URGENT: First time designing CD cover

Words

New Member
I'm designing a CD cover as a favour, but I've never designed anything like this for print before, and it's driving me mad!

Does anyone know where I can find a FREE CD cover design template, including bleed, cut lines and safety margins, back cover insert with both side spines, and front cover insert?

Any advice would be a life-saver..

Thanks!
 
BossHog: Thanks for looking, however the download files from the first link (at least, the ones I need) are corrupt, and the files in the second link are in the wrong resolution.

Should've also specified in my original post that, ideally, I'm looking for PSD format.

I've been searching for this for days, believe me, and Google was the first place I looked..I'm just running out of ideas..

Anyone else?

Thanks in advance.
 
WHY ARE YOU LAYING OUT PRINT IN PHOTOSHOP?

This is an InDesign, Quark, Pagemaker(! - showing my age) project.
You might create any images in Photoshop, but pulling it all together should be done in a page-makeup application not in Photoshop.

Also, why don't you try Googling...I just have and didn't need to look further than the first 20 results on page 1!
 
Presumably you also realise that Illustrator files can be opened in Photoshop?
They will of course be rasterised, but they can be opened.
 
Thanks for the reply, pcbranding.

WHY ARE YOU LAYING OUT PRINT IN PHOTOSHOP?

As I said, I'm not all that experienced, and was led to believe that Photoshop was the correct program to design in in this instance - particularly given the fact that my design will feature photography. Not to mention the fact that all of the results I've come across (not suitable for whatever reason) were usually in PSD format. Photoshop works in CMYK, no? Would appreciate it if you'd correct any misconceptions I might have..


Also, why don't you try Googling...I just have and didn't need to look further than the first 20 results on page 1!

What term did you search? I did mention that I've been Googling this for a number of days now, to no avail.. maybe I'm just using the wrong search terms. Were your results relevant to the specs I outlined in my original post?

Will ideally use Illustrator, but of course, it all depends on what file format I can find an appropriate template in..

Thanks again.
 
I Googled 'cd templ' and Google helpfully brought up 'cd template illustrator/photoshop/indesign/for mac/free'.

I've already mentioned the correct applications for laying this out in, forgetting to include Illustrator.

Photoshop does indeed work in CMYK as well as other colour spaces, but CMYK is the correct one for outputting files to print.
 
Thanks for the advice, but nothing I'm finding is appropriate, still.. I just keep coming up with individual insert templates, or templates without guide lines.

Laying the whole thing out baffles me without bleed, crop etc lines..*sigh* :\
 
Don't use photoshop.

I've typed it a hundred times on this forum.

I find it astounding that so many people thing that's what it's for - the clue's the the name - PHOTOshop. Not Printshop. Or Designshop.

It's also worrying that someone else led you to believe that it's the right tool for the job.

Then I guess that's what these forums are for.

Sorry for the rant, it's just getting a little monotonous.
:icon_smile:
 
Hi Words,

I'd be happy to take a look at your final print-ready pdf of the artwork before you send it to print.

As this seems like the first time you've ever created print-ready artwork, there's a good chance that you're going to send something to print that will either be wrong or will contain mistakes.

As other posters have mentioned, there's so much info available on Google to help you with setting up artwork and the correct program to use.

Cheers

Scott
 
Back
Top