Setting Up a Document for a Billboard - Need Help

[TheApexCaliber]

Hope someone can help me out with this.

I'm trying to design a billboard. I'll be working primarily in Illustrator.

My issue is that I'm having trouble setting up my document due to the format and size. I know that it's going to be made to scale, perhaps 1:10 but I still can't figure out how to set it up.

Here are the specs:

Board Size: 14' (h) x 40' (w) - feet

Layout Size: 7" (h) x 20" (w)- inches

Bleed Size: 7.5" (h) x 20.5" (w) - inches

Safety Size: 6.5" (h) x 19.5" (w) - inches

What I don't understand is how, take for instance the bleed's height x width, translate to top bottom left right?

Also, how do I set the safety size, layout size? Do these also translate into top bottom left right specs?

Can someone please help!!

[Monika Gause]

Subtract Layout from Bleed size and divide each dimension by 2.

In addition I would always contact the service provider when in doubt. It's better to ask than to do double work.

[TheApexCaliber]

This doesn't answer my question really. Either that or I don't understand your answer. When I subtract the layout from the bleed size, what does that result in? The Safety Size?

I was hoping someone could just help me with exactly how to set it up because I've been trying to figure it out for four days now. Please help.

[SJRiegel · Accepted solution]

Layout is the art board size. Subtract the art board size from the bleed size and divide by 2 to get the bleed amount. (in this case, 1/2 inch on each size)

The Safety Size (also know sometimes as the Live Area) is the part of the billboard that your text should stay within.

Like this

[TheApexCaliber]

Thank you. This is a learning process for me. Here is the finished design. Monika and SRiegel you both helped me. Thanks again!

[SJRiegel]

You're quite welcome, TheApexCaliber. I'm glad I could help.

If I may make one more suggestion; I'd take the drop shadow off of the car photo. When added to a clipped photo, a drop shadow actually flattens it so that it looks like a paper cutout.