Graphics FAQs

You need to download our templates which can be opened in any graphics program. Make sure all of your photos are at least 300dpi. Follow the instructions on the templates regarding bleed and color mode, or if you find this to be overwhelming, our in-house graphic designers are more than willing to help you out.

Or, you can use our online design tool and create all your graphics right on our website.

There are two main color modes. CMYK and RGB. The basic rule of thumb; CMYK is used for printing, RGB is for looking at things on a screen.

CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. CMYK is also what is often referred to as four-color or process color.

It is important that you work in the CMYK color mode. What generally happens if you work in RGB, is that your printed graphics come out looking a little duller and less saturated than what you see on your screen.

Bleed is the printing term for extending the image or background past the cut line. When cutting paper there might be a nominal amount of shifting that occurs. To ensure that there will be no sliver of unwanted, white border once the paper is cut, we require 1/8" of bleed. All our templates have bleed lines built in to help you place your images properly.

Safety is the printing term for ensuring that all text and important elements will not be cut off. The safety lines are 1/8" inside of the cut lines. All of our templates have clear indications of where the safety lines are.

Detailed and illustrated instructions can be found on our "How to create CD graphics in Photoshop" page.

Detailed and illustrated instructions can be found on our "How to create CD graphics in Illustrator" page.

For duplication we use the highest rated CD-Rs with a white flood, to get the best possible print quality. With duplication orders we cannot let the silver base show through.

For replication (500+ qty) we normally flood the discs with white for optimal image quality, but if you prefer a silver knock out, please let us know when you place your order.

If you intend to sell your discs in any stores or online at sites like amazon.com, you should have a barcode. Unlike most of our competitors, we will be happy to create you a barcode for free.

The material and printing process for discs versus cardboard packaging are different, therefor a perfect color match between them should not be expected. Due to this an experienced graphic designer will try to avoid using the same image or color scheme on different elements of a package.

Computer monitors can be calibrated in a number of ways and are NOT an accurate representation of the finished printed product. Some color variation is to be expected. If color match is very important to you, you can order hard copy proofs at an added cost. Simply email us or give us a call at (503) 610-2929 to order your hard copy proofs.

The PDF proofs emailed to you are to ensure that each panel lines up as intended, that the barcode is placed right where applicable, to ensure that the correct version of the graphics are being used if multiple versions have been sent us, that all important elements are within the text safety lines, and gives you a final opportunity to make sure that everything is spelled correctly.