First steps
Do-It-Yourself CD Cover Design
First steps
Making sure you have the right software to create a quality, high-resolution finished product in the appropriate format is essential. When you've selected the manufacturer, you should find out what software formats they accept.
Choosing the right software
These days, there is a wide variety of desktop publishing and graphic design software available on the market. Some programs are better suited to the process of CD cover design than others. I tend to use a combination of Adobe's Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator, but you can get away with using just one of these if you prefer. Quark XPress is another popular desktop publishing program; the templates provided by Mr. Toad's Digital Media, for example, are provided exclusively as Quark files. At the very least you'll need something that can save your files in .PDF or .EPS CMYK (aka 4-colour) format. Programs like Microsoft Word are not meant for complex layouts and will not be accepted by any printer/manufacturer. Unless you are planning to print the CD cover and traycard yourself, you'll need to use a desktop publishing or graphics editing program.
Choosing a manufacturer
If you are in Vancouver, you can refer to the list of CD manufacturers included at the end of this article. Some companies specialize in short-runs (less than 500 copies) while others prefer to do larger runs. Once you have decided who you are going to use for duplication, ask them for their design templates. They will let you know what file formats they accept and what programs you can use. Typically, the template will be provided in Illustrator .EPS or .PDF format. Some duplicators will also provide you with a Photoshop or Quark template; if not, you should be able to open the .EPS or .PDF template in either of these programs. Since each manufacturer has its own specific template, it's essential that you use the one they provide. If you plan on printing the covers yourself, you can download some basic templates here.
The cost for CD manufacturing varies from one manufacturer to the next. The more CDs you order, the cheaper each individual CD will cost. For example, a manufacturer may charge you $1,000 for 500 CDs while 1,000 CDs will only cost $1,300. The price will also be affected by the project's specifications — e.g., 2-panel vs. 4-panel insert; 1-colour vs. 4-colour on the CD face, etc. If you're not sure what your specs are and need help asking the manufacturer for a quote, feel free to contact us. If you prefer to do it on your own, it won't hurt to shop around and compare prices.