Can I use colored text?
In graphic design process, it's best not to colorize small text. What happens is that all printing presses have a little bit of variance in the consistency of the position of the different color plates. This is called misregistration in graphic design terms. The cyan, magenta, yellow and black portions - CMYK Color - of the text characters don't line up exactly. So the result is little colored halos around the characters.
It's ok to use colored text on large, headline type, or smaller sizes down to about 12 point size such as making poster printing, brochures, leaflet, banner, but much smaller than that will be too noticeable and you won't like it. The same thing holds true for white (knock-out) text on a dark or colored background. Graphic designer do it but don't use point sizes smaller than about 12 point. Otherwise the words may be hard to read and it will look unprofessional.
Small color text magnified
Small black text magnified
What are bleeds, and do I need them?
Bleed is the term for artwork printing that goes right to the edge of the printing paper. The way to do this is to make your document .25" too big in both dimensions. For instance, if the final size is 8.5" x 11" then make your document 8.75" x11.25". Draw guides on the layout that are .125" from the edge all the way around. A professional Graphic Designer always remember do this way on making artwork for the printing projects.
Now create your printing design with the idea that the layout (artwork) will be cut off where those guides are....because that is precisely what is going to happen. Make sure that any photographs or backgrounds that you want to bleed go clear out to the perimeter of the document, past the guidelines. Then after we have printed your piece we will trim off that extra .125" all the way around and voila! You have color all the way to the edges of your printing piece. It looks professional....
Bleed area on artwork printing
