Post 11 - (Basic) Step by Step Construction

Step 1 - Creating a canvas with dimensions 120mm x 120mm  as this is the side of the disc.

Step 2 - Elipse tool 118mm x 118mm using the transform box to place the center of the ellipse on 60mm x 60mm

Step 3 - I created the inner holding circle with dimensions 40x40mm so when i placed on my finishing logo cover from fireworks the dimensions would be the same and it would fit on easily.

Step 4 - Creating the 112 x 112mm circle to create bleed guide ensuring no text or image is lost as it ensures the text is within the bleed.

Step 4b - I created another inner circle to place text around with dimensions 46 x 46mm. however this remained as a simple guide because i decided to place the text on the bottom of the label and within the bleed.

Step 5 - I created a separate layer to place the main DVD logo onto from Photoshop. I saved the image in Photoshop as a TIFF format because when i would place it in the illustrator workplace the quality would not be effected as it would in other formats such as JPEG.

Step 6 - I created a third ellipse with dimensions 98.5mm x 98.5 mm so i could type the copyright text. I used other copyright texts to create the text for The Last Of Zombies Label.

Step 7 - Each of the texts and logo's have their own layers.

Step 8 - When i was typing the text i decided to not display the main logo as it displayed the guides for the text and the bleed.

Step 9 - I removed the black outline from the CD guides were removed and so were the bleed guides as they were of no use due to the text already having been placed.

Step 10 - To remove the excess image around the CD outline i created a rectangular shape on a template copy. I removed the fill the image to display the CD outline.

Step 11 - Pathfinder (Minus Option) to display just the CD and the main CD image within the outline.

Step 12 - I placed the finishing adobe image which is displayed below.

Post 10 - 3D Version CD Label - Amaray 3D

To add greater effect and quality of the game and image i decided to add a 3d version of the game label as well. I used the same DVD label image in Photoshop to edit but saved as a separate PSD 3D version. I duplicated the image layer naming one Red and the other Cyan. The red layer color was adjusted to remove the Green and the Blue displaying just the red. By holding down shift i moved it 50 pixels to the right. The CYAN layer had only the Blue and Green colour displayed and was moved 50pixels to the left. To finish the image of i cropped it the excess red and cyan on the sides. I intend to place this into a copy of the CD label illustrator file and make a 3D Label. This technique may then be used to create a 3D Amaray cover version as well using the same techniques. To view the 3D effect fully you require passive 3d glasses (red and blue).

Post 9 - Characters

I lasso tool removed the character and pasted it onto a new layer. In order to ensure the editing is non-destructive i create layer masks for each of the images. I refined the image before placing it onto the canvas by increasing the smoothness of the image to create a 3d effect for the character. Originally i tried to refine the radius by increasing it however this did not work correctly because the background color was similar to the character which means the background would be included. I used this technique of masking layers with all the characters to ensure the editing was non destructive and i could easily mask aspects of the image to edit. The final character below  carried background images such as greenery and other background features. I selected spot healing brush originally however  i felt it would be more efficient to use the patch tool as i could patch larger images to blend with the surrounding rather then working with continuous brush strokes. Once all the images had been placed onto the canvas i decided to merge all the layers together after carefully placing the images together. I then decided to create some final effects to the image before importing it into Adobe Illustrator.

The first character on the right hand side had the original background trim around the outside, as the images were originally on individual layers the eraser tool was used to remove the background. The patch tool was used to remove any original image textures and finish the image smoothly and ensuring it looked realistic.

Post 8 - Photoshop - Main Image

The main image was created in Adobe Photoshop and then transported into Adobe Illustrator to be constricted into the DVD Label. I pasted the images required into Photoshop. I used the lasso tool to remove the images from their original background. Whereas some suggest it is easier to use the poly or magnetic tools they unfortunately have some effects that ruin the images realism. The magnetic tool often used to include the background with similar colors and the poly tool was mostly used with shapes that had straight lines. The work space had a background cover of fire reflecting a war zone. Layers were created to paste the images onto. The end product in Photoshop looked like the following in the next blog post i shall go through the stages of editing all the images individually.

Post 7 - Finishing CD Label

The CD label at this stage had the copyright text, copyright logo and the "The Last Of Zombies" title in the center of the label. The PlayStation 2, DVD ROM, Region, Content Rating Logo's and PlayStation 2 title ere required to finish off the CD Label. Adobe Fireworks was used to create this as the images are not vector but are bit-map. Various layers were used in Fireworks , Black PS2 Game CD was used to ensure the necessary and required logos were placed on the CD Label. The shape tools and various images were used to create the overlay template which has a clear center which allowed the CD label image to be displayed through the template.

I created the vector images within Adobe Illustrator and then transported them into the finishing layer in Adobe Fireworks. I then pasted in the official images to the template spaces created before placing the finished image back within Illustrator.

Post 6 - Text and Image CD Label - Did not quite Work!

I used the bleed guideline to type the copyright text and also typed the copyright logo below the center CD circle. on the CD template. The main image was then created using Photoshop, the central character is the same used as the DVD game cover. Three characters were then edited and cut out from the original image and placed in the front center of the label. Each of the characters were pasted on to their own layers which were then organized in such a form so the images can over lap each other creating a smooth finish to the label. I shall create a post named charectrs to give updsates/ details on the editing of the chaacters.


I then decided to  add two characters with lowered laer opacity similar to the amaray cover on the top corners of the canvas. The right hand side image was give an increased ssmart rdius to around 80% whereas the left handside was given a lowered kayer opacity dsplaying how both of these tools an be used to the same effect.

Once i pasted the images onto the canvas they gave the correct effect and siplay howver when the image was cut on ukkustrator to display 120 x 120mm circular only haf of the two corner images were displayed.The end product did not look professional and also the two corners images were unnecessary as they did not display anything key and therefore they were then removed.

Post 5 - Creating CD Label template

I created a new file on Adobe illustrator and started by creating a circle using ellipse tool  diameters 120mm x 120mm. I then created the bleed edge using the ellipse tool at diameters 112mm x 112 in order for me to type the text within the bleed margins so the text does not exceed the print margins.

I created the center circles using the accurate dimensions 40mm x 40mm and a slightly lager one with dimensions 46mm x 46mm to create the plastic transparent inner rim and the clear center was the smaller elipse. The basic template had been completed and the images. logos and text needed to be added.

Post 4 - Idea for CD Label Template

The CD label was created in adobe illustrator CS6 however i shall use Adobe Photoshop and Fireworks when creating and editing the main image for the label. The first step was to research some PlayStation DVD labels to create a template of what my label was to look like and to ensure it has a similar professional finish.The DVD label will also have bold images and the editing will attempt to create the sense of movement to portray action. Similar to the creation of the Amaray Case i shall first of all create the template for the CD label. The finishing shall be created on Adobe Fireworks once again with the various logos pasted on the image and the center circle and rim.