Printing a CD Jewel Case Cover

I download music from sites like Magnatune and MusicZeit that feature entire albums complete with cover artwork. This requires that the customer print the cover, cut it out, and insert it into a CD jewel case. I don't mind making my own cover now that I know how, but it's been a trial-and-error process learning how to do it most effectively.

I'd like to share what I've learned, especially since I'm now a Magnatune artist selling downloadable music and artwork.

These steps assume that you have the complete artwork in a PDF file. So far this has always been the case with albums from MusicZeit; however, some albums from Magnatune only have a front cover picture. In that case, see the section What If There's No Cover? below.

Step 1: Choose the Paper and the Quality Setting

The paper thickness will determine the potential quality of the cover printing. For the best quality, choose paper that's thicker than normal.

I've had good results with EPSON Presentation Paper (Matte), catalog number S041062 (100 sheets). This paper is 4.9 mils thick and seems to be a good thickness for CD covers. Note that this paper is for ink jet printers only.

Paper that's a little thicker should be OK, too, but make sure it still folds easily.

If you use quality paper you'll be able to print using your printer's best quality setting. You can use plain paper if you're willing to sacrifice quality but you'll probably want to use the lowest quality setting (called "Draft" in my printer software). Light colors tend to print OK in Draft mode (although they're less vivid) but dark areas tend to cause "bubbling," especially if they're large.

Step 2: Print the Cover

The most important thing when printing is to make sure that the cover image doesn't change size. If you're using Adobe Reader, be sure to set the Page Scaling option to None. If you're using a current version of Evince (for GNU/Linux) no page scaling should occur (unless you set Scale to something other that 100%). Other PDF viewers may have similar features.

Be sure to specify the desired print quality and paper type (if applicable).

Make sure that the printed cover appears to be the right size.

Step 3: Cut Out the Cover

You can use scissors if that's all you have, but I found it helpful to buy a paper cutter. I have an X-Acto 12" Rotary Paper Trimmer (probably the model 26506 shown to the right). This model has a rotary blade that works much better than the cheaper straight blade model I had previously.

If there are guide lines, I find it helpful to cut on the inside of the lines. It's better to cut the cover a little small than to leave it too large; it's hard to trim just a little paper.

Step 4: Load the Jewel Case Cover

Here's the procedure I follow to insert the cover into the jewel case:

Fold the front cover insert in half.
Fold the rear tray insert to create the two spines.
Carefully remove the front of the jewel case from the rear tray (by prying the hinge area) and set the front part aside.
Separate the jewel case inner tray from the rear tray. The parts attach with small plastic pins that pop into holes; I use a small flat-blade screwdriver just inside the outside holes on the upper side of the tray to pry the tray loose.
Clean off any dust on the rear tray.
Insert the rear tray insert into the rear tray. Make sure it's aligned properly and that the spines are against the tray.
Re-attach the inner tray to the rear tray, being careful not to accidently catch the cover spines.
Re-attach the front of the jewel case.
Insert the front cover insert into the front of the jewel case.

What If There's No Cover?

Unfortunately, some albums I downloaded only had a front cover picture (in JPEG format). In those cases I created my own cover.

You may already have software for creating CD covers (for example, my CD burning software included a cover designer). If you're using a GNU/Linux system you may be able to use the rather crude CD cover creation tools I sometimes use. Alternatively, if you're good with graphics software you may be able to use CD cover templates and make your own cover that way. I've used templates from Neato (set the LABEL CATEGORIES drop-down list to CD/DVD Inserts & Sleeves to get the jewel case templates).

When you've created your cover you can start over at Step 1, although in this case you'll probably be printing from your designer program instead of from a PDF viewer.