Archive for the ‘Design’ Category

Most people know that the last digit of a barcode is a “check digit” used by the scanner to check whether it read the barcode correctly. It does this by adding up and multiplying the numbers it gets from the bars. The secret formula for the last digit is: 

For Windows

Open the drive or folder where your files are located

Select the files you wish to include.

Right-click

Choose “Send to” and then “Compressed”

A compressed or zipped folder with the same name as your new folder will appear in your folder. You have an opportunity to name it anything you want. It shoud have .zip as its extension.

It is ILLEGAL to use the logo unless you are a member of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the Business Software Alliance (BSA) and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), subject to each member entering into a formal Uniform Authorization Agreement. Association members should contact the MPAA, RIAA, SIIA, BSA, or ESA for more information. Unauthorized use of the FBI seal, name, and initials are subject to prosecution under Federal Criminal law, including Sections 701, 709, and 712 of Title 18 of the United States Code.

1. Go to Print

2. Select Output, Mode: Separations. You should see your PMS colors in the list at the bottom

3. Change printer to Adobe PDF

4. Print – you can call the file anything you want since it’s an in house test file

5. Open the PDF file and look at the different plates.

Check if each plate contains the objects (image, text, logo) that should be in that color

Check that the PMS color number is correct for that plate

Check that there are no extra plates with stuff on them.

Here are a few sites I use to find fonts for my projects. It might be quicker for you to browse them and find exactly what you want.

IMPORTANT: Enter your text into the custom preview and hit submit so you see your words in the actual font – the letters in your word might not work well in some fonts.

Hint – enter your sample text as UPPER CASE, Upper and Lower case AND all lower case. Some fonts have character sets that work better in one or the other.  Especially if there are numbers or punctuation (some fonts don’t have them. So for example, if I was looking for a font for my name I’d enter “DIANA Diana diana” in the customize box.

Create your own Template

color mode: CMYK

Resolution (raster effects) High (300 ppi)

  

The inside print diameter is 24 mm. The outside diameter of the disc is at 116 mm.

Allow enough margin inside this to avoid issues.

Create a small cross hair registration mark in the exact center in a small white circle no bigger than 15 mm.

The mirror band runs from 36-46 mm.

Do NOT knock out the inside or outside – your artwork should bleed past.

My exclusive proofing system shows you how your graphics look in your packaging.  Also great to include in your digital download packages or on your site.

How I work:

A good designer is part technician, part artist and part psychic.

If you are planning to do your own graphics, make sure you understand the process.

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the wrod as a wlohe.

If you are supplying image files or creating your own graphics, you need to know this.

It is worth the investment – a pro will make you look like a pro.

Try radically different concepts – including something that does not show your face on the cover. Get crazy with your poses. Let your personality come out. Have fun.
Have some funny phrases handy to use just before you take the photo for a natural smile.
Pay attention to what you’re WEARING. Avoid tiny prints. Check with each other so you don’t clash. Do you blend into the background?
Use makeup! Airbrushing is expensive.
Double chin? Turn your head to the left or right about 30 degrees.
Take many many many pictures, back to back. Like at a football game. Click click click. This is particularly helpful with group shots to get the best look on everyone’s faces and everyone’s eyes open.
Don’t rely on reviewing your pics on a tiny LCD screen.
Unless your album is a concert recording, avoid live concert pics, especially for the cover.
Avoid banners, placards, and other promotional items.
Look around for things to eliminate or tidy up in your scene. Pick up stray papers, arrange curtains, dust the piano, pick up your underwear. Outside, watch for trash and other things in your scene that you might not notice until you’re looking at proofs.
Try different angles off frontal – some slightly off, some drastically off.
LIGHTING: Avoid using flash – natural lighting is better, even if it is an extra light brought into the room. Pay attention to time of day and angle of sun. How does it interact with objects in the scene, the background or reflections on people’s glasses, car windows, mirrors.
To produce a dramatic effect, light from the side.
Try bouncing your flash or a light off a ceiling or wall.
Using something white (poster board, for example) will reflect light onto the darkened side of the face.

IMAGES can affect the way people perceive your music before they even hear it.

Use a SINGLE SPACE after punctuation.
Don’t double enter between paragraphs. DO hit Enter a few extra times between sections.
Don’t use a tab to indent paragraphs.

Top spine labels

Those annoying sticky strips on the top edge of some cases. You have probably struggled removing them. They’re hard to remove for a reason – they’re a combination of an anti-theft device and an identification label for CDs stocked in a bin. It displays the artist, album title, release number and barcode number. Not required, but it does give a “big label” feel to your product and it can help your CD stand out in a retail bin.

Stickers

Use stickers for awards, quotes, or description. Usually placed on the outside of the shrinkwrap and discarded. Useful for last minute additional emphasis.

Different packaging styles and sizes communicate different messages.

Already designed in Photoshop or Indesign (PC) but don’t know how to finish it?

Color is a lot like music – waves of energy that effect our emotions.

Questions you will need to answer

The compact disc logo is actually owned by Philips Electronics N.V. The DVD logo is controlled by the DVD Format/Logo Licensing Corporation of Japan.You do not have to include disc logos on your artwork if you do not want to. If you do include the logos, then you must follow the rules regarding size, shape and color. Logos must remain Black and White – do not color the logo

The shape must remain unaltered – scale the logo with constrained proportions (width and height scales + / – equally)

Track titles, written by. Include track numbers here also (not just the traycard).
Always include contact info. A website is a must, a phone number and email are optional because they often change.
Recording info: studio and engineer
Producer (even if it’s self-produced)
Mastering engineer and company
Graphic design/manufacturing
Artist/Band Bio
Photo / Art credits – Don’t forget to identify people in the photos. You might need to get permission to use a professional photograph (get a signed release).
Musicians and Singers
Method One:
Each song individually
Pleasure and Pain (1992)
©1998 A. Motter
Buckyspeak Music, BMI
Angela Motter – Vocals and Acoustic Guitar
Ricky Keller – Bass, Keyboards, Sequencing
David Strohauer – Dijerido

DON’T USE ANYTHING YOU DON’T HAVE PERMISSION OR LICENSING FOR.

Clean your scanner glass and photograph with a soft cloth before placing each item.

Do not scan at a lower resolution and then enlarge it later! This actually lowers the resolution and can turn it into garbage. For example, a 2.5″ x 2.5″ image scanned at 300 PPI that is later doubled 5″ x 5″ becomes 150 PPI. Photoshop cannot invent pixels that were never present in the image to begin with. So you need to scan something that will be used at twice the size of the original picture at twice the resolution (600 PPI at 100%). I’d rather you scan too high.

Free CD Project Planner Ebook download

This interactive PDF will take you through the steps and discuss the different aspects of creating your CD from the point you finish in the studio. It is full of answers to things you need to know – and a lot of questions you need to ask yourself.

How do I get it?
Just sign up for my email list (form in lower part of screen in sidebar) and I’ll send you a link to download it. Thanks!!

If you’re already on my email list, just go to the contact tab above and email me and I’ll send you a link.

A barcode, or UPC code, is essential if you’re planning to sell your CDs in stores or online.

Please allow enough time – 3-14 days is typical.

Compile all material that you want to include in your design: photos, text, original artwork to be scanned, logos, etc.

Text for lyrics, credits, song titles, liner notes, etc. in an electronic format.

• Submit all text in a single file if possible. Please don’t send pieces, changes, etc. in many different emails – this can lead to our my missing something. It also makes it difficult for me to see an overview.
• Don’t worry about formatting (making it look pretty) your text – that’s my job.

Digipaks

Digipaks are definitely becoming more popular. Before you spend the extra money for the “look” consider this:

Pros: As a designer, I love to design digipaks. Many people love how they look and feel. They are perceived as being more “eco-friendly” (which isn’t exactly true, however). They automatically include full color inside because the printing is all on one side and folded over.

Cons: As a consumer I don’t like them. They take up more room in my CD collection (I MP3 all my CDs, take the inserts out of the jewelcase and file them in a vinyl sleeve).

A release number, also known as matrix number or catalog number, is an identification number for your CD.