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Standard pixel dimensions for a cd case cover?
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Yutosi
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The front is 4 inches by 4 inches , the back is about 4 inches by 4 1/4 inches wide. Do you not have a ruler or is this question more technical than i presume?
For the printer I use, the approximate measurements in "print with preview" are:
the front - 4.78 x 4.78 - inches
the back - 5.95 x 4.73 - inches
For the printer I use, the approximate measurements in "print with preview" are:
the front - 4.78 x 4.78 - inches
the back - 5.95 x 4.73 - inches
Gaussian
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The dimensions of a CD insert is 4.75" w x 4.75" h. This format is called a "2-panel insert" because it's two panels if you print on both sides. If you would like to add a sophisticated touch to your design, use a "bleed print." This means the image extends off the edges of the cover. Simply extend your artwork at least 0.125" on each edge for the bleed.
When you create a new document in Photoshop you can choose different size options. In the drop down menu for size choose "inches", and then insert 4.75" (width) and 4.75" (height). If you want to know what this is in pixels simply choose "pixels" from the drop down menu and the sizes will change according to your dpi.
At 300 dpi the standard pixel dimensions of a CD cover jewel case insert are 1425px X 1425px.
At 600 dpi the standard pixel dimensions of a CD cover jewel case insert are 2850px X 2850px.
The above dimensions are WITHOUT bleeds... just the print area.
Since a CD cover design will be done for print, you will want to create your new document in CMYK mode. I usually choose 300 dpi for the resolution setting, but this varies depending on your printer's preferences.
At 100% magnification a 300 dpi file will appear huge. You can always click on the View menu and choose Print View to get an estimate of the size it will be for print.
I have created a free Photoshop PSD CD Cover Template that you can download with the proper dimensions including a bleed area. Here is what it looks like:
You can download it here:
When you create a new document in Photoshop you can choose different size options. In the drop down menu for size choose "inches", and then insert 4.75" (width) and 4.75" (height). If you want to know what this is in pixels simply choose "pixels" from the drop down menu and the sizes will change according to your dpi.
At 300 dpi the standard pixel dimensions of a CD cover jewel case insert are 1425px X 1425px.
At 600 dpi the standard pixel dimensions of a CD cover jewel case insert are 2850px X 2850px.
The above dimensions are WITHOUT bleeds... just the print area.
Since a CD cover design will be done for print, you will want to create your new document in CMYK mode. I usually choose 300 dpi for the resolution setting, but this varies depending on your printer's preferences.
At 100% magnification a 300 dpi file will appear huge. You can always click on the View menu and choose Print View to get an estimate of the size it will be for print.
I have created a free Photoshop PSD CD Cover Template that you can download with the proper dimensions including a bleed area. Here is what it looks like:
You can download it here:
You could also use a program that automatically resizes your cover to fit. There's one called CoverXP that works very well and they offer a free version. I use it to create my dvd case cover labels.
There are templates for many paper templates such as Neato labels or you could print on a plain or glossy paper and cut.
Doc
There are templates for many paper templates such as Neato labels or you could print on a plain or glossy paper and cut.
Doc
Floydski said:
A CD cover is almost always designed for print, and as such you will need to design the cover in CMYK mode, since designing it in RGB mode would be pointless (RGB mode is for Web design).
You could design it in RGB mode, but I would not recommend it. The design will end up being printed out for the covers, and because of this the whole design should start out in the print format - CMYK.
That is interesting. I guess I can see why you design in CMYK but it seems limiting to me.
I have not designed anything that is going to press print in CMYK. Not even our catalogue for where I work. All photos/designs are done in RGB then converted to CMYK for press.
I don't think the person whom asked about the cd case design here was meaning for mass printing at a press.(I could be wrong in this assumption) I thought it was aimed more at a home print sort of thing.
RGB has a much richer/wider color gamut. And I don't think it's just for WEB.
Floyd
ps. Most books I've seen on the subject of press printing/color work have recommended working in RGB then converting to CMYK and fine tune if needed.
I have not designed anything that is going to press print in CMYK. Not even our catalogue for where I work. All photos/designs are done in RGB then converted to CMYK for press.
I don't think the person whom asked about the cd case design here was meaning for mass printing at a press.(I could be wrong in this assumption) I thought it was aimed more at a home print sort of thing.
RGB has a much richer/wider color gamut. And I don't think it's just for WEB.
Floyd
ps. Most books I've seen on the subject of press printing/color work have recommended working in RGB then converting to CMYK and fine tune if needed.
CD covers are always designed for print, since they are usually mass produced for record labels. Also, the RGB mode is for the Web, as I said above, so naturally you wouldn't design something for print in RGB mode.
What's the difference?
CMYK identifies the four colors used in traditional printing presses, and stands for, respectively, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
RGB refers to the so-called scientific hues--the additive primary colors red, green, and blue--that, when mixed together in equal amounts, create white light. Television sets and computer monitors display their pixels based on values of red, green, and blue.
CMYK is supposed to reflect the way inks on a press will look like when you use them to print your pages. It is the very nature that practically all printing processes produce results that overall will look less saturated and somehow darker than what a monitor - which is 'painting' color in RGB - can produce.
And even if you're doing one CD cover, printing it in RGB mode it will look totally different then printing it in CMYK mode. Why? Because like I said above - RGB for Web, CMYK for print. If your going to print something, and you want it to look its best, then naturally you would create your file in CMYK mode.
What's the difference?
CMYK identifies the four colors used in traditional printing presses, and stands for, respectively, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
RGB refers to the so-called scientific hues--the additive primary colors red, green, and blue--that, when mixed together in equal amounts, create white light. Television sets and computer monitors display their pixels based on values of red, green, and blue.
CMYK is supposed to reflect the way inks on a press will look like when you use them to print your pages. It is the very nature that practically all printing processes produce results that overall will look less saturated and somehow darker than what a monitor - which is 'painting' color in RGB - can produce.
And even if you're doing one CD cover, printing it in RGB mode it will look totally different then printing it in CMYK mode. Why? Because like I said above - RGB for Web, CMYK for print. If your going to print something, and you want it to look its best, then naturally you would create your file in CMYK mode.
I disagree with that workflow.
First because you cannot see CMYK on your monitor, and secondly for the same reasons as Floydski already mentioned: smaller gamut.
Working for print is done in Adobe RGB as it encompasses CMYK as good as completely. It offers the full set of options Photoshop has to offer. CMYK mode doesn't.
Then, when work is done, and the output is an offset printing press, you open your doc in a new window, and set this to the needed CMYK color space (for us here, usually Euroscale, coated). This version is then internally manipulated by Photoshop to show as accurately as POSSIBLE what the work will look like in CMYK. Eventually you can do your last tweaks here, and automatically, these are also done on the Adobe RGB version. And then you save as eps, or pdf.
Many printers prefer to set to CMYK themselves, as that way they have control over their way of working (spec. like dot gain, white and black etc)
And if Alistair is working for his desktop printer, then there is probably no need for conversion to CMYK at all as most deskjets need RGB and do the conversion in their own software.
RGB mode is not made for the web as it is much older that the Internet. It is the way monitors work, using light colours with Red, Green and Blue phosphors.
First because you cannot see CMYK on your monitor, and secondly for the same reasons as Floydski already mentioned: smaller gamut.
Working for print is done in Adobe RGB as it encompasses CMYK as good as completely. It offers the full set of options Photoshop has to offer. CMYK mode doesn't.
Then, when work is done, and the output is an offset printing press, you open your doc in a new window, and set this to the needed CMYK color space (for us here, usually Euroscale, coated). This version is then internally manipulated by Photoshop to show as accurately as POSSIBLE what the work will look like in CMYK. Eventually you can do your last tweaks here, and automatically, these are also done on the Adobe RGB version. And then you save as eps, or pdf.
Many printers prefer to set to CMYK themselves, as that way they have control over their way of working (spec. like dot gain, white and black etc)
And if Alistair is working for his desktop printer, then there is probably no need for conversion to CMYK at all as most deskjets need RGB and do the conversion in their own software.
RGB mode is not made for the web as it is much older that the Internet. It is the way monitors work, using light colours with Red, Green and Blue phosphors.
I disagree. RGB mode is strictly for the Web. All you have to do is type RGB in any search engine window and you'll find tons of pages telling you the same thing.
And I would not recommend converting from RGB to CMYK. If you're going to do a design for print, then start that file in CMYK mode, for as I said above.....
Finally, don't take my word or even Erik's ... search the Web for articles by professional designers and see what they have to say. Good places to start are:
And I would not recommend converting from RGB to CMYK. If you're going to do a design for print, then start that file in CMYK mode, for as I said above.....
C9Mouse said:
Finally, don't take my word or even Erik's ... search the Web for articles by professional designers and see what they have to say. Good places to start are:
What does webmonkey say about working for offset printers? I did not find anything over there...
Check people like Gare (Gary Bouton, Inside Photoshop), Ben Wilmore,...people who know what they talk about when it comes to printing.
I've been working with offset printers several times for catalogues, postcards, posters,...Photoshop, Indesign, Preps,...and finally to a four head Heidelberg press.
And it is not that because RGB is used for the Internet that this also means it was created for it. It is only used for the Internet because the Internet is displayed on a monitor.
Check people like Gare (Gary Bouton, Inside Photoshop), Ben Wilmore,...people who know what they talk about when it comes to printing.
I've been working with offset printers several times for catalogues, postcards, posters,...Photoshop, Indesign, Preps,...and finally to a four head Heidelberg press.
And it is not that because RGB is used for the Internet that this also means it was created for it. It is only used for the Internet because the Internet is displayed on a monitor.
Ok, let me try saying this another way:
Since RGB was originally created for images displayed on the Web (and not for print), and since there is a night and day difference between Web graphics and images designed for print, it goes without saying then that one would not want to use one format for another if they wanted the best results.
And on the WebMonkey site there are lots of articles covering a wide range of design topics, if you look for them.
Since RGB was originally created for images displayed on the Web (and not for print), and since there is a night and day difference between Web graphics and images designed for print, it goes without saying then that one would not want to use one format for another if they wanted the best results.
And on the WebMonkey site there are lots of articles covering a wide range of design topics, if you look for them.
Tron
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C9 I had a look at that article and the following is a direct quote:
You probably scanned the image in RGB mode and you're printing in CMYK mode, so you need to change the mode to CMYK. But before you change the mode, you should do any color correcting, pixel pushing, and tweaking here. The file will get bigger when you convert it to CMYK, so get most of your work done in RGB.
I'm not sure if reinforces Erik's position but it seems like it to me [confused] [confused]
You probably scanned the image in RGB mode and you're printing in CMYK mode, so you need to change the mode to CMYK. But before you change the mode, you should do any color correcting, pixel pushing, and tweaking here. The file will get bigger when you convert it to CMYK, so get most of your work done in RGB.
I'm not sure if reinforces Erik's position but it seems like it to me [confused] [confused]
Ok, this is getting out of hand. I didn't want to get into a debate at all. I was simply trying to offer advice from my own experience as a graphic designer.
There are plenty of sites out there with valuable information on the issue. My advice would be to check out the resources offered on the Web. That's how I learned. Don't just listen to one person (mod or not).
There are plenty of sites out there with valuable information on the issue. My advice would be to check out the resources offered on the Web. That's how I learned. Don't just listen to one person (mod or not).
Personally, I always work in RGB and convert to CMYK. Smaller file size leads to faster production, less load times, etc. I believe it to be a personal preference. You can't see CMYK on your screen anyways, so you will always need to test it before print to make sure you are getting a somewhat accurate color. The only time I start off in a CMYK setting is if I intend to use 1 or 2 Pantone colors and break them apart into tints, but if I'm just going for a process print then I don't see the need.
I think getting defensive isn't proactiv to learning honestly. Not everyone will design the same way. I do agree that you should venture out for yourself and make your own decision. Every designers work flow is different.
I think getting defensive isn't proactiv to learning honestly. Not everyone will design the same way. I do agree that you should venture out for yourself and make your own decision. Every designers work flow is different.
Mapetite said:
Mapetite, I stand corrected. Good point. I also found this web page, which just taught me a couple new things or two .... you're never too old too learn.
http://www.jensm.com/photoshoptips/rgbVsCmyk.htm
MindBender
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I work in L*a*b 
