What is a "full package design"?

• A "full package design" is a unique and personalized design, focused on putting you visually ahead of your competitors on the retail shelf. We professionally define and integrate your message (for example, on the face of the CD and all the jewel box inserts). Your album/package cover often will sell your product!

What content do you suggest on my package for mass marketing and distribution?

• Think of inserting sales and marketing elements into the package design:
   
• A track list, with tracks numbered and track lengths
• Credits to writers, songwriters, and artists/musicians
• Credits to the publishers
• A copyright notice indicating year of production and a statement warning against reproduction
• Your catalog number
• A UPC code (recommended)
• "Made in USA"
• Ordering and contact information (i.e. phone number, web address)
• A short history of your band/organization and its accomplishments
• (For music:) Lyrics
• (For multimedia:) Disc format, installation and run instructions.
   
• On the face of the CD, repeat the artist name, CD title, copyright notice, catalog number, and "Made in USA." Also, put the " compact disc" logo.

What if I provide some of the art or photos, and let KABA do the rest?

• We will finish the design at our competitive design rates. You can provide us with things to scan, or you can provide us with electronic art. Follow the Art Specs for "resolution" and "color" settings if you scan the photo (or artwork) yourself.

What if I need a publicity photo on my cover?

• We can refer you to a professional photographer. Or, we can scan your existing publicity photo and give it some artistic treatment. We still recommend putting thought into design since your CD cover is your impact tool.

What if I have a different software program than those listed in the Art Specs?

• We will try to accommodate you by doing a file conversion. Please save your page design as a TIFF or EPS file for import. (Conversions sometimes warrant a production fee.)

What format is OK — PC or Macintosh?

• We can accept the Macintosh and PC-formatted files that are listed in the "supported applications" section of the Art Specs.

What if I really want a non-standard (special) font?

• First I should define a non-standard font. Non-standard fonts are specialty font types that do not translate into the Mac/PostScript environment, such as Windows TrueType. Please outline those special fonts in Illustrator or FreeHand so that it becomes an art element, not type. It's an easy step compared to lending out your fonts. Alternatively, you could "bitmap" special fonts in PhotoShop - as long as you bitmap small type at high resolution settings of 1200-2400 dpi. If that is impossible, ask us for special handling and we will try to accommodate you. (Conversions sometimes warrant a production fee.) Please see the article Font Issues.

What if my type got corrupted in transmittal?

• One or more fonts must have had a problem in the transfer/download to us, or are incompatible with standard PostScript printers. Among other things, the first proof we give you is to "preflight" (or test) all type. Please see the article Font Issues where we give several solutions.

Can you get my logo or art from my home page (on the web)?

• Not in most cases. If your web site provides print-ready, high resolution CMYK art (or links to art), we can say yes. However, most web sites are created with screen images. That means RGB, low resolution, dithered-down art for fast loading. Screen images do not meet print standards. See the "Resolution" and "Color" topics in the Art Specs.

• Don’t use anyone's images without their permission, such as "from the web." We cannot endorse copyright infringement. You can, however, find similar photos through many good stock agencies, and/or show the images to us as your main idea.

• For printing paper inserts and for covers, you are safe as long as you can read it yourself. For printing crisply to CD faces keep type at 5.5 pts. or higher. For printing crisply to cassette shells, keep type at 6 pts. or higher. We also recommend setting small type to 100% black or 100% spot color (with one exception — for on-cassette printing, we recommend a 90% screen.)

• You want to scan photos and art paying attention to the resolution and color settings as outlined in the Art Specs. You might want to get IRIS quality color proofs and "color correct" the scans, before going to film.

• Very careful. When we cut and fold to make packages, art that’s a little bit "off" shows up near spines, edges and package windows. It’s a good idea to keep critical art borders and text at least 1/8" away from cuts and folds. Circular art (like a CD face) shows even the slightest mis-registration.

• Yes. We allow art attached to an e-mail if is under 1 MB. Larger files should be sent another way, such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or courier. If attaching art to an e-mail, type the job title, a contact name and phone number in the "message" of the e-mail. Send it to KABA Graphics.

• Include all fonts
• Include all links
• Create and scan at correct image resolution
• Save art as CMYK. (No RGB components in the files at all!)
• Use KABA templates (for size and shape)
• Include a full 1/8" bleed on paper inserts
• Allow enough time (rather than rush).

Tips before sending final art:

• Use the "select all" command to see if there are handles for mystery boxes and mystery/old text placeholders (blank spaces can be fonts too)
• Review the final design’s color menu, font menu, and link menu
• Make a mockup to see the overall effect
• Make a laser print, and annotate it as needed for us (you can always fax the laser print to us, if the art is coming electronically).