MISC GUIDES
-> Make DVD cases in Photoshop
Although I find
Photoshop to be fairly self-explanatory, it does have a
learning curve. While the abilities and the options of the
program are almost limitless, I'll guide you through making
a quick case. Hint: This method is also great for
making DVD menu graphics. Please note: all images on
this guide a shrunk to conserve bandwidth. Actual images
being used are much larger.
This guide will NOT teach Photoshop basics, merely
"making a DVD case" basics. To learn the basics of
Photoshop, I suggest purchasing a copy of Photoshop For
Dummies or check it out from your local library. Photoshop
cannot be taught in a single guide.
Why make a case instead of just scanning it ?
Scenario 1: I just bought a used
DVD from Blockbuster. It has no case, so I'm going to make
one from scratch. Nothing to scan. Scenario 2: I just
made a DVD from source that never existed on DVD (or even
VHS) before today. Again, must make one from scratch.
Nothing to scan, this time because one never existed.
Other than the Internet and my imagination, there is nothing
to use as source. Scanning a case and reprinting it is easy.
What I'm about to show is a bit more difficult: making one
from scratch.
For this exercise, I'll be making a DVD case for my THE TICK
cartoon collection using Adobe Photoshop 6.0.1. Newer
versions should work fine, and should have tools located in
the same spots.
STEP
ONE: Acquire source graphics
Alright, unless you're an amazing artist, acquiring pre-made
graphics is a must. Any images you acquire MUST be scanned
or downloaded at a minimum resolution of 500 pixels or so,
preferably 200 dpi. Images can always be re-sized, but
enlarging too much will create a pixel-ized, blocky, noisy
image.
1. Online CD-DVD Cover Sites. First thing to do is check
a site that archives custom-made and professionally-made
covers, try www.cdcovers.cc
or www.spleenworld.com.
Try a www.google.com
search to find more.
For THE TICK, I found nothing.
2. Magazines, books and comic books. These are great
sources for images. Old printed media of this type can
normally be bought for as little as $1 and is worth the
minor investment. It is also likely that such materials are
already laying around your home.
For THE TICK, I found an old TICK mini-action figure that I
bought for 50 cents on clearance. It's still in it's blister
pack after all these years. Tossed it on the scanner. In
Photoshop, go to FILE->IMPORT-> YOUR SCANNER. All
scanning software is different, but look for a PRESCAN
button, select your image, then scan it with the SCAN
button.
 
Looks ugly now, but I'm only just beginning. Still need
more, so I'm going online, having exhausted my offline
source.
3. Online Movies Stores. If this is an item that exists
commercially, it is easy to go to places like Amazon.com or
Amazon.co.uk and download the covers they display for
movies. The small ones are no good. Most DVD covers say
"click here for larger view". Download the large
ones.
Since THE TICK was never released, nothing available for me.
I shall move on.
4. Online Fan Sites. Sometime fans provide great artwork on
sites. I'm fond of fan art and using Windows desktop images.
They are often large and great to work with. Many fan
sites also have great information on the show, providing you
with nifty little summaries and episode lists to put on the
cover. I always use www.google.com
or www.msn.com to find some
good sites.
I grab images
with one of two methods:
- I right-click
and save from the Web page
- I use PRINTSCREEN button on the keyboard and paste into a new image in
Photoshop by using FILE -> NEW.
I immediately find a few fan sites for THE TICK, and
grab a few images:
 
 
5. eBay auctions. Go to www.ebay.com
and look around. Most sellers have pictures of items,
and many times they are excellent images for using. Some are
outright horrible. You'll just have to scan a handful of
auction and see what you like.
For THE TICK, I found some images from a few auctions:
 
** While at eBay, I also learned there were comic
books, so I won't be using this case that is being made for
this guide. I'd rather scan the front cover of the comic for
the cover of the DVD case, although I'll still use the back
image that is made here. I found one for $1 at a comic store
that is near me.
6. Online Poster Stores. Movie posters are easy to find.
Many stores like www.allposters.com
have huge selections of movie posters for sale, and
decent-sized samples are easy to PRINTSCREEN or download.
For THE TICK, I found nothing.
STEP
TWO: Setup the DVD cover
It's now time to use the source images you've acquired and
setup the Photoshop image. Grab your DVD case and a ruler.
It's time to get the measurements. I'm using a standard
single-sized case (it's actually a double-disc case, but the
size is the same as a single). Be sure to measure the entire
spread of the case window. If possible, remove the insert
from another similar-sized DVD case and use it for more
precise measurements.
The image only needs to be 200 resolution. Feel free to make
it larger, but I only use 200 resolution because that is
what I use for news photography. Most images you find in
newspapers are just 200 resolution and printed 2400 dpi. I
will be printing my 200 resolution case on a 600 dpi color
inkjet or color laser.
- Resolution
and DPI are different concepts, do not confuse the two!
1. Go to FILE -> NEW in Photoshop.
Change PIXELS to INCHES and enter the size. I use 200 as the
RESOLUTION of the image. Mode is left RGB, as most home
printers can interpret the RGB for accurate CMYK printing
(sometimes even more accurate than using CMYK source). Make
your background (contents) white, just to keep things
simple.
2. You've now got your DVD case image. But wait! It's
one enormous page. It will be difficult to work with the
image if you do not know the boundaries of the spine and the
front and back panels. Go to VIEW -> SHOW RULERS. If it
only shows HIDE RULERS, then you are already showing the
rulers on the sides of the image.
Now that the rulers are showing, click inside the ruler, and
hold. While holding, drag the mouse to the image. A blue
line should appear. This is NOT part of the image, but
rather a guide. Drag it to where it should go. Again, use
your ruler. You can always hide guides by going to VIEW
-> SHOW -> GUIDES.
3. DVD Case Downloads. Now that
DVDcoverart.com and other similar sites have gone the way of
the dodo, I'll provide 200dpi image templates. You can
easily resize to 300dpi if desired. Each one is a JPEG in a
ZIP file. When you save a DVD case, it is suggested to use
PSD or TIFF format, not JPEG. This was only done to keep
file sizes small. These come with a black background, but a
quick swipe of a 900-pixel white paintbrush (or any other
color) can change that. The blue guides are preset too,
marking the spine area, so be sure the rulers and guides are
enabled in Photoshop, as covered above.
A. Single-sized case. Download.
B. Slim single-sized case. Download.
C. AlphaPak 3-disc case. Download.
D. AlphaPak 4- or 5-disc case. Download.
E. AlphaPak 6- or 7-disc case. Download.
F. M-lock Slim6 case. Example.
Download.
More can be added. Submissions accepted. Use the
CONTACT US button.
Please be aware that not all cases are made equally.
Difference manufacturers will have slightly different sizes,
so these templates may be 1-2mm off. You may want to print a
test page before committing to a huge print job, and cut it
out to see how well it fits. The other solution is my
solution: just cut that extra mm off, and move on to the
next project ... just remember to resize your template
perfectly for next time.
STEP
THREE: Edit the images and create the cover
This part of the
guide is a bit vague, and I do apologize to those that are
new to Photoshop, but this guide would be countless pages in
length if I attempted to teach Photoshop basics in addition
to the case-making aspect.
1. Use the MAGNIFYING GLASS on the toolbar in Photoshop.
Clicking enlarges the image, while holding ALT on the
keyboard and clicking shrinks the image. Shrink it so that
you can see the entire image. Preferable at a 25% or 50%
size (odd sizes make the image look bad). Try to learn what all of
the tools on the toolbar do.
2. Copy, paste, create. Cut the source up, resize as
needed, and copy and paste the used portions of the source
images into the DVD case image. Again, this is where you
should learn the toolbar. The Lasso, Crop and Selection
tools will allow you to select what you want, and the EDIT
-> CUT/COPY/PASTE functions let you cut/copy/paste, as
the name suggests.
3. Resize images for use. Under IMAGE -> IMAGE
SIZE is the location where you can check the current size of
the image and resize as needed:
Leave the resample method as bicubic. The CONSTRAIN
PROPORTIONS option makes sure your vertical and horizontal
maintain the same aspect when resized. Use as needed. The
other options should be self-explanatory.
4. Adjusting the image. This can require any number
of tools. The Pen (drawing) tool and Magic Wand are good.
The IMAGE -> ADJUST -> Brightness/Contrast, Levels,
and Hue/Saturation filters are good too. These are tools
you'll need to play with to understand. Just play for a few
minutes to figure out what these tools do, maybe even read
the HELP files if needed. Photoshop for Dummies is also a
good book.
5. Photoshop created effects. Two nifty effects you
should learn is the GRADIENT tool (which shares real estate
with PAINT BUCKET on the toolbar, and can switch between the
two by holding the mouse click on them) and the FILTERS.
Also learn the LAYERS MENU and the OPACITY and BLEND
(Multiply is most useful) options that are on it.
6. Final product. I have played with my source and
created an interesting case for THE TICK:
The front cover is made from a GRADIENT, a TICK logo from a
fan site, and the scan of my toy (front side). The spine is
made from two fan art pieces, a volume number, and the DVD
logo. The back is made from a fan art image, a eBay auction
image, and information gathered from episode guide sites. I
now have a top-quality DVD cover. This took about 15 minutes
to make (excluding time to make this guide). When printed,
it looks great.
STEP
FOUR: Printing and cutting the cover
Printing. It is best to print at 600 dpi or higher. I
avoid the fancy "DVD covers" that you can buy. The
ink doesn't take well to them. I use 28-lb glossy stock
inkjet paper. Excellent results. If using laser, again, go
for heavier pound (-lb) paper made for lasers. The
Hammermill ColorCopyPaper (28-lb) gets our #1 rating for
inkjet and/or color laser printing.
Cutting. And instead of using scissors, look for a
metal ruler, an Exacto knife and a cutboard. This gives the
cleanest and most accurate cuts.
Page Last Updated: May 14th 2005
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