line is the edge of the 8.5 x 11 PDF you will upload to MagCloud. Where the blue and red shaded areas meet is the 8.25 x 10.75 trim line that will be the edge of your print and digital versions. The blue shaded area is called the bleed. The white, non-shaded area is the safe zone, 0.25 inside the trim line. IMPORTANT: The trim line can vary slightly in either direction, so all text content should be kept out of the shaded areas (ie, inside the safe zone) to avoid getting trimmed off, while all images you want to extend to the edge of the page should fill the blue shaded area (the bleed).

This is what a righthand page will look like. If you are designing a lefthand page, the bleed and trim lines will be reversed.

*If your screen doesnt look like this, make sure the folder called DELETE BEFORE SAVING is visible

Option 2: Create Pages From Scratch

1. Open Adobe Photoshop and go to File > New 2. Set the width to 2550 pixels and set the height to 3300 pixels 3. Set the resolution to 300 pixels/inch 4. For the Color Mode, select RGB Color and 8 bit 5. Under Advanced, make sure that sRGB is selected as the Color Profile 6. Click OK 7. Drag from the rulers to add guides to your document. If you are creating a righthand page (including the cover, which will be page 1 in your PDF), add horizontal guides at 0.125 and 10.875 and a vertical guide at 8.25. If you are creating a lefthand page, add horizontal guides at 0.125 and 10.875 and a vertical guide at 0.25. 8. Add the content you want to appear on the page, keeping in mind the bleed and safe zone as shown on the next page.

Get to Know the Layout of Your Document*:

The black line is the edge of the 8.5 x 11 PDF you will upload to MagCloud. The blue guide lines are the 8.25 x 10.75 trim line that will be the edge of your print and digital versions. This is what a righthand page will look like. If you are designing a lefthand page, the bleed and trim lines will be reversed. The area between the blue and black lines is called the bleed. IMPORTANT: The trim line can vary slightly in either direction, so all text content should be kept 0.25 inside the trim line to avoid getting trimmed off, while all images you want to extend to the edge of the page should fill the bleed.

*If your screen doesnt look like this, go to View > Show and make sure there is a check next to Guides

Save Your Pages as JPEG Files:

1. If you are using the MagCloud template, make sure you hide or delete the folder called DELETE BEFORE SAVING in the Layers panel. If you dont do this, your final files will include the red and blue shading used to show the bleed and safe zone. 2. Go to File > Save As and select JPEG from the Format dropdown menu 3. Make sure the box is checked next to Embed Color Profile... 4. Choose a folder to save all your page files in, and name them with the page number for listing in alphabetical order. For example, Page 1 could be Page001.jpg, then Page 2 would be Page002.jpg, Page 10 would be Page010.jpg, and page 100 would be Page100.jpg. 5. Click Save to open the JPEG Options window 6. Select Maximum from the Quality dropdown menu 7. Select Baseline (Standard) under Format Options 8. Click OK to save the file

Combine JPEGs Using Adobe Acrobat Pro*:

1. When youve created all your page files in Photoshop, open Adobe Acrobat Pro 2. Go to File > Create PDF > Merge Files into a Single PDF... 3. Click the Add Files button, navigate to your folder of JPEGs, and select them all 4. Click Add Files 5. Sort alphabetically by name to put the pages in numerical order, or select individual file names and use the Move Up/Move Down buttons to manually reorder the pages. 6. When the files are in the correct order, select the largest paper icon next to File Size (the one furthest to the right) and click Combine Files 7. When prompted, select a name for your PDF and choose where you want it to be saved on your computer, then click Save
*If you have Adobe Reader instead of Adobe Acrobat Pro, you can use Adobes subscription-based CreatePDF service to convert your JPEG files to PDFs and combine them into a single multipage PDF, or see the steps on the next page

Note: If You Dont Have Adobe Acrobat Pro

If you dont have Adobe Acrobat Pro, you can save your pages as single-page PDFs instead, and then combine into one multipage PDF using a PDF software like Apple Preview. This method may result in a larger final file size though, so keep in mind that the MagCloud file size limit is 300MB. To save your page files from Photoshop as single-page PDFs: 1. Go to File > Save As and select Photoshop PDF from the Format dropdown menu 2. Make sure the box is checked next to Embed Color Profile... 3. Its still helpful to choose a folder to save all your page files in, and name them with the page number for listing in alphabetical order as was suggested with the JPEG files. 4. Click Save to open the PDF Options window 5. Select Press Quality from the Adobe PDF Preset dropdown menu 6. Uncheck the box next to Preserve Photohop Editing Capabilities under Options 7. Click Save PDF

Your PDF is now ready to upload to MagCloud!

www.magcloud.com