Standard Sized Double Page Spread Template
This template applies to all double page spreads for standard-sized comics, wraparound covers for standard sized comics, as well as the interior covers (endpapers) for standard-sized hardcovers.
Click the image above to download the template.
Open the template in your image editing software (photoshop, illustrator, indesign, etc.).
Build your double page spread to the exact dimensions and specifications in the template.
To double check the dimensions and specifications of the page you build you can paste the template as a layer on top of your page. If all of your artwork that is intended to bleed off of the edges goes all the way to the edges of the template (the red area) while all of your relevant art, text, panel borders, captions, and word balloons are confined to the live area (light blue) then your page is in spec.
These new template are a lot easier for me to understand :)
I like this new template. Will certainly come in handy.
OH WOW!!! You made this JUST FOR ME!!!! I bet my two-page spreads just made you roll your eyes sometimes. Thank you SO MUCH!!! :)
When everything is in spec, do we submit as two individual pages (i.e., page 8-9, or submit the spread layout as one page? I’m thinking separate pages, but it never hurts to check, as I’m sure you’ll get this question eventually. ;)
It’s up to you — but if you submit it as two pages then be sure that the dimensions for each page are 7 x 10.5. Seven inches from the right edge for the odd numbered page and seven inches from the left edge for the even numbered page. If you’ve split it properly then you’ll see some image overlap on the right side of the even numbered page and on the left side of the odd numbered page. Make sense?
So if I’m to get this right, essentially I would upload a file who’s dimensions are 13.625″X10.5X and name the file, “FILE_018-019.tif” and everything would be right as rain?
Yes.
I’m trying to add guides to this template, but the margin/trim areas are not consistently sized. If you zoom in to about 400% you can see the blue and yellow areas blending to form a single-pixel-wide, vertical, green line; if you measure the margin/trim areas on the left page, they do not match the right page. Overall, I feel that the dashed lines are making it more difficult to understand; the colors should be enough.
Am I overlooking some obvious fact of printing, or is this template just not very exact?
No … it just means you’re zooming in waaaay too far. At 300 dpi the unaided human eye is incapable of separating two adjacent dots. We just don’t have the visual acuity for it. So when you’re viewing our 300 dpi template on screen at 100% you’re looking at a 1 to 1 ratio — you’re seeing 1 screen pixel for each 1 dot printed. So if you’re checking details at 400% you’re way into overkill territory.
So this template applies to paperbacks as well?
Correct.
where can i find the dimensions for two page spreads for manga size?
I’m definitely going to find it much easier to submit as Page_08-09.tif in future. This template is a timesaver since I lay out my pages in Illustrator. This will take all the guesswork out of it.
ALSO: DIMENSIONS: 2-page spreads for Magazine size?
I second for magazine size.
I’m working on a double spread template for magazine size but until I get it posted the quick answer for dimensions is 16.5 wide by 10.5 high.
Could you please tell us the file dimensions for the manga-size double-spread? Thank you very much!
Sure. The width is 10.5 and height is 7.75.
so i have a question, if i have my drawings and then overlay the template that you have here for standard comicbooks,if everything fits into the blue, should i be alright? wew! this comicbook of mines is no easy task,lol and one other thing,the page shouldnt be futher than the yellor correct? dont worry folks, im going to get this right.lol thanks again for everything
tony m
As long as you have no images you want to bleed off and you make the canvas size of your files the same size as the canvas size of the template, then yes. That should work.
I’d like to run a two-page spread across the final interior page and the inside back cover. Is that possible? And would the naming convention be “024-insideback.tif”? (For a 24-page comic, that is.)
No problem at all … and your naming convention is perfect.
I want to have a spread from the inside front cover to the first page and I was wondering which name for the file would be better: “001-B_insidefrontcover.tif” or “B_insidefront-001.tif”? I had to ask because the latter option places it toward the bottom of a file list alphabetically. I’m worried that it might end up being a bit confusing?
Either will work. We’ll figure it out.
Would love to see this template for manga and magazine sized comics :D