Wondering about the grey dashed line on your covers? That's marking the "safe zone" print margin. It's a good rule of thumb to make sure your cover image extends outside the "safe zone" and all of your text stays inside it.
Note: The dotted line does not signify where the cover will be cut. Instead, it signifies where the text should end so that there's an appropriate margin.
The designer will give you warnings and guides to help ensure your cover turns out just the way you want it. While editing your cover, you might see a warning that your photo isn't fitting in the space correctly. If it doesn't extend all the way to the edges of the space, you may wind up with a white bar along the side of your cookbook.
Use the fill image or zoom bar to adjust your cover photo.
If you know which binding style you want to order, you can set the designer to give your warnings based on those dimensions. Click "More" then "Book Settings" in the toolbar at the top of the page to set your binding style.
You'll also have a chance to review your cover when you generate your print-ready proofs. Keep in mind that each binding style has slightly different dimensions, so images and text may land differently on a Soft Cover vs a Ringed Binder.
The cover proofs use guide overlays to help you edit your cover. The pinkish outline marks the bleed or fold margin- content that will be cut or wrapped around the edge, depending on the binding method. The blue X helps you center photos and text.
On the Soft Cover Wire-O binding style, the guide shows you approximately where holes will be punched in the back cover for the binding to loop through. Make sure you avoid putting text there too.
If you have any questions about margins, bleed, or perfecting your cookbook cover feel free to reach out to our support team! We're always happy to give pointers.
Hi Kate, Exactly what I've been wondering, except I'm looking for information on full image section dividers. How large should the photo image be for a full page divider. I know pages are 7.75 X 9.75, but how big is the printed image?
Hi Laurie! If you design your section divider as an 8" x 10", it'll be the perfect size ratio for the full page photo spot. The software will automatically scale it down for you, but it's a great standard size!
If I am using the spiral design cookbook will I be able to add new recipes later as well as otter possible dividers etc.
Hi Diane! Our Ringed Binder is the only binding style that allows you to add extra pages after the book has been bound.
For every other binding style, you can't add pages to a book that's already been printed. However, you can go back into the cookbook designer, edit your cookbook, and order additional copies. Once you've made the additions you want, make sure to click the "preview and order" button in the blue toolbar at the top of the page to generate new proofs. Review your proofs and click the "approve and publish" button to send the latest files to your store page so you can order.
Help me print my info. off that I have added in
Hi Melanie!
If you want to print your recipes to proofread them, you can generate a print-ready file and print the proofs at home. However, there will be a watermark on the pages. Once you finish your edits be sure to regenerate print ready files.
To generate your proofs, click "preview and order" in the blue toolbar at the top of the page. Select the binding styles you're interested, and then generate your files. You can always continue to edit after you review your files. When you're ready to order, generate files one last time and click "approve and publish" to send to your store page.