How To: Make DVD Covers In Photoshop
There are many different reasons you would want to make a DVD Cover in Photoshop. Most people just get out a Sharpie and write the name of whatever is on the DVD on the DVD itself and throw it into a CD / DVD folder. This tutorial is not for these types of people, this tutorial is for the few of us who appreciate artwork and like to show of our DVD collection.
Before I start with this tutorial, let me point out that there is a great website, http://cdcovers.cc
This website has a DVD cover for just about every movie ever released on DVD, just download the cover and print it out, but what about those home movies that you need a cover for ? What if you don’t like a certain cover and want a custom one. That’s where my tutorial comes in.
Photoshop just happens to be the perfect tool to create DVD Covers, DVD Labels, Inserts, etc…
Let’s start with the Template, please go ahead and download the following template so that you can follow along with the tutorial.
Once you have the template downloaded you can proceed to open Photoshop. Let’s start with the DVD Cover Template.
Make A DVD Cover In Photoshop
Open Photoshop and then open the DVD_Cover_Template.psd file. If you’ve ever worked with Photoshop then you probably know all about layers. If you haven’t then no worries. This tutorial will walk you through what you need to know to successfully make a DVD Cover In Photoshop. Once you have opened the DVD_Cover_Template.psd file you should see something similar to the illustration below.
DVD Cover Template
Notice the Layers in this Template file, you should see 3 Layers: Leave this Layer, Hide This Layer Guide, and Background. We will be creating some new layers.
DVD Cover Template - Layers
Click and hold on the Text Tool Icon it looks like this – 
, this should bring up a drop down similar to the illustration below.
Photoshop Text Tool Sub Menu
Select the Vertical Type Tool. Once you have the tool selected, make sure that Layer 1 is still highlighted. Then click on the Spine region of the DVD Cover Template. You should now have something similar to the illustration below. You may have also noticed that a new layer has been automatically created with a truncated version of the text that we wrote in the Spine. Each time you click on an area of the template with the text tool a new layer will be created, which is exactly what we want since this will make positioning, styling, etc… much easier.
DVD Cover Template - Spine
Ok, so now that we have the spine of our DVD Cover created we can move on to the front of the DVD Cover. In this tutorial I will not cover artwork or how to style text and make it look all fancy, that part is completely up to you to play with and figure out.
Click back and hold on the Text Tool again and select Horizontal Type Tool and then go ahead and click on the right side of the template and type some text. When you are finished typing the Title go ahead and type some more text just keep clicking on different areas of the Template. When you are done with the right side you can proceed to the left / back side of the template. When you are all done with your typing you might have something similar to the below.
DVD Cover Template - Finished
Are you all done yet ? Hmm… what should we do now ? Oh yeah, we need to save the cover, in my opinion it is best to save it as a jpg and the best way to do that is as follows. Before we save, we should get rid of the guides since they will make our cover look ugly. Scroll through your layers and find the Hide This Guide Layer. You should see an eye next to it on the left. Click on the Eye and the layer disappears. Now we can Save, yay !!
DVD Cover Template - Guide Layer
- File -> Save For Web & Devices
- Preset on the top right, select JPEG High
- Click Save and choose a filename and location.
- Click Save
DVD Cover Template - Save For Web & Devices
DVD Cover Template - Save
After the Save has completed you can close Photoshop. It will ask you to Save the file, be sure to NOT save the template so that you can use it again for future covers. Now all you need to do is open the JPEG file and print it and Voila, your very own DVD Cover.
Hopefully you’ve learned something from this tutorial and aren’t scratching your head. I have a tendency to skip over obvious things sometimes. If anyone has any questions about something that I may have left out, please comment and let me know.
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Is there anyway to add say pictures to this
Yes, the way I usually do it is I open the picture in photoshop and then hit Command + A for Mac or Control + A for Windows this selects the entire image then I do Command + C for Mac or Control + C for Windows which copies the image to memory. Then I would go to the DVD Cover that I’m making and create a new layer and then paste the image that was previously copied into memory by using Command + V for Mac or Control + V for Windows.
Hope that helps
thanks for the template!!!!
You’re welcome
Chris,
I need to send another box to you for modding my Lite-On drive, i was needing your mailing address info and to let you know I would have one in route to you today if I get the mailing info in time.
Regards,
Rob W
Rob,
Sent you an email with the info.
Chris
Hi Chris! Wonderful tutorial! Would you happen to have the same kind of template for a standard-sized CD cover? That would include the front cover, the insert and the back (with the sides included)
Nice tuts. check out my blog buddy,
dexter,
Thanks, I did check out your blog, you do nice work.
Chris
Timo,
I’ll check what I’ve got in my mess of folders, if I can’t find something I’ll just make it in Photoshop and make a tutorial for it. Check back every now and then or subscribe to RSS.
Chris
This was perfect. Quick and to the point and I like how you did not take me to another site and try to sell my something!
Matt,
Thanks, I’m glad you found it useful.
Chris
Chris,
Thank you for this. It’s great. One question. How do you change the spine color to black with white text? Thanks again
Hey Chris, figured it out, but now when I print the dvd cover, the size is about 3/4 inch to an inch to small in the width. Driving me nuts trying to resize it. I am trying to make the image roughly 7.25″inches and 10.75″ inches. argh. I am working on it, but if you have any suggestions?…. thank you
All good Chris. Got it. Thanks for the template
Nels,
Sorry I didn’t get to reply sooner. Glad you figured it out though.
Chris
It took me forever to find a usable template. Beautiful! Thank you.
Hi Chris thanks for template i am having the same problem as nel, its printing too small
only i cant fiqure it out, please help
Curtis,
Glad you found it useful.
Chris
Paul,
What are you using to print the template with? How are you saving it after you are done editing in Photoshop?
Chris
Chris,
Thank you. You saved me from tearing all of my hair out.
Jake.
This is really cool and easy to follow. I can finally make my own covers for all my home movies.