CD Artwork Specifications
When designing your artwork, be sure to include the necessary BLEEDS
and QUIET ZONEs. Not including these may set back your delivery date. So what is a 'Bleed' and a 'Quiet Zone'? Read on ... its simple really.
When we guillotine your paper parts we need any background images and colours extended 3mm over the trim edge. This is called the 'Bleed' area and must be 3mm on all sides of your paper parts so that if there is any shift when trimming to size, there will be no unwanted white space around the edges.
So, the paper part artwork files you send us should be
6mm wider and 6mm higher than the final 'trimmed' size.
See the images below for the artwork you're designing. If you use Adobe Photoshop, click
here to download the required templates which already take the Bleed into account.
If you're designing a double page booklet for example, set your page size to 248mm wide x 126mm high.
We will trim this down to 242mm wide x 120mm high.
It's also good practice to leave a
quiet zone of 4mm inside the trim edge too (that's 7mm from
the page edge). This will make your job look more professional and won't look like objects are
about to fall of the edges. Best not to put any important text or logos closer than 4mm from the trim edge, or from any fold or score.
The resolution of all your artwork, including the CD on-body design, should not be less than 300 DPI.
And please make sure the colour mode is set to CMYK as opposed to RGB.
CD Double Page Booklet
CD Front Insert
CD Rear Inlay
The CD rear inlay needs a bit more care with respect to the left and right spine text. Since
this is only 6.5mm wide and the trimming tolerance is 3mm, then there is a chance of your spine
text shifting off the edge if it's not properly centred, too big or both. Because of this,
please ensure that your text is no larger than 4mm in height. Oh, and make sure your spine
text runs in a clockwise direction.
CD On-Body
The CD on-body design does not require any bleeds for obvious reasons,
For Replicated discs please make certain your design lies within the following limits: 20mm - 118mm diameter