Can some of you share what software you use to create the DVD case artwork for you final wedding deliverable. Is there anything out there that is easier to use than Photoshop for this purpose?

I have tried the Mediaface IV that Neato provides for a small cost, but this seems a little to amateurish and awkard to use.

I do have an old copy (version 5) of Photoshop which I could use. But this seems to be overkill for just the design of the DVD graphics.

Any help is appreciated....

Chris Sigmon

http://www.magicmouse.com/

I tried all that bundled software like Neato and Memorex, but they are all very limited and give the cover an unprofessional look.

I started using Photoshop Elements and it works great! All you have to do is create a template of a DVD cover and use that to frame your design. I use it for the DVD art as well.

I create most of the artwork in Photoshop and use Discus for the layouts and printing. Discus is better and more professional than Neato and Memorex. Neato & memorex are not in the same class IMO.

I started using Discus (www.magicmouse.com) before the age of DVDs for printing CD labels and jewel case inserts. Now I use it for DVDs & DVD case labels. Great program. Easy to use. Has templates for printing on just about every type of label, with just about every type of printer including the Epson R series printers for printing directly on inkjet printable disks.

With very little skill, the results look very professional.

Photoshop is still needed for editing your images, but Discus does all the fancy work with the text. Try it. You'll like it.

You can download a working copy (both PC & Mac versions) to see if this is the program for you.

Version 3 is the current version, but v4 is just around the corner. The downloads and everything you need to know about Discus v3 & v4 are on the magicmouse website.

touch up photos in photoshop and photoimpact (faster for dirty work) and then i use powerpoint to composite the lot.
I do very simple covers as the more intricate and "colourful" the cover is, the more i have to pay for ink..
Also making the covers in a set template allows u to retain a set "flavour" for teh stling of your boxes.

If a client wants to design their own, i let them on the onus that they show me the design and they pay me to do the printing. This is due to licensing issues with some trademarks which the company is tied with

[QUOTE=Chris Sigmon]Can some of you share what software you use to create the DVD case artwork for you final wedding deliverable. Is there anything out there that is easier to use than Photoshop for this purpose?

I have tried the Mediaface IV that Neato provides for a small cost, but this seems a little to amateurish and awkard to use.

I do have an old copy (version 5) of Photoshop which I could use. But this seems to be overkill for just the design of the DVD graphics.

I use some of the DVD cover products from www.pixelpops.com. You can alter them according to your needs.

I use the software that came with the Epson R220 printer. (Epson PrintCD).

Works fine - everything I need.

photoshop + illustrator.

i tried discus for a few minutes and did not like it. i wasn't free to do what i wanted.

I've used a PixelPops.com product called PixelMixer as well as photoshop files from motionism.com

I use photoshop and the memorex layout designer, I print to a Epson 200 straight to disk.

I'm using Photoshop n Canon Pixma CD Label software (Canon printers can print direct on CDs here in Asia).. The results r good as long as the right DVD-R is used. Ritek is one of the better ones.

Using Photoshop create a new file at 300dpi @ 3283 pixels x 2244 Pixels. Around the inside of the page create a 2mm bleed using the guides. Then create a vertical guide at 131mm and 143mm. Here you place the spine title. On the front and the rear create and use your own graphics and titles. I use a colour laser printer for printing to do both inside and outside graphics. This is a template that I use all the time. I set it up once and it works perfectly everytime.

I have an old version of Media Face 2 I think, and it drives me nuts!! the "canvas" is aligned vertically with no apparent way to change it, and when you create or bring in graphics or text you have to rotate so they read properly when printed. But...try checking for typos with your neck bent to the right!( I don't know if later versions corrected this issue but I am not spending money to find out)

so I downloaded their template for Photoshop (I have version 6) looked great except it wouldn't print properly on their forms. It kept grabbing too much paper so it was printing outside the perferations. ARRGGHHH!

So, what I wound up doing was taking each part of the cover in photoshop and cropping and exporting as a .png file, importing into Media Face (no printing problems in that program) inserting it into the form as a front, back and spine graphic, rotating and resizing to align properly. and printing.

A long long road with one last hitch, each time you close and reopen the file it defaults to rotating the graphics vertically, so I have to readjust them each time I want to print.

Since this if for a documentary, I will be exporting the entire thing as a .png file and taking a ride to Kinkos!