How to Make a CD Cover

With the advent of music-burning technology, we have all but forgotten the beauty of album cover art. Whenever you make a compilation of great music on a CD, don't neglect the cover of the CD case. Make your CD covers as attractive as the music on the CD. Learning how to make your own CD cover is as easy as learning how to put together a collage.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• CD case with manufacturer's label inside
• Heavy 6-inch square paper, any color
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Glossy magazines with lots of photographs
• Glue stick
• Clear 2-inch-wide packaging tape
• Pens or markers

Prepare the Materials

1. Remove the manufacturer's label from the CD jewel case.

2. Trace the outline of the label onto heavy paper using the pencil.

3. Cut out the resulting rectangle.

Plan the Design

1. Think about what you want your CD cover to look like. Perhaps you want to create and outdoor scene, a stylized silhouette of a person or an intriguing collection of disparate photographs. Consider the music on the CD and try to make a cover that matches the theme or mood of the music.

2. Use a pencil to lightly sketch your design on the heavy cardboard.

3. Consider the different kinds of magazine images you could assemble, in collage form, to "color in" the design you've drawn.

4. Cut images from magazines to fill in your sketch. Think about the relationships of colors to one another and the way your final design will look.

Assemble the CD Cover

1. Trim the magazine pictures, and fit them into place on your sketch.

2. Use the glue stick to hold the pictures in place on the cardboard.

3. Finalize your design by loosely sticking all the pictures into place.

4. Write the name of your CD in a visible place on the design with the pen or markers.

5. Create a shiny, polished finish for your design by taping over it with clear packing tape. Use several pieces of tape, lining up their edges to create a uniform, clear finish. Trim the excess tape from the edges.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut out a piece of the heavy paper to fit into the slots on the CD case if your CD jewel case doesn't come with a label. Most CD labels are about 5 inches long and 4.75 inches high.

• Consider using pictures in unexpected ways. For example, a round rose could be a setting sun, or the figure of a reclining person could be mountains in a landscape. Juxtapose completely unrelated objects for an interesting effect.

• Don't worry about neatness or precision. This CD cover is meant to look artistic and creative. The clear packing tape gives the CD cover a finished look that makes up for any minor errors.

• Buy sheets of adhesive transparent plastic at the office supply store, and use one of these instead of the packing tape.

Resources

• Learn how to make a CD cover by studying some famous collages at Collage Art.