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Templates & Specs

Graphic Design information and templates for CDs and Cassettes. Call us for any templates you don't find here, or to help clarify any of the guidelines below.

Very Important!! Whoever is preparing the design files for printing is responsible for the information contained on this page! Save your project or your client's project valuable time by calling to verify this information, or to clarify anything that is not understood.
Thank you very much!

General Design Do's and Dont's

Design Guidelines For Discface

Design Guidelines For Jewel Case Inserts

Acceptable Software Formats

Preparation For Design Submission

Templates

General Design Do's and Don'ts

Incorrectly prepared design files are the cause of 99% of all CD Project problems. Avoid schedule delays and cost overruns by thoroughly reviewing these points and constructing your files accordingly.

1. If you do not use Audio Sphere's templates, we will not be responsible for printing misalignments that may occur as a result.

2. Don't use JPG or GIF file extensions as linked or embedded images.
a. If you must use an image that is a .jpg or .gif file, convert it to a .tif or .eps before embedding or linking.
b. Check the resolution of the image: .jpg and .gif images taken
from the Internet are lower resolution (72 dpi) than is effective for offset printing. There are a few exceptions to this rule, having to do with the initial size and the final size of the image. Generally speaking, once your image is placed and sized, what you see when it is magnified to 100% is what you will get, in terms of resolution.

3. Scan your images in at 300 dpi or (150 lpi). If you're bringing them into Photoshop or any other program, be sure that the document resolution is also set to 300 dpi or ppi.

4. RGB files cannot be accepted -- design files must be converted to CMYK mode (jewel case inserts) or built via SPOT colors (discface -- unless you're paying extra for 4 or more colors on the discface in which case your discface file will also be CMYK mode).

5. Rule of Thumb: If the information on this page is giving you a headache, please pay Audio Sphere or another design professional to handle this work on your behalf.

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Discface

Solid or Process color? Because the CD Plant prints 3 colors onto the discface as a part of the standard package price, your design must separate into 3 films. This means you should NOT design your discface using the CMYK color method. Instead, use Solid (Spot) colors. Process printing (4 colors) on-disc is available at additional cost. NOTE: If you're using Photoshop to design your discface, you'll need to know how to build your design to achieve 3 color channels instead of 4 (because Photoshop makes everything 4 channels by default) OR consider paying the additional charge for a 4-color discface.

Type Size: For maximum readability, avoid sizes below 6 points for regular print or 8 points for reverse print. Stay away from "thin" fonts unless they are "overprinting," as opposed to "knocking out." DO NOT use drop shadows, or color accents, on extremely slender fonts, or small type sizes. The slightest shift of registration is disastrous in these situations, and silk screening registration is not as tight as offset printing registration.

Color Density (Screen %): Important!! Normally, 100% of a color equals a solid color & 0% of a color equals no color at all. Screen printing onto compact discs has a narrower range: 85% of a screened color=100% of that color and less than 15%=0%.

Bleeds: NO BLEEDS ALLOWED. Do not design or place any ink outside the116mm boundary or inside the 18mm boundary. The Plant will not print using a film that has ink overprinting the No Print areas.

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Jewel Case Inserts

TrueType vs. Postscript Fonts:
TrueType fonts don't always behave themselves in pre-press environments. PostScript fonts are considered the standard in the printing industry. So, IF you must use a TrueType font, make copies of your files so you retain your original version, and in the file copies, convert all text to "outlines" or "curves" (terminology varies depending on which program you're using) before writing them to your CDR or ZIP disc.

However, because both Quark and PageMaker do not have the ability to convert text to outlines or curves, you'll want to be sure to use Postscript fonts if you're setting text in either one of them.

Digital Press: The jewel case inserts are printed on an offset press, but are plated digitally from your design files, so there are no films and therefore there are no film proofs to review prior to printing. This means that you need to be sure that the design files you submit are the way that you want them. You will receive an PDF file via email to review as a last check for placement of components prior to printing. If you're worried about the color outcome of your project, you can see a press match proof for an additional $95. This will add 2 days on to your schedule.

After the inserts have printed, you will receive, via FedEx, some copies of the finished printing to approve before we assemble them with the discs into the jewel cases. This way, if there is a problem due to something you missed while proofing your design, you can pay to have the job reprinted without having to pay for the CDs return, dissemble, reassemble and reshipping. Of course, if the problem is the printer's responsibility, the reprint will cost you nothing.

All Printing Is Done Via 4-Color Process: build and save your files for CMYK output. If your inserts are going to be 4:1 (color on one side and b&w on the other), be sure the b&w side is set to 100% K
(with the C, M, & Y sliders set to 0%) OR convert the b&w files to Grayscale. BE SURE TO CONVERT YOUR RGB FILES -- they will not output as film.

All Printing Is Done On Gang Runs at 150 LPI and is subject to slight color-variance. Custom-run print jobs will produce a closer match, but increase the printing cost by $300-$400.

Scan Images (color or b&w) into computer file at 300 DPI (or 150 L:PI). Check to be sure your application setting is also @ 300 DPI or PPI when you import the image from the scanner program into your document file.

Minimum of 1/8" margin is recommended for all TEXT in relation to trim edges and fold lines.

Be Sure to build a 1/8" overage for all images and/or colors that "bleed" off trim edges.

Turn Off any "hard lines" used to build templates or they will print. Our templates tell you which layers to turn off prior to submitting files.

Bar Code: If Audio Sphere is generating/placing a barcode, create a white box (1 1/4" x 1/2") where you wish to have it appear.

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Acceptable Software Formats

Macintosh

	Quark
	Pagemaker
	Photoshop
	Illustrator
	Corel Draw
	Freehand
	Framemaker
IBM/Windows
	Quark
	Pagemaker
	Photoshop
	Illustrator
	Corel Draw
	Freehand

Computer files may be submitted on
the following media

Zip

Recordable CD (CDR)

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Preparation For Design Submission

All Jobs: Include two sets of printouts (color or b&w) of each design segment, along with the completed Design File Submission Form (click here for form)

Important: Designs requiring color on inside panels of folder and/or traycard incur an approximate $200 upcharge.

The following file submission requirements must be met to avoid any delays or additional pre-press charges. Additional pre-press charges will only be added to the project cost when the customer has been notified and chooses to pay Audio Sphere as opposed to making the required adjustments and resubmitting the design file(s).

All Software Formats:
    Use Audio Sphere’s templates, turn off appropriate layers but leave crop marks and fold indicators. Layers to turn off are titled accordingly.
    All page spreads with any color must be in CMYK mode (not RGB, LAB, or anything else unless you’re paying extra for PMS SPOT colors)
    All b&w pages should be in Grayscale mode (as opposed to a CMYK, or 4-color, black)
    Files MUST have bleeds if color or image runs to trim edges (“trim” = where it will cut)
    Text should not be closer to trim than 1/8” inch

Individual Instructions Per Application:

Quark: Submit files as native .qxd files. Text set in Quark needs to be set with postscript fonts only. Text in linked files should be set with postscript fonts, OR have been rasterized (Photoshop), OR have been converted to outlines (Illustrator) or curves (Corel Draw).

PageMaker: Submit files as .eps files. Text set in PageMaker needs to be set with postscript fonts only. Text in linked files should be set with postscript fonts, OR have been rasterized (Photoshop), OR have been converted to outlines (Illustrator) or curves (Corel Draw).

Illustrator: Submit files as .eps files. Text set in Illustrator needs to be set with postscript fonts only OR have been converted to outlines. Embed all images (do not link them). Text in embedded files should be set with postscript fonts, OR have been rasterized (Photoshop), OR have been converted to curves (Corel Draw).

Photoshop: Submit files as native Photoshop files( .psd)
Do not flatten layers. All text should be rastarized.

Corel Draw: Submit files as .eps files. Text set in Corel Draw needs to be set with postscript fonts only OR have been converted to curves. Embed all images (do not link them). Text in embedded files should be set with postscript fonts, OR have been rasterized (Photoshop), OR have been converted to outlines (Illustrator).

FrameMaker: Submit files as .eps files. Text set in FrameMaker needs to be set with postscript fonts only. Embed all images (do not link them). Text in embedded files should be set with postscript fonts, OR have been rasterized (Photoshop), OR have been converted to outlines (Illustrator) or curves (Corel Draw).

FreeHand: Submit files as .eps files. Text set in FreeHand needs to be set with postscript fonts only. Embed all images (do not link them). Text in embedded files should be set with postscript fonts, OR have been rasterized (Photoshop), OR have been converted to outlines (Illustrator), or curves (Corel Draw).

All Other Formats: Submit files as .eps or .tif files. .EPS files need to have used postscript fonts only. .TIF files can utilize either truetype or postscript fonts. If the program you are using for your design cannot save the files as .TIF or .EPS, call us to discuss your options.

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Templates

CD
Quark Templates

2 Panel Insert

4 Panel Insert

6 Panel Insert Inside

6 Panel Insert Outside

8 Panel Insert Inside

8 Panel Insert Outside

10 Panel Insert

Traycard Inside & Outside

5x5 Cardboard Sleeve