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11. Using artwork to enhance your CD

Having discussed the musical and audio aspects of the recording, it's time to give some thought to the visual element. It can be quite sobering to realise that however outstanding your CD sounds, many buyers are going to decide whether or not to buy it purely on the basis of the appearance of the album - so the cover or "sleeve" design is vitally important.

It's an unavoidable fact that many potential buyers will judge the album by its cover, so finding a strong cover image provides a good starting point. It will help if your cover is not only striking and attractive but also reflects in some way the musical style and mood of the album. For example, a traditional picture of a country church may not be the ideal cover image for a hard-hitting rock or pop album!

Try to think what visual images are most closely associated with the concept, title or musical style of your album. If you have any contact with local artists, it might be possible to obtain some original artwork for the cover. Another option is to use a photo of some or all of the performers. This can be especially effective if you can find an original pose or interesting action shot.

If you don't have an original photo or drawing for the cover but have some idea of what you're after, it may be possible to obtain a photo from a commercial library and simply overlay the title and other text. Fees for library photos can be quite substantial and are based on the number of copies you're producing, so you'll need to build this into your budget.

For any photos or other graphical elements it's important to obtain the best quality version you can. Preferably this will be the original piece of artwork or a transparency or gloss print (at least 7" x 5") for photos. If you want to supply pictures on disk they'll need to be at a resolution of at least 300dpi at the size you want to use them, and ideally in TIFF or eps format.

Once you've decided on a cover image you can begin to think what else you need to include in the CD booklet. There are any number of options and what you include will depend on your particular circumstances. Some of the common items to include are:

• Track list: a more or less essential item which will probably need to include details of composer, author and arranger and perhaps copyright owners and track running times.
• List of performers: by no means essential, but often of genuine interest. (Seeing their name in print may also encourage the performers to sell the album themselves and their family and friends to buy it!) It would normally be expected that conductors, soloists and accompanists would be credited in recognition of their contribution to the album.
• Photos and biographies of conductors, soloists and groups: a very common feature of private and commercial releases.
• Programme notes: either a generic note about the album (especially helpful if you want to develop an overall theme or concept) or individual notes on each of the tracks. If you've got space you could include both. Asking a well-known guest writer to contribute notes can add to the credibility and interest of the album.
• Song lyrics: commonly included on pop CDs and some choral or vocal albums, but by no means essential. They could take up a lot of space and/or end up very small and difficult to read. If you want to reprint copyright lyrics you'll probably need to obtain written permission from the publisher in advance.
• Session photos: action shots from the recording sessions may be of direct relevance and interest and bring the listener closer to the album. However, poor amateur shots might look tacky and could detract from the presentation.
• Credits: As well as listing conductors, soloists and accompanists it's common to list the technical personnel directly involved in the project (e.g. producer, engineer, editor) and credit the studio, recording company, designers, photographers and so on.
• Legal and technical information: you'll probably need to include certain copyright notices, technical logos or notices and a catalogue number on the artwork to comply with legal requirements.

When it comes to laying out the CD booklet and inlay it's probably best to obtain the services of an experienced designer. There is a lot of design software now available for PC but unless you're already competent and experienced in preparing artwork for print it's probably best to leave it to the experts.

Specifications for CD packaging are highly detailed and don't leave much room for error so specialist expertise and facilities are invaluable. A good designer should also be able to help you ensure the final print is of the highest quality and reflects the work you've put into the album itself.

Having said this, it might be a good idea to experiment with the software you have to get a feel for possible layouts and how the booklet could be laid out. Even a basic word processing package can allow you to try out different layouts and gauge the amount of text which will comfortably fit in a given space so you'll know if your notes will fit.

If you can supply text electronically (e.g. via e-mail) which has been carefully edited and proof-read in advance it will save a lot of time and expense at the design stage. Most design studios will accept all the common PC or Mac formats but it's a good idea to always include a basic unformatted (ASCII) text version on the disk to ensure compatibility, along with a printout for reference.

During the design stage it should be possible for you to see one or more proofs and this provides an important opportunity for you to make corrections and alterations to the artwork.

Once the design is finalised (which may not be possible until the recording is mastered and the final running order and track times are confirmed) films will be run for printing and you'll be able to sign off the final colour-matched proofs (also known as cromalins or matchprints). This allows you to approve the final colours and provides a reference copy which the printers will match - but it is not usually possible to change the design itself at this stage without incurring extra costs.

Producing finished artwork from draft designs involves a lengthy process - in fact the design and printing often takes as long as the entire recording production process, so it's important to build this into your schedule.

It's never too early to make a start on pulling the artwork together. Much of the design, along with most of the text, can usually be prepared well in advance of the recording sessions. By starting as early as possible you'll be sure that the design and printing process does not delay the manufacturing and release of your album.

Your recording company or producer should be able to advise you on how to make a start on the artwork and put you in touch with good designers and printers. By finding the right cover image and working closely with your designers as the artwork comes together you'll achieve a cohesive presentation which will greatly enhance your album's chances of success.

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