If you want to make a cover template for your CD, you can download templates from the Internet. You also can do it for free using the Paint program that came with your computer, or even do it by hand with the right measurements. You can make your CD stand out with your own designs, but to make the cover fit the CD cases you want to sell them in, it is most important that you have the right dimensions. This guide will help you create CD covers for a standard CD case.
Things You'll Need:
- Paper And Pen
- Paint Or Art Program (Optional)
- Ruler With Right Angle
Making a CD Cover with Pen and Paper
Measure the dimensions for the CD cover using a ruler with a right angle. This will make it completely square. The dimensions for a CD cover for a regular CD case, not a thin case, are 5.906 by 4.646 inches. You can estimate for bleed, which will help your graphics blend into the folded edges, by scaling to 5.9 inches by 4.5 inches. This will be the front cover of your CD.
Draw the back cover with your right-angle ruler. The dimensions for the back cover of your CD case are 4.724 by 4.724 inches. You can round to 4.7 to make it a little easier with a ruler.
Add your artwork to the CD cover and back. The folds on the front cover are .25 inch, so keep that in mind while you are designing your cover.
Copy your cover for multiple CD covers or cut out and insert the one you created for a one-of-a-kind CD cover.
Make a CD Cover With an Art Program
Open your art program and go to the menu that lets you resize the image. Size the front cover image at 5.906 by 4.646 inches. Mark out the folds .25 inch from the outer edges on the left and right. Save the document.
Open a new file. As with the above step, resize the image so that it measures 4.724 by 4.724 inches. This will be your back cover.
Add your artwork to the front and back covers of your CD case. Save both files frequently as you work. Keep in mind the folds of the front cover as you design it.
Print the cover and cut it out, or duplicate it for multiple CD case covers.
