Plenty of artists release a single, then an EP, then the album. We can set up a visual system at the start, so each cover looks different but the whole run clearly belongs together on your streaming profile and on the merchandise table.
Album cover design
A cover that works at thumbnail size.
Album cover design now has to work twice: as a small square on a phone screen and as printed packaging in a fan’s hands.
Who it’s for
Release artwork for artists, labels and organisations
We design covers and packaging for artists and independent labels, choirs and churches recording an album, and organisations putting a film, a course or a conference on disc.
The cover comes first. Once it holds up at the size of a thumbnail, we build the booklet, tray card and disc around it, then adapt it for streaming stores, social posts and posters. Vinyl sleeves follow the same artwork if you press records too.
Specification
Standard CD and DVD packaging parts
Sizes are the usual trims before bleed. We always build the final files on your manufacturer’s template, because spines and tray cards vary slightly between cases.
| Part | Typical size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jewel case booklet | 120 × 120 mm a page | From a single folded insert to a stapled booklet in multiples of four pages |
| Tray card | About 151 × 118 mm | The back panel, with a narrow spine strip at each end |
| Disc label | 120 mm across | Printed around the centre hole, to the plant’s template |
| Digipak or card wallet | Set by the dieline | Board packaging in four, six or eight panels |
| DVD case wrap | 273 × 183 mm | Front, 14 mm spine and back as one sheet |
| Streaming cover | 3000 × 3000 px | Square, RGB, JPEG or PNG |
Deliverables
What you receive
- The cover artworkThe master design at full resolution, square and ready for every format.
- Files for the pressing plantBooklet, tray card, disc and spine on the manufacturer’s template, with bleed and CMYK colour.
- Store artworkA 3000-pixel square in RGB, kept free of web addresses, prices and social handles, which stores reject.
- A promotion setSquare and tall versions for posts and stories, plus a release poster.
- Layered source filesEditable artwork for reissues, deluxe editions and merchandise.
Print & design
Related services
Questions
Questions about album cover design
Question not here? Send it to us and we will answer it directly.
Ask a questionWhat text has to be on CD packaging?
The artist and title on the cover and spine, the track list and whatever credits you want to include. Releases sold in shops also need a barcode, a catalogue number and the ℗ and © lines for the recording and the artwork. Your manufacturer or distributor will confirm exactly what they require.
Does the streaming cover have to match the CD?
It should. If the cover shows the artist name or title, stores expect them to match the release details you send your distributor. The image can be the same as the CD front, delivered as a 3000-pixel square in RGB. We check small lettering at thumbnail size, since most listeners first see the cover no bigger than a stamp.
Why do album artwork quotes differ?
Mostly because of the number of parts. A single cover for streaming is the lightest job, while a twelve-page booklet with lyrics, a digipak and a vinyl sleeve takes much longer. Commissioned illustration or a photo shoot is extra. Every part is priced on its own, so you can release digitally first and add the physical packaging later.
Can you design discs for a short duplicated run?
Yes. Short runs are usually duplicated onto printable discs and printed digitally, while larger runs are pressed and then screen or litho printed. Ask your supplier which method they use, because screen-printed discs use a few spot colours over a white base, and we set the disc artwork to suit.
Releasing in stages?
Commission your album cover design
Send us the release title, the formats you need, your release date and the manufacturer or distributor you use. Include any photos or ideas you already have. Every format is priced at a fixed figure. Then we get started on your album cover design.