Blurb Gutter and Spine

[dugarner]

For those of you who have tried Blurb, I have two questions.

In their BookSmart software (which is SO easy to use, by the way!) they have a very wide "warning" area that shows up for the gutter. It looks to be about 1/2"-1" deep. Anyone who has printed with them, is their gutter really that deep? I have only one book from them (102 pages) and it didn't seem that deep.

When I first opened my template, the spine had a text box on it. I deleted the title off the front cover (so that I could use my full-bleed photo). The spine text went away. I realize they are linked somehow, but is there any way to get that text box back on the spine? I know you can't customize the spine using the BookSmart software, but I would at least like to put text on the spine.

Thanks!

[earlofoxford]

No, I don't think the gutter is that deep, Sarah. I try not to put anything too close to the gutter, however. And I think you can put text on the spine by just clicking in the spine area. I always have to fool around with that whole title thing because of the linkage.

[dugarner]

Linda, thanks! I leave 1/2" clear in the gutter but on the design page that was still in the warning area. I think 1/2" is plenty safe, I just wondered how close their books print to the preview. Looks like the trim lines are about 1/8" all the way around.

Double-clicking on the spine worked! My spine was a white-gray color so the gray bounding box for the type blended in, that sneaky devil. I love how even though you can't customize the spine you can do a color match and use any font on your computer. Thanks!

[carollee]

Yes Sarah, and you know when I used Blurb for the cook book I was thinking rats about the spine, not being able to upload that. But matching the colour and the font, you would never know anyway, and it's not like you put any elements on your spine really, except perhaps a brad or something like that, so it's now a non-issue for me.

[Janet1949]

I can never get the title to fall in the middle of the spine.. not sure what Im doing wrong, also whenever I make the text larger than 14 (from memory) I get the warning signal...

[carollee]

I remember getting the warning signal in the cookbook but I ignored it because it looked right, and it turned out fine. For my book.

[earlofoxford]

I always get that warning on the spine, too, but like Carol, I ignore it, and my books have been just fine.

Can you change the color of the spine? Am I a dolt for missing this?

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by earlofoxford

I always get that warning on the spine, too, but like Carol, I ignore it, and my books have been just fine.

Can you change the color of the spine? Am I a dolt for missing this?

Linda, you can change the color. With my first book, I matched the most prevalent color in the background and entered the color numbers so it sort of looked like the paper was stretched across the spine.

I'll put up some screen shots in just a minute.

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by dugarner

Linda, you can change the color. With my first book, I matched the most prevalent color in the background and entered the color numbers so it sort of looked like the paper was stretched across the spine.

I'll put up some screen shots in just a minute.

In PSE, use the color picker to pick the color you want for the spine. Then click on the foreground icon in the toolbar and write down all six numbers. (H/S/B and R/G/B) (First screenshot, on the left)

Open your book in BookSmart and focus on the spine.

Then click "Backgrounds" and "More Options." (Second screenshot, on the right)

Enter each of the six numbers for the colors in the corresponding boxes. "Lum" in BookSmart corresponds to the first "B" value in PSE. (Third screenshot, second row)

Click "Add to Custom Colors" and OK and you'll see your spine change color. If it's not right, just CTRL + Z it and try again. The numbers don't match in the screenshots because I didn't change them, but you'll see the color change as you enter the numbers in BookSmart, and when you're done it should match.

HTH!

[earlofoxford]

Thank you so much, Sarah -- can't believe I never realized this! From now on, I'll have matching spine colors!

[Bonvoyage4me]

I am not ready for a book yet, but would love to save this thread so I can use it. Is there away to do that. I always forget where I read things. You can save forget gallery, can you save favorite threads?

[Limequilla]

I have a coupon for a free Blurb book, and I have the LOs ready to go, but this all seems so complicated for me. For instance, my pages are 12 x 12. Does this gutter conversation mean I need to trim off the 1/2" of the gutter-side on all the pages to get the dimensions, and that now they are off center?

I think I'll be like Scarlet and think about it another day.

Suzy

[earlofoxford]

Originally Posted by Limequilla

I have a coupon for a free Blurb book, and I have the LOs ready to go, but this all seems so complicated for me. For instance, my pages are 12 x 12. Does this gutter conversation mean I need to trim off the 1/2" of the gutter-side on all the pages to get the dimensions, and that now they are off center?

Suzy, I don't change the size of my pages for Blurb. I just try to keep anything important away from the very edge.

[Bonvoyage4me]

Don't give up Suzy. It is very confusing when you first try to make a book. There is so much out there and you are already busy learning digital scrapping.
I am NO expert at this, but have printed five books. Whoever you print with will need to take some of the page for the gutter. Whenever you do a page just keep 1/4 inch or a little more away from the edge. Pretend if you are using a 12 by 12 page that it is really
an 11 by 2/3 (or whatever the fraction would be) page. Just get in the habit of doing that. It is just on the sides you need to worry about and things will get easier really they will.

[blhdvm]

Originally Posted by Bonvoyage4me

I am not ready for a book yet, but would love to save this thread so I can use it. Is there away to do that. I always forget where I read things. You can save forget gallery, can you save favorite threads?

I don't know if there is a way to save thread HERE like you can with the gallery. I just have a category in my main favorites websites that is "info from DD forum"

[blhdvm]

Originally Posted by Bonvoyage4me

Don't give up Suzy. It is very confusing when you first try to make a book. There is so much out there and you are already busy learning digital scrapping.
I am NO expert at this, but have printed five books. Whoever you print with will need to take some of the page for the gutter. Whenever you do a page just keep 1/4 inch or a little more away from the edge. Pretend if you are using a 12 by 12 page that it is really
an 11 by 2/3 (or whatever the fraction would be) page. Just get in the habit of doing that. It is just on the sides you need to worry about and things will get easier really they will.

When I create my pages, I just let my background paper go all the way out to the edge 12x12. Just make certain there is nothing vital out in that edge zone. Which is how I am guessing most everyone does it.

[Standifg]

Originally Posted by Bonvoyage4me

I am not ready for a book yet, but would love to save this thread so I can use it. Is there away to do that. I always forget where I read things. You can save forget gallery, can you save favorite threads?

Yes there is a way to save this thread so you can refer back to it.
At the top of the thread there is a list of options along the greyish blue shaded line.
Click on "Thread Tools"
Click on "Subscribe to the Thread"

Another option ... when you are posting to a thread and before you hit "submit reply", scroll down to the box titled "Additional Options" ... there is an area titled "Thread Subscription" ... click on the black down arrow and it will give you some options to subscribe to the thread.

Then when you want to refer back to a thread:
Click on "User CP" (on the greyish blue line below your user name info)
You will see a category on the left hand side titled "Subscribed Threads"
Click on "List Subscriptions"
All of your subscribed threads will be listed for you to click on.

Hope this helps

[Limequilla]

Well, you know how Katie and a lot of scrappers have that stitching that goes along the outside - maybe 1/2" from the edge of the paper? Or sometimes a beveled paper border? Or some sort of cool decoration that is equidistant from the edges? I am wondering if I need to nudge that, or change the dimensions so it all shows and is even.

It's things like this that make me want to pull out my hair because I have the ability to change it to make it perfect, but I don't know quite what to do.

Suzy

[carollee]

That's what I am worried about too Suzy. It's the control freak in me. I want it to be nice all the way around.

[blkcow]

Thanks so much everybody.....I have just started with my 1st 4 pages of my 2012 P52 and I was really wondering about the spine. The Booksmart process is so easy.....that I was afraid that I was doing something wrong. Nope....its such a wonderful change from the stress that Shutterfly inflicts on us!