CD Cover Design Template v2.0

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Original Creation Date: 8/28/2002

Version 2 release: 5/18/2003

Size: 2.96 megabytes unzipped

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Congrats! You're on your way to creating professional-looking CD covers, then displaying them online for others to enjoy!



This template is fairly simple, yet I find it indespensible. It truly simplifies the CD cover creation process.



Here's the method which I use for creation of CD covers.



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1. Determine what resolution you want to work in. This template is 300 dpi, and 300 dpi is sufficient for 90% of all print work.



I, being insane, prefer to work at 600 dpi. If you're like me, you'll want to up the dpi of this piece. Save the template as you like it for future use.



2. Make a copy of the template file. Delete all of the layers, leaving the "CD Actual" Layer.



3. The "CD Bleed" layer is basically a black mask. This shows the total size of the CD. The inner groove of the layer shows the very edge of the CD label.



As with any printing process, there must be a certain amount of "bleed", so you'll want to design past the groove to the edge of the black mask. The area between the black mask and the groove is shaded a bit, so you get a good idea what you won't end up seeing.



At this point, you are ready to begin designing. I prefer to do the base design with the "CD Bleed" layer hidden, so that the final product can be tweaked for use as the booklet cover and such. Once you've got the base design down, you can go ahead and show the mask, allowing you to properly position the text, logos, what have you.



4. Once you're satisfied with how the CD cover looks, hide the mask once again, and make sure to save your work.



5. Save a copy of the cover as a bitmap or tiff; anything non-lossy will do. Go ahead and close the CD cover file.



6. Open the original template file. Feel free to delete the "CD Bleed" layer in this one, you won't need it.



7. Open the bitmap copy of the CD cover. Now, select all, and paste it into the "CD Cover" layer in the template file. It's grouped with the white "CD Cover Mask," which will cause everything beyond the bleed points to be excluded, giving you a damn fine looking CD!



This can then be saved as a bitmap, resized, and exported for web use, or submission to DeviantArt.



Make sure to SAVE AS once you've done this - Otherwise, you'll end up having deleted layers from your only copy of the template, and then you'll have to download it again!



8. The CD cover bitmap/tiff/whatever copy can then be pasted into your Mediaface software, or your Illustrator label template, or whatnot, allowing you to easily print this label for use on a CD.



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Hope this is of some use to you. The template is free to use, but if you do use it to post art somewhere, I would appreciate credit for it. Please link to my Deviant homepage and the Deviation when giving credit, i.e.:



CD Cover template courtesy of Mach5