Building Crossovers

How to Utilize a Crossover

A crossover is the technique of having an image crossing over from one page to the next and is commonly used to show a larger portion of a picture that can fit on a single page.

• Do always create your document the size of the finished piece. This should always be the case for any print jobs anyway, but especially for crossovers.
• Do use facing pages.
• Do use picture boxes that cross over both pages in the reader’s spread. Don’t attempt to make two separate picture boxes of the same picture butt up perfectly at the spine.
• Don’t use small type as a crossover unless it is in the center spread of the book.
• Do make sure that you have the correct amount of bleed built into your document.
• Do print postscript (or export as pdf) as individual pages.
• Don’t print postscript (or export as pdf) as spreads because the printer will not be printing the job as reader’s spreads.
• Do make sure that you follow any requirements for Safe Image Area as set by the printer. The Safe Image Area is the maximum size for any important type and pictures, in order to be sure that it will not be in danger of being cut off.
• Do postscript (or export as pdf) with document centered on paper size that is 1” larger than the document size (in both directions) and have registration marks and the necessary bleed included. Make sure to change the offset for the registration marks to be .25” (in InDesign) (18 pt. in Quark) from the edge of the piece. This will prevent the registration marks from interfering with the bleed.
• Do use guides to show where the Bleed and Safe Image Area should end.

• If book is 12 pages or less: Safe Image Area is 1/8” inside of each edge of the document size. Bleed Image Size is 1/8” outside of each edge of the document size.
• If book is 16 pages: Safe Image Area is 3/16” inside of each edge of the document size. Bleed Image Size is 1/8” outside of each edge of the document size.
• If book is 20 pages or more: Safe Image Area is 1/4” inside of each edge of the document size. Bleed Image Size is 1/4” outside of each edge of the document size.