What software to use for CD design?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nightfire
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Nightfire

Nightfire

Aspiring Idiot
I need a cheap (if not free haha) software that lets me design the little CD inserts/booklets and possibly a sleeve so I dont have to use CD cases.
The CD's itself will be printed somewhere else at a store that offers these services, so Im assuming there is no way I can make a design for the CD itself at home and have them import it to whatever program they use.

Which software do you use? (both for CD booklets/inserts/sleeves as well as for CD design)


Mike
 
Nightfire said:
I need a cheap (if not free haha) software that lets me design the little CD inserts/booklets and possibly a sleeve so I dont have to use CD cases.
The CD's itself will be printed somewhere else at a store that offers these services, so Im assuming there is no way I can make a design for the CD itself at home and have them import it to whatever program they use.

Which software do you use? (both for CD booklets/inserts/sleeves as well as for CD design)


Mike
Click to expand...

Check out the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It's similar to Photoshop, but it's free, and I believe it has a CD template.

You can find it at: http://www.gimp.org/
 
mjr said:
Check out the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It's similar to Photoshop, but it's free, and I believe it has a CD template.

You can find it at: http://www.gimp.org/
Click to expand...

Nice find. I bought Photoshop a long time ago when I was first getting into it. Don't use it as much anymore though, but it works good for CD inserts and stuff. I wouldn't use it for any kind of professional CD design. While it works there's better stuff out there for that.

PAINT.NET is also a free image editor, but I'm not sure how it compares to GIMP.
 
Gimp is just as powerful, if not more powerful than photoshop ;) Just a FYI

Jesse
 
danny.guitar said:
Nice find. I bought Photoshop a long time ago when I was first getting into it. Don't use it as much anymore though, but it works good for CD inserts and stuff. I wouldn't use it for any kind of professional CD design. While it works there's better stuff out there for that.

PAINT.NET is also a free image editor, but I'm not sure how it compares to GIMP.
Click to expand...


why not? Photoshop is perfectly fine for even the most professional artwork, let alone CD art work. You just have to know how to use it (i.e. not using so much of the filters, and when you do, use them to alter mostly masks, and blending modes.)
 
You haven't said what platform you're on - I only use software for Mac, but I've been happy with the BeLight package, Disc Cover. The only problems with it are it doesn't seem too happy with doing booklets (only inserts), and when you go to the checkout they add on loads of sales tax and what have you (I thought it was pretty rude that they didn't give a straight price off-the-bat).

They allow you to download a demo, so you can see how it works out for you.

Thom
 
TerraMortim said:
why not? Photoshop is perfectly fine for even the most professional artwork, let alone CD art work. You just have to know how to use it (i.e. not using so much of the filters, and when you do, use them to alter mostly masks, and blending modes.)
Click to expand...

I was mainly talking about the part that gets put on the CD itself, not the booklets and stuff.

While Photoshop is perfectly capable of doing that stuff too there is software that is meant strictly for that and makes things much easier. It's also important to work in CMYK color format (which Photoshop also does).
 
Im on PC platform. I do have Pshop and also donwloaded Gimp. I would really like to see a feature that is specifically for CD design (with a pre-made perfect circle that will fit a cd). I know I can make my own circle in Pshop but I have no clue how to make it fit the CD.
For booklets it would also be nice to have a feature specifially for that. Maybe Pshop/Gimp has it and I just havent found it yet :rolleyes:


Mike
 
Nightfire said:
Im on PC platform. I do have Pshop and also donwloaded Gimp. I would really like to see a feature that is specifically for CD design (with a pre-made perfect circle that will fit a cd). I know I can make my own circle in Pshop but I have no clue how to make it fit the CD.
For booklets it would also be nice to have a feature specifially for that. Maybe Pshop/Gimp has it and I just havent found it yet :rolleyes:


Mike
Click to expand...

I think GIMP has a CD template. If it doesn't, I'm sure you can Google the dimensions of a CD and draw your circle based on that.
 
Thanks, I havent fiddled around too much with Gimp yet.


Mike
 
I believe a CD is 4.5" x 4.5". There are some templates on the web for it but I'm not good enough in Photoshop to use them properly.

You might also want to check out Quark XPress. Or maybe not because it's about $800. :D
 
Nightfire said:
Im on PC platform. I do have Pshop and also donwloaded Gimp. I would really like to see a feature that is specifically for CD design (with a pre-made perfect circle that will fit a cd). I know I can make my own circle in Pshop but I have no clue how to make it fit the CD.
For booklets it would also be nice to have a feature specifially for that. Maybe Pshop/Gimp has it and I just havent found it yet :rolleyes:


Mike
Click to expand...


there are some PSD templates roaming around on the web with guide lines as too dimensions and all of that..

and danny, yeah misunderstood you, there are some programs that are better for the actual printing process, PS is great for design however.cmyk is invaluable for print, have to have that black level.
 
I use Gimp now. But I made my own templates for front two panel cover, back cover and even a CD in Paint. :D
 
i used to have templates for those cd printout things.

i created them with a ruler and simply drawing lines that were exactly like the sheet of paper.

i just copy and pasted what images i wanted over my circles and whatnot, and made sure they bled over the edge just a tad.

it just takes some measuring, creating a new project, and considering your margins of the project.

and make sure you have the rulers enabled to be seen with your project.

once you've made the little template, its cake. remember to make the template layer completely transparent when printing, though
 
In my limited experience, your firs poiint would be to see what sort of file format your printer wants you to work with. Some may want it in photoshop file format, some may want an image of some sort, or any other number of things. That would deffinately be the first thing I would check into. Personally I like photoshop, and it will be my first choice for quite some time.
 
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