CD printing help
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- fafore
I haven't had much experience with printing in the past. I've recently been given the opportunity to design a full CD package. I seem to mess bleeds up every time I try to print something professionally- no matter how much I research to get it right. I'm here to see if anyone can point me in the right direction so that I can make this shit look good?
- kmac440
I print CDs all the time with the Epson artisan 810-it's really nice, especially if you don't need mass quantities. Use their design software and you can change the inner and outer diameter so you don't have the bleed issues.
- horton0
so you don't do print design? or just confused by bleeds? 0.125" is pretty standard, just add to all trimmed edges.
- horton0
wait are we talking offset cd packaging, or inkjet home jobs?
- fafore0
Thanks for responding, but I'll be handing the files off to the artists "people" so to say. Should I just wait till they know who they're going to be printing with and talk to them directly?
- for most commercial jobs it'll be offset press for packaging, and screenprint on the disc itselfhorton
- fafore0
It's going to distributed quite widely... The normal CD you'd pick up from best buy. When I say I haven't done much printing, I mean professionally. Sending the work off to be printed by someone else.
- Gnash0
I've done hundreds of CDs over the years.
Most critical is finding out who will be printing them and get the templates. Can't stress that enough. Each printers' dielines can vary by a few millimetres. Doesn't sound like much but it could mean the titles on the spines end up on the fold.
Same goes for the CD Label template. Again, every manufacturer has slightly different measurements.
These templates will all have the bleed marks clearly identified.
If your client hasn't picked the printer yet you can use a generic template at first but you MUST get the final template once it's decided who'll be doing it.
I usually work the cover at 12"x12" 300 DPI and the rest at size-as. They usually need a large version of the cover for POP/marketing or sometimes a vinyl version.
oh, the legal lines never need to be larger than 5pt (Person pet-peeve when i see big-ass legal lines)
- who do you use in TO? i've had mixed results with Duplium.horton
- Thank you! I'll just save myself and talk with the printers directly. Good call on the 12"x12".fafore
- @horton. Most I've the work I've done has been for the majors. so using their printers - sonyDADC, Everreddy Packaging, Grenville, etc. For the CD Labels - Cinram, Audiobec, Lots gets sent to the US for printing too. most of the labels have their own production facilities.Gnash
- ah ok. major label printing/budgets would be very nice.horton
- not what you'd think - In canada, anyway. It's still a struggle to get them to use DigipaksGnash