Planning your layout
Do-It-Yourself CD Cover Design
Planning your layout
When laying out the images and text for your CD, remember to think of the design in terms of panels. Take a quick look through your CD collection to see the range of options available. The number of panels you require depends on the amount of content you plan to include (lyrics, credits, thank-yous, etc.). Typically, the insert will have 2, 3 or 4 panels which are folded in half (2 panels), circular (3 panels) or accordion style (4+ panels). Once folded, the insert or booklet should slip inside the front of the jewel case. If the insert requires more than 4 panels, it will likely have to be cut and stapled (saddle-stitched) down the middle to form a booklet. This is because printers are limited by the width of their paper. Duplicators tend to charge more for larger inserts and booklets so be sure to let them know which template you'll be using before asking for a quote. You'll also want to ask them what your folding options are as this will affect your design.
The most economical design for a large run is "4-over-1" printing. This means that the front panels of the sleeve will be printed in full-colour (aka 4-colour or CMYK) and the back will be printed in black on white. Manufacturers that specialize in short runs will likely charge the same for 4-over-1 as they would for full-colour on both sides. This is because they will be outputting the insert on an ink-jet printer rather than on a printing press. Ask your manufacturer if they charge the same amount for 4-over-4 as they do for 4-over-1.
Before submitting your CD to the manufacturer, they will likely ask you to include a 1/8" bleed around the edge of your booklet. Once a document has been printed, the pages are stacked up and trimmed in large quantities by an industrial-sized cutter. Sometimes, the paper can shift slightly causing the blade to miss the crop marks. If the ink only extends to the trim line, a little bit of white paper will show at the top of some of the pages. To avoid this, printers will ask you to increase the size of the printed area so that it extends over the trim lines. When working on a CD cover, I usually design it slightly larger than the 4.75" x 4.75" so I don't have to worry about increasing the size of the image later.
It's a good idea to keep any important elements like text at least 1/4" from the edges of the CD cover. If the paper shifts drastically during the cutting process, this text might get cut off. Many templates indicate the "live" area with a dotted line alone the inside perimeter.
When you begin working on the CD face, you'll need to find out from the manufacturer whether they are able to screen-print gradient colours or if they are limited to black line-art. If you are able to have the CD face printed with a full-colour image, you'll probably want to request a "white flood" to be placed down first. This is because the CD's surface is silver and reflective so any "white" space in your design will knockout to silver. The white flood will ensure that any white elements (such as reverse type) will be legible. Of course, you may choose to work with the CD's reflective surface as a colour. Just make sure any colours you print on the CD offer a good contrast to the silver (e.g., red stands out better than grey).