How to create dvd covers?

Question

Few months back i had my twins and were busy making their video, last week i burn the their videos on movie and would like to create dvd covers. I found out my office system have photoshop cs4.
My question is, how can i create dvd covers with cs4? Where little bit i can do customize the covers with title names or twins pictures. I did google but not much find on this topic. Thought i would ask official adobe forum where people are there to help newbee.
I would be highly apperciate your help.
bobby

Answer 1

Bobby,
I am not aware of any tutorials on this, but there are probably many out there. [Edit] As John pointed out down thread.
My advice would be to gather up some blank paper, scissors, a ruler and pen. Create a New Image to the dimensions of an existing DVD insert at the ppi/dpi of your printer (probably around 200 - 240). Create a new Layer and turn the Grid on, with Snap to Grid on. Using your ruler, and maybe the pen to draw out the elements (front cover, back cover and spine), use the Pen Tool to recreate this layout. Choose Stroke Work Path (Path's Palette) to get guidelines. Remember to set your Pencil Tool and color before you Stroke Path so you can see your lines, in a color that will be obvious. This will be your layout and your "template," and should be Saved to a handly location on your system. Maybe even make a copy of it elsewhere, in case you forget to d a Save_As, when you start editing. You can even make notes to yourself as to orientation for each panel, etc. I'd put these layout items in a separate Layer Set for ease in the next operation. Take a look at your 8.5 x 11 paper (if that is what you'll print to) and lay your sample DVD insert over it to determine where you'll want your Crop Marks. I'd probably choose two sides, if you can print borderless, and then draw in the other two sides with a thin Stroke on another Layer. This one WILL be left ON, when you print, so you can take to them with the scissors.
Open your "template" and leave visibility ON for that Layer Set. Do your image and text work, based on that layout. During this process, you can turn OFF your Text Layers, with your "instructions" and annotations, to keep your view clean. When done, turn OFF visibility for the layout Layer Set, and send your image to your printer. Trim that output and insert it. Does it work? If not, modify the layout.
If you have a lot of different cases, do one for each and name accordingly. The secret is when you Open that template, immediately do a Save_As with your Project's name, as you do NOT was to Save over your template. That is why I suggested making a copy of each elsewhere - "stuff" happens. For most of my templates, I set their attributes to Read Only, and just click out of the warning message about having to Save with another name.
Good luck, and if I do find a tutorial, I'll post for you. Also, there may well be premade templates for common DVD cases, however as there are several, yours might/might not fit those. That is why I do them as I need them.
Hunt
Message was edited by: the_wine_snob - Added [Edit]