Definitions:
Dieline (Figure 1): Determines how and where the cutting blades, scores or perforations will strike the sheet to create custom shapes from paper.
Overprinting (Figure 2): One color printing on top of another color without knocking out the underlying color.
Knockout (Figure 3): When the color that you have placed on top of another removes the underlying color. This will enable your new color to print directly to the substrate without the above color affecting its appearance. This is normally the default setting for the colors other than black.
Why
To place a Die Line on to your art file will help the designer put the elements in the correct position as well as determining the overall size requirements of a printing project. You will also speed up the approval process to print and avoid mistakes. This can be anything from a rolodex card to a complex box.
How
To create a Die Line set the stroke to a one-point rule. Be sure and use the stroke and not the fill here. A fill will create double lines that are unusable by the die making software. Set the color to be a spot color. I recommend naming this color: Die Line (trust me on this I have seen many names for this color). Set the attributes of the stroke to overprint. Use dashed lines to indicate scores (folds) and perforations and solid lines to indicate trims (cuts)
How in Indesign
To set the stroke weight: Window > Stroke > Set the stroke to 1 pt
To set a spot color: Window > Swatches > New Swatch from the drop down menu or double click a color existing in the swatches palette and set the color type to “Spot”. Here you can also name the color to Die Line
To set the Stroke to overprint: Window > Output > Attributes > With the Stroke selected > Check Overprint Stroke
How in Illustrator
To set the stroke weight: Window > Stroke > Set the stroke to 1 pt
To set a spot color: Window > Swatches > New Swatch from the drop down menu or double click a color existing in the swatches palette and set the color type to “Spot”. Here you can also name the color to Die Line
To set the Stroke to overprint: Window > Attributes > With the Stroke selected > Check Overprint Stroke
Gary Nieman
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