Question for custom cover art gurus... (1 Viewer)

[Tom Rags]

Even though Matt D's wonderful dvdcoverart.com is scheduled to come back pretty soon, I am interested in dabbling a bit myself in the world of custom coverart.

Out of curiosity, what program do those of you who do this sort of thing use? Do you use Adobe Photoshop? It looks like the full version of Photoshop is pretty darn expensive, so is there a less expensive alternative out there? I noticed that there is an inexpensive Adobe "Elements" 2.0 package for less than $50.

Also, once I get the software going, do you have any pointers for a coverart novice?

Thanks in advance for any help!

--Tom

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I don't know much about coverart myself, but Adobe Elements is an add-on to Photoshop. You can't use Elements without Photoshop. There are other add-ons as well, so don't be fooled by other Adobe products. There are alternatives however. Paint Shop Pro is a good one. I have used it many times, and some people swear by it. I don't know if the images produced with PSP are as good as Photoshop, but I am sure with a little practice, they can come close. Also, there is the GIMP, which is supposed to be excellent as well. Gimp is Free, PSP is a free download, but registration is $80.00

 

[Paul_Scott]

i could have sworn hearing that photoshop elements is a 'lite' version of the full photoshop, with less flexability, power, controls etc.
i would look into elements further.
i think it would have every tool you need.
the big thing is to dig up good scans of the artwork, keep the designs simple & clear, and don't mix too many fonts.
obviously there are no 'rules', but these are general guidelines for a professional looking job.
some of my covers are here:
Link Removed
look under dvd jacket art- ckolchak
it used to be fun, but typing out all the cast & credits and formatting all the text can be a pain.
i'm happy with the ones i have done and printed out though.
Good Luck!

 

[Rodney]

I don't know much about coverart myself, but Adobe Elements is an add-on to Photoshop.

No Joshua, Elements is not an add-on to Photoshop. It is Photoshop lite, and replaces PhotoDeluxe (though I think Adobe still sells that old software).
Adobe Photoshop Elements

 

[Todd Phillips]

No need to be "fooled by Adobe"...just go to the Adobe site and download the try-out version of Elements for yourself. (It won't let you save, but you can do everything else).

Elements does most everything you will need. I own Photoshop, but a friend has Elements, and I've been impressed with its power. Plus it can open Photoshop files and edit them.

You'll want to learn about layers. They are a great help with any collage-type image design (such as DVD covers). They allow you to move and edit different parts of the image around with ease and without affecting the other parts.

 

[Jeff_HR]

I've been using Paint Shop Pro with pretty good success. I heartily recommend it.

 

[Will_B]

Adobe is great and fairly intuitive if you keep at it. And there's another reason why Adobe is a good choice for a DVD fan.

A few months ago, Adobe licensed the guts of Sonic Solution's DVD authoring script for some DVD related product, yet to be announced, which is expected to be an A to Z program for creating your home DVDs. This will surely include convenient ways to interface PhotoShop with it, so that one can create their DVD menu screens in PhotoShop and import them into the DVD creation software program with tremendous ease. (I am sure any program they come up with will allow one to make their menus on any art or photo program they wish, but you can bet they'll make it most convenient for other Adobe products such as PhotoShop).

You'll like Adobe's intuitive menus too.