A CD cover is the primary identification for any disc. The case itself is a safe-keep and a dust cover for the, disc but an interesting CD cover is a good addition to make the CD more marketable. Even if the CD is not for sale, you can design a CD cover to add finesse to your collection rack. If you are giving the CD, a well-designed CD cover adds emotional value to the disc.

Music companies and artists spend a lot of time on the CD cover design with several professionals on board, but you can make a CD cover even at home. CD manufacturers use offset printing to manufacture CD covers, but at home you can use a good inkjet as well.

A non-graphic artist can also print a CD cover at home. You can search on the Internet for CD cover designs. There are several websites that archive downloadable CD covers. Some websites offer these services on payment, while there are still others that archive CD covers from popular albums and movies.

A good CD cover website will allow you to download ready-to-print CD covers. These are fully laid out and cropped to the desired size. On the other hand, if you choose to just download an image you want printed on your CD cover, you will have to do some graphic editing and layout work before it can be printed.

Most images are of different sizes and resolutions. You will probably need to convert these images to the appropriate file format as well. You can use image-editing software to redesign the image, but all other layout design should ideally be done through DTP software. Another option is to scan the original image to size and then import it to an application to do the four-fold layout.

Printable CD covers are easy to use, and they lend a special touch to your CD collection. You can always opt for the services of a CD cover design company if you are looking for a truly professional touch.