Creating stickers for self-recorded discs is a good opportunity to give additional aesthetics to the family photo and video archive, as well as help in structuring the film archive. So, if the disk gets into a "foreign" box, you will immediately see it. In this article, we'll show you how to implement it.

Buying the Right Paper

Almost all laser printers suitable for printing on self-adhesive labels. This is indicated in the instructions for the device - look for a page that lists the types of media that are allowed (among them can be plain paper, photo paper, stickers, etc.).

It is more difficult with inkjet printers: firstly, not all models are suitable for this type of media, and secondly, labels suitable for it will need to be selected for a specific model. Otherwise, you may need to repair office equipment :)

Usually self-adhesive labels for discs are sold in A4 format - two stickers are placed on one sheet, which are already cut to fit the shape of the disc. It will only be necessary to print a picture on them and stick it on a disk.

Creating a cover with Nero CoverDesigner

After a suitable paper is purchased, you need to create the images themselves that will be applied to it. For this purpose, different programs can be used. Let's tell you how to work in the simplest and most common - Nero CoverDesigner.

1. Launch Nero Burning Rom. If not, then you need to download and install.
2. In the main menu, go to the "Add-ons" tab, and then click on "Make a sticker or label":

1. The CoverDesigner will open. Next, you can choose either a ready-made template, or an “empty” option, which is already filled with the desired picture and signature.
2. Select the desired image, adjust its location on the disk. You can add an inscription.

1. When everything is ready, start printing. Be sure to check that the media type and size are correctly specified in the settings.

Sticking a label on a disc

It won't be too difficult. The main thing is to do it carefully. Just align the sticker and the outside of the disc evenly along the outline.

Another way to create disc stickers

There is a more artisanal method:

1. Purchased special paper.
2. In any program that works with images, the desired image is created immediately, taking into account the edges of the disk. For example, in Corel or Photoshop. For simple tasks, you can get by with Paint. If the image sticks out of the edges of the label, it's okay. Anyway, you stick the area you need, the rest will go to the trash.
3. Now the most important thing is to correctly set the print settings before giving a command to the printer. Pay special attention to media type and resolution.

If you managed to get "single" stickers (when a label for one disc is placed on one sheet), keep in mind that this is A5 format, you should specify a resolution of 140x210 for it.

1. The last step is to put a label on the disc.

With this method, you will have to work hard to correctly align the position of the image on the sheet with the area of ​​the sticker sheet that will be transferred to disk.

Instead of a conclusion

In the article, we considered only the option of printing labels on a regular home printer. There are devices with a special mechanism that immediately applies a sticker to the disc. We left this behind the scenes, since those who have such equipment already know how to use it.

Russian | English installation and portable registered versions in one installer!

Dataland CD Label Designer 7.1.754 is a program for creating a variety of labels and covers for CD / DVD discs, booklets, business cards, envelopes, etc. The entire process of creating a cover takes place under the strict guidance of the “master”, while it is possible to use it as ready-made templates (and editing them is permissible ) and apply your own. When creating covers for a music disc, it is possible to download track titles from the Internet CDDB database. The interface is beautiful, clear and convenient for comfortable work. The program can print covers in real size, which are ideal for CD boxes.

System requirements:
Windows XP | vista | 7 | 8 | 10 (x86, x64)

Torrent Create covers for CD / DVD discs - CD Label Designer 7.1.754 RePack (& ​​Portable) by ZVSRus in detail:
The main features of the CD Label Designer program:
Design and print.
Creation of front covers.
Create inner covers (can also be printed as a booklet).
Creation of back covers (with text).
Covers for DVD boxes.
Creation of booklets.
Creating round disc stickers.
Create stickers on the disk in the form of business cards.
Resizing feature.

Repacking information:
Type: Installation | Unpacking. (Portable version by ZVSRus)
Interface language: Russian | English
Activation: Cured (key)
Cut: Other localizations.

Command line switches:
Silent installation of the Russian version: /VERYSILENT /I /RU
Silent installation of the English version: /VERYSILENT /I /EN
Silent unpacking: /VERYSILENT /P
Do not create shortcut(s) in the start menu: /VERYSILENT /I /NS
Do not create shortcut(s) on the Desktop: /VERYSILENT /I /ND

Screenshots Create CD/DVD covers - CD Label Designer 7.1.754 RePack (& ​​Portable) by ZVSRus torrent:

Printing disc labels is a fairly simple and inexpensive process. Often we burn CDs or DVDs and sign them by hand or take them to specialized places for later labeling. Why do not many people print the label right away, at home? Yes, because usually everyone thinks that this task will take a lot of time, effort and money. But this is not always the case! For the manufacture of labels on discs, it is necessary to use a specialized software. For example, SureThing CD/DVD Labeler. With this program, you can create professional CD and DVD labels without much investment in specialized equipment. You will also need an inkjet printer and CD/DVD labels designed for use with inkjet printers.

Label design with SureThing CD Labeler

1. Open the SureThing app and select New Design to open the Design Wizard.

2. In the Design Wizard, select "CD/DVD Labels". Select the type of label you need from the list of product labels. Click "Next".

3. In the Smart Design screen, select the type of label you want to print. Select "CD Face" from the dropdown list. Click the Browse button to select wallpapers from different areas. Click "Next".

4. Use the text box to create the main content of the CD/DVD label. Select "Create Text Frame for Entering Text". Select "Text Effect" - the shape, font and color of the text. When you have finished creating your project, click the "Finish" button.

Label printing

1. When you're ready to print, choose Print from the File menu to open the Print dialog box.

2. The program prints one label by default. Use the up/down arrows to select the number of labels to print.

3. The label printer appears as the default printer. If you want to use a different printer, click the down arrow and select desired device from the list.

4. Paper source displays Current state paper feed.

5. Select the appropriate media type, such as matte or glossy, from the drop-down list.

6. After setting all required options, click OK to return to the print dialog box. Click OK to close the Print dialog box and start printing your label.

Label installation

1. Remove the sticker from the sheet.

2. Carefully place the sticker on the CD or DVD. Some software comes with an applicator that you can use to attach a label to a CD or DVD. That's it!

Label formats for CDs and DVDs

Templates for printing on StarMaster stickers

In this article, we will be rolling to disk. That is, it is clear that nowadays anyone can install a program like Disc cover and print a special sticker for knurling or print knurling directly on the disc, if the printer supports this function. Personally, I'm not interested home version. Programs of this type are too simple to write manuals on. They are already sharpened for knurling, they have 101 options for templates for covers and anything else. You don’t need to think about resolution, take any picture and go. The color model doesn't matter either. The home printer prints in RGB, converting it to CMYK on the fly.

We are also interested professional solution. That is, you release discs on an industrial scale, and not at home for the soul make out a photo album. Perhaps you want to record and sell your course DVD, or you may just be connected to the industry. What to do, how to be and how the preparation of a knurling differs from the preparation of a flyer or a business card? These are the questions before us.

As usual, at the end of the lesson, you can download all the source files, thumbnails, Ai and PSD files from the lesson.

How to roll to disk

So what is the difference between knurling on a disk and a flyer or business card? The answer to this question is simple. Nothing. The preparation of the knurling is practically the same as the preparation of the Flyer. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you read some of the old articles on the Khronofag.ru website, in which the process of preparing graphics for printing is described in as much detail as possible.

However, let's not be distracted and start working.

Working area and knurling dimensions

The knurling dimensions are simple:

• For DVD- size of the circle 116.2mm and hole size 18.8mm
• For CD- size of the circle 116mm and hole size 24mm .

The difference, as you can see, is not big, but significant for a company engaged in disc stamping. In any case, if you already know who will print the knurling for you, I advise you to ask him for sizes. Various printers have different requirements to layouts. The surest way to get it right is to contact the printer and ask for layout requirements and the layout itself. Some printers require a hole in the knurling, some do not. The presence or absence of it will not be critical.

For knurling, I suggest choosing a complex option. Our knurling will consist of a photo and some vector elements. That is, we will start with Photoshop and finish in Illustrator.

Workspace in Photoshop

Create a workspace in Photoshop. I chose options for DVD disk, so we create a workspace 116,2 on the 116.2 mm. Maybe even a little more. I will put no 116,2 , a 120 mm. These are not blinds. Just having a little extra room for maneuverability is more convenient than adjusting millimeter by millimeter. When importing the graphic into Illustrator, we will cut off those extra 4mm.

For the rest, be guided by the materials of the article Ready to print in 10 minutes. CMYK, 300dpi, and the correct color profile recommended by the knurling company.

Area of ​​work on the disk

Before you start creating graphics, it would be nice to understand where on this square area there will be a hole, where the corners will be cut off? How to arrange the composition of graphics elements taking into account the cropped areas? To do this, it doesn’t hurt to simply mark unnecessary places in the layout in a way that is clear to you. In illustrator we would just draw a couple of circles and convert them to guides Guides. But in Photoshop, guides can only be vertical or horizontal.

Choosing a tool Ellipse Tool. Go to the settings panel and select the option fixed size , where we enter the dimensions of the circle. In our case, the size of the knurling for the disk 116.2 mm on the 116.2mm. More about settings Ellipse Tool in the article Tools Primitives in Photoshop.

We click on the workspace and get a figure with a specific size. Applying the Style Layer > Layer Style > Stroke and choose a prominent color. And we remove the fill of the figure in Fill.

You can simply place the circle in the center by eye. Now do the following:

• Click CTRL+R - calls the line. If there is no need.
• Click CTRL+T - includes Free Transform for a circle.
• Click on the ruler and "pull out" the guides with it.
• Attach to the anchors of the circle, exactly in the middle of the work area.
• By the way, anchors are visible only thanks to the active Free Transform, which is why we need it.

In exactly the same way, create a hole for knurling DVD. Apply Style Stroke. fill Fill down to zero. Place in the center following the guides. Well, the dimensions are higher - 18,8 on the 18.8mm for hole DVD. Markup layers can be locked so that they do not interfere with work.

Design for knurling

The knurling design is not the focus of this article. I am naively convinced that a person who has wandered into an article about knurling is interested in layout and preparation for printing, and not in design. The design is limited only by your imagination. However, I also don’t want to sculpt something ridiculous. Let's assume that our knurling is created for a film from the Khronofa.ru site. Let it be video courses or something like that. For the design of this cover, I found a small poster on the topic of CMYK printing. The size of the poster is obviously insufficient to cover the entire knurling. Therefore, I will make a selection of empty areas.

And I'll press Edit > Fill in which I choose content-aware. This option will fill selected areas with a texture based on the graphics on the layer. Therefore, images of language and colors will often flash in the texture. CMYK. To get rid of them, you will have to select the unwanted areas again and click again. Edit > Fill And so on until the pieces of the tongue are exterminated.

To bypass the tenfold use of the option Fill just copy the language CTRL+C and fill all areas together with the language, excluding it from the graphics, on the basis of which the selection places will be filled.

Now you have to press Edit > Fill only once. And the language can be returned to its place by Paste through CTRL+V

That's it, I'm done with the design. Disable marking layers. We don't need them anymore. We save the knurling in PSD format. Let's move on to Illustrator.

Workspace in Illustrator

We do the same in Illustrator. Create a work area slightly larger than the knurling size. Let it be 120mm on the 120mm. Everything else is the same. CMYK color model. Blinds in our case are not needed. The resolution of raster effects can be immediately set to 300dpi. View Mode overprint. You can read about what Overprint is in my article What is Overprint.

Creating a layout layout

In order to make a knurling layout, select a tool Ellipse Tool and click on the workspace. Enter the knurling dimensions in the dialog box. If you remember this 116,2 on the 116.2mm. The circle will be created anywhere, so position it in the center of the workspace. To do this, you do not need to draw intricate guides and “search for the center” as in Photoshop.

Just open the panel Align. She is in Windows > Align. Then center the circle vertically and horizontally. In the panel settings should be selected Align to Artboard, which means - alignment on the workspace.

In the same way, we create a hole. hole size 18.8mm on the 18.8mm. We center and color both circles in different colors, for an intuitive understanding of where everything is.

Now select both elements with the tool Selection Tool and select both circles. We need to merge them into one so that the hole becomes a hole, as in the letter "O". To do this, we will create a complex figure Object > Compound Path > Make or CTRL+8

Laying out the layout

With markup, everything is simple. It would be nice to define the center horizontally and vertically. It's also a good idea to draw circles, like we did in Photoshop, to stay away from the edges of the knurl when placing the design elements.

With vertical and horizontal guides, everything is exactly the same as in Photoshop. CTRL+R includes line. Pull out the guides from it. For the circle guides, create 2 new circles. The first is slightly smaller than the knurling size for the disk - 113 on the 113 mm instead of 116.2. The second circle will be slightly larger than the hole. 22 on the 22 mm instead of 18.8mm.

Center both circles with Align panels. Select them and go to View > Guides > Make Guides

Importing the knurling design and making a mask

To import a knurling design go to File > Place and select the design layout that we have saved in the format PSD.

Graphics should be behind the knurling layout. You can move it back with commands like Object > Arrange > Send Backwards or on the panel Layers just like in Photoshop.

Now select both elements, the graphic and the knurling. Make sure no guides are selected. Block them or hide them. Select Object > Clipping Mask > Make. The top circle turns into a vector mask and hides part of the graphics.

Knurling design

What else is missing from our knurling? Suppose there are not enough copyrights and text about the creator. We create a circle. The circle must be 1 mm smaller than the guide circle we created above.

Now choose a tool Type on Path Tool, hover over the circle and click. In general, now you can put any text on a vector path. The principles of operation are the same as in Photoshop. I described them in the article Circle Text in Photoshop. Just position the text as you like, make it smaller, choose the right font.

What else is missing from the knurling? Of course, the names and special characters that are typical for all DVDs. Region icons, disk format, logos, and so on. Here's what I got after a few minutes of work. Of course, I already had the logo badges in my spare pocket.

It remains only to save the knurling of the disk in PDF and for one AI formats. No special settings are needed for this. I described the process of saving in almost all articles about printing. Just choose File > Save As In the format dialog box PDF. In the PDF dialog box, you only need to set one setting PDF/X-1a:2001 We do not need cut marks, since there is nothing to cut.

The resulting knurling can be safely sent to the company for printing knurling on disks.

Download file

As I promised, you can download everything I did in this tutorial. In the package you will find PSD file with graphics from Photoshop, AI file for illustrator and printed PDF. After that, a download link will appear. All the best, successful experiments.