What would be the best way to make a DVD insert?

[c073186]

I recorded the Olympics opening ceremony on my DVR and I want to put it on DVD and therefore make a cool looking DVD case insert for it. So I am wondering: what is the best way to do this? I have Illustrator and Photoshop. Which would be better to use and how would I do this? I am thinking of taking a bunch of Olympic pictures and making a cool collage or something. So Photoshop? Or would Illustrator be better? I am inexperienced in this area so advice is desired.

thanks.

 

[AlexisV]

Generally, you'd produce the images in Photoshop and any vector shapes in Illustrator and bring them all together in QuarkXPress or InDesign.

You're best off keeping text as smooth vector art as a rule, so I would set it up in Illustrator and place in any images you've created in PS.

 

[Jim Campbell]

Generally, you'd produce the images in Photoshop and any vector shapes in Illustrator and bring them all together in QuarkXPress or InDesign.

You're best off keeping text as smooth vector art as a rule, so I would set it up in Illustrator and place in any images you've created in PS.

Good advice, with the proviso that it depends somewhat on how the finished document is going to be output. If it's to a home inkjet, some may not like Postscript code found in vector EPSs.

For home printing, I would suggest that you could probably do the whole thing in Photoshop without suffering any serious quality issues.

Cheers!

Jim

 

[design-is]

Or if you don't have any of the expensive adobe programs, use word or publisher

But lets assume you do because you mentioned them.

 

[LeviG]

You don't need any fancy programs for dvd inserts. Some burning software actually has some supplied as standard.

However something like gimp/pages would do it fine too. All you need to do and I've done this loads of times is measure the case its going into (you do get different sizes and make layout which fits the dimensions (make note of the fold points) and then make sure you place things on the right side

 

[c073186]

I have pretty much all of them: Word, Pages, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

But how would I create the page so that I can see where the back / spine / front will be so I can arrange the images correctly?

 

[Jim Campbell]

I have pretty much all of them: Word, Pages, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

But how would I create the page so that I can see where the back / spine / front will be so I can arrange the images correctly?

As LeviG quite correctly states above, you measure the panels of an existing insert. Then you lay up a single page as shown below on a paper size that is bigger than the printed area. Place your images and text where you want them, output to, say, A4, which will give you whitespace around the edge of your print area, then cut and fold as marked.

Cheers!

Jim

PS: NOTE - Do NOT use my measurements because they are NOT accurate!

 

[Jim Campbell]

I have pretty much all of them: Word, Pages, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

Oh, last thought: of the apps listed above, Word is definitely not accurate enough for page layout tasks (not a criticism of Word, BTW, it's just not designed for this sort of thing) and I would use any of the Adobe apps over pages for the same reason.

Cheers!

Jim

 

[LeviG]

I agree completely with Jim and thats exactly as I meant

As to adobe app it really depends on which you're most fluid with. I've used photoshop many times for a dvd insert purely due to it being quicker for intended design and as it was a 'one off' done for personal use. If it was going to be more of a regular thing then I would say a template in indesign (actually this might have a pre-made template thinking about it) would be my approach.