Design Lab - FAQ

What is a digital cover design?

A digital cover design is ideal if you have plans to release a single before your entire album makes its debut or as a digital download-only release. Online stores like iTunes typically require a digital cover. 

Your digital cover should intrigue your audience at a thumbnail size. For this reason, it’s best to keep design details simple with one image and concise, easy-to-read text. With this service, you can expect two rounds of proofs. Upon approval, you’ll receive your custom digital cover and may use it as you need to.

 

Will the designer listen to my CD before the design process begins?

Believe it or not, we don’t listen to music before we design your masterpiece. Here’s why: Since music is subjective, not listening to it allows us to design a package that clearly showcases your message. If you would like us to listen to your message, however, feel free to send in a CD-R and we’ll share it with your designer. 

 

Tips to help you read your proofs.

As you review your proofs, pay attention to the markings on the templates. The markings will reveal how the piece will be cut in the print department.

Bleed refers to extending any image, color, or design elements beyond the cut line. It provides the print shop with a margin of error for trim. If the cut is a bit off, you won’t be able to see the white paper along the edge. Crop marks serve as a guide that informs the print department where to trim the print components. 

Safety margins reveal the outermost edge of where we can place crucial elements. If you place important info, like the song title up against the crop line, there’s a good chance some of it may get cut off. Therefore, our designers keep type and other elements 1/8” inside the crop marks.

 

Color Modes - CMYK vs RGB

The color mode we use to create color on a computer monitor differs drastically from the color mode we use to print color on a press. We ask that you trust our professional team with your colors. 

 

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

The RGB color mode, which is used by computer monitors, pairs three glowing colors. It can produce many more colors on screen than the Process (CMYK) color mode. This can be an issue as many of the bright RGB images you may notice on your computer can’t be reproduced on a press. When we receive RGB images, we convert them to CMYK for our use so shifts in color are possible and likely. 

 

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) or Blue, Red. Yellow Black

CMYK is the color mode that we use for all print graphics. When screens of the four CMYK “process” colors form a dot pattern on paper, the human eye naturally combines them into a single color. 

 

Image Resolution

You cannot expect high quality design without high-resolution images. As a rule of thumb, high-resolution images should be 300 ppi (pixels per inch) for greyscale and CMYK images, 1200 ppi for line art.

Low-resolution images are 72 ppi graphics you find on the internet, cell phone photos, or images from cameras on low quality settings. Keep in mind that quality will go down if you enlarge small images and they will look soft or blurry.

In the world of professional musicians and filmmakers, image is everything. High quality promotional graphics and photos are a must when you want to look professional. If you do not currently have high resolution photos, we strongly recommend that a professional photographer or high-end digital camera be used when taking photos intended for use in your CD or DVD design. Remember, the higher quality the image, the more professional your result will be, and a professional image can lead to increased sales and recognition of your product.

 

How long does it take to get my first design proof?

In general, initial design proofs take 3 to 4 business days from the day we receive everything. Complex or larger projects may require 6 or more business days.

How will I receive the proofs?

We will send you an email with a link to a high-resolution PDF file. Although the final print may be a bit different from what you see on your monitor, your completed masterpiece will meet our rigorous quality standards.

 

Are my proofs similar to what the final print will look like?

Since the process we use to print your packaging and create proofs varies a bit, you should expect some variation. Also, computer monitors and home printers are not created equally so the proofs we email should not be used as a final color reference. We discourage checking proofs on your phone as doing so comes with size and color accuracy limitations. 

 

How do I supply my text?

We encourage you to upload a MSWord (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text (.rtf) file with all the text you’d like in your project. Note that if you do not provide the text in a digital format, we’ll charge an additional fee of $25 per panel to typeset your information for you.

 

What kind of stock photos do you have?

We are pleased to have access to thousands of high-quality images in our stock photo library. From clouds, mountains, and sunsets to flowers, buildings, and instruments, we have it all. If there is a specific image you’re interested in, let your Product Specialist know and we’ll perform a search for you. Note that while we have many general themes, specific concepts are limited. 

 

What fonts do you have?

We have access to hundreds of fonts, which may be simple, elegant, handwritten or funky, and designed to meet any type of vibe you're going for. You can always share a font you like and we'll do our best to match it.

How should I supply my digital photos with a digital camera?

We encourage you to take your camera photos in the highest quality setting. To do so, look at your owner's manual. Please don't assume that the default settings will cater to professional printing. Also, please avoid cell phone images as they're rarely in high resolution and usually compressed.

What kinds of paper can I choose from?

Our jewel Case Printing and other Packaging are made of top-quality coated paper or board. It's a lot like the paper you've likely seen on a major release as it offers a smooth and glossy feel. For board products, such as jackets, eco-wallets and digipaks, we use a coating, which is a glossy durable finish (the most popular). You can always request an uncoated finish if you prefer.

Who owns the copyright to my finished design?

Once we complete your project and receive your final payment, you own all the rights to your design. It's yours to use how you see fit. A Bison Disc professional has contacted me about possibly using my project for your promotional materials. What does this entail? We're always in search of top-notch designs to feature in various places, like our website, ads, and catalogs. If you grant us permission to use your project, you'll gain exposure and we'll be able to show off our best work. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved. Note that when you sign the paperwork for this, you won't sign over the rights of your project. Instead, you'll simply allow us to use it as a visual.