Folded Brochures:
Adjust Panel Sizes to Accommodate Folding
When designing a folding brochure, we must keep in mind that all the panel sizes probably won't be equal. They must be different sizes in order to accommodate the thickness of the score and thickness of the paper when it is folded.
If the designer does not make these adjustments, the brochure will not fold correctly and your nice even margins are going to get pushed into an ugly mess.
To adjust panels sizes, make inner panels slightly smaller, AND add half the amount you took away to each of the outer panels (front and back).
For example: On a tri-fold brochure printed on US letter-size (8 1/2 x 11) cover stock, we remove 1/8 inch from the interior panel and add 1/16 inch to each of the two exterior panels (front and back).
Tri-Fold or Three Panel Roll-Fold
Remember that on the flip side (interior) of the brochure, your short panel will be on the RIGHT side instead of the LEFT side.
There are many kinds of folds. In this page, we don't need to show them all. Just remember to reduce the size of INTERIOR panels. It may be helpful to make a mock-up by folding a piece of paper and labeling the panels as FRONT, BACK, INSIDE, etc.
If you have a brochure that folds over itself more than once (a five panel roll fold, for example) you will have three different sizes of panels: The Center panels being smallest, the mid-inside panel being slightly larger, and the exterior panels being slightly larger still.
Related topics on this site:
Paper - Thicker paper requires more room to fold
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