CD covers!

Okay, so we're going to design our own CD cases.

It's a great way to review all of our mad Photoshop skills and at the same time pick up a few new ones.

NEW SKILLS- check out working with text, rulers and guide lines

Step-by-Step

1. Figure out what your CD name, band/artist name, and track list will be.
2. Sketch out what the front and back of your CD covers will look like as detailed as possible.
3. Open a new file in Photoshop that is 8.5" across and 11" tall and 300 dpi.
4. Make sure rulers, grids, and guides are visible.
5. Using the ruler to help you, drag in the following guides from the sides of the page -->
6. Use the rectange tool (click and drag) to make the shapes for the front, back, and sides
7. Name your shape layers "front" "back" "side 1" and "side 2" double-click the layer to give them background colors you like.
8. Use the text tool (T) to include the name of the band/artist, the name of the CD, copyright protection, track list, etc. Click once to write text on a line, or click and drag to create a text box. Change font options on the top toolbar or in the text pane on the right. Remember you may download custom fonts. Make sure the colors contrast in such a way that the words are readable. Layer Effects like shadows or strokes can help it stand out from the background. Access these by double-clicking the text layer.
9. Add art for your CD- can be hand-drawn, painted in Photoshop, or a collage of stuff copied-and-pasted from the internet.

       

Make sure your CD covers emphasize the principle of design UNITY, by matching fonts, colors, etc. across different faces of the case. In other words, it should look like they all go together.