What Is the Size of a DVD Cover in Photoshop?

Are you a designer or a movie enthusiast looking to create a DVD cover in Photoshop? One of the essential aspects of designing a DVD cover is understanding its dimensions. In this article, we will discuss the size of a DVD cover in Photoshop and how you can easily set up your canvas to ensure your design fits perfectly.

Understanding DVD Cover Dimensions

Before diving into Photoshop, it's important to understand the standard dimensions for a DVD cover. A typical DVD cover has a width of 273 mm and a height of 184 mm. These measurements include both the front and back covers, as well as the spine.

To ensure your design aligns with industry standards, it's crucial to allocate space for the front cover, back cover, and spine. The front cover usually takes up the majority of the space, with the back cover and spine sharing the remaining area.

Setting Up Your Photoshop Canvas

To create a DVD cover in Photoshop, follow these simple steps:

• Create a New Document: Open Photoshop and go to File > New. Set the width to 273 mm and the height to 184 mm. Make sure the resolution is set to at least 300 pixels per inch (ppi) for optimal print quality.
• Add Guides: To help you visualize where each section of the DVD cover will be placed, add guides. Go to View > New Guide. For vertical guides, enter values representing one-third and two-thirds of 273 mm (e.g., 91 mm and 182 mm). For horizontal guides, use values like one-fourth (46 mm) and three-fourths (138 mm) of 184 mm.
• Create Layers: It's always a good practice to organize your design elements in separate layers. Create a new layer for each section of the DVD cover (front, back, and spine) by clicking on the 'New Layer' button at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Designing Your DVD Cover

Front Cover: The front cover is the most prominent part of your DVD cover. It usually features the movie title, main artwork, and any other relevant information. Use the guides you created earlier to ensure your design fits within this section.

Back Cover: The back cover provides additional space for images, synopsis, cast and crew details, and other essential information. Again, refer to the guides to understand where this section begins and ends.

Spine: The spine is where you can display the title of the movie or any other relevant text. It's important to keep in mind that the width of the spine will vary depending on the number of pages in your DVD case. Typically, each page adds around 7 mm to the spine width.

In Conclusion

Designing a DVD cover requires meticulous attention to detail, especially when it comes to dimensions. By understanding the standard size of a DVD cover and properly setting up your Photoshop canvas with guides and layers, you can create professional-looking designs that perfectly fit within industry standards.

So go ahead and unleash your creativity in Photoshop while keeping these dimensions in mind!