The document describes the process of designing a DVD cover in Adobe Photoshop and InDesign. Key steps included editing photographs in Photoshop by cutting out sections, applying filters, and adjusting colors and brightness. Templates were also edited in Photoshop by removing unneeded areas. The edited images and templates were then placed in InDesign along with text. Multiple revisions were made to text size, color, positioning and effects to improve readability and cohesiveness with the overall design. Layers in InDesign were used to organize and position elements on the front and back covers.

1. Construction of
DVD

2. Firstly, we began to look through the photographs that we took in order to gain an idea of how
we could make the front cover and back of the DVD relate to each other. While looking through
the images we were drawn to the photographs where the actor was on the background of a brick
wall. After doing this, we came across an image that we felt worked the best as the front cover. To
progress with creating the DVD cover, we opened the image on Adobe Photoshop. It was
necessary for us to do this because the programme allows us to edit the photograph, by cutting
and using filters to a professional standard.

3. Secondly, after opening the image onto Photoshop we thought about how could make the image
stand out. However, before this we decided that by cutting the top of image off there would be
attention on the artist as the brick wall would be in the background. To do this we used the square
cutting tool, to cut the image we had to make sure that the image was not lock. Following on from
this we then moved on to trialling filters on the photograph that would relate with the genre of the
album, attract an audience, bring attention to the artist and to stand out from a general album. At
the beginning of this stage we focused on greyscale filters similar to the idea that we had for the
promotional poster. As you can see from the image above we experimented filters such as conte
crayon, although the effect did look clear and professional, we felt as though the image would not
be effective because it did not relate to all the sides of the album therefore would attract our target
audience.

4. Following on from the previous slide, at this stage we progressed from the thought of using
greyscale, this lead us onto the filters that were full colour but with a twist. After trying out
various filters we came across the effect of dark strokes, which is shown above, this filter stood
out us because it intensified the colours such as red, giving it an edge on general music albums of
our genre. The effect brought a vibrant atmosphere to the otherwise, calm and understated
body language of the artist, therefore incorporating two different music sides to the album, one
being energetic and other evoking emotions such as disappear. To get the right balance between
light and dark we had to drag the arrow from the black side to adding more white, this in turn
caused the image to stand out.

5. After feeling as though that we had completed editing the image, we then moved on to editing the
template of a DVD cover and back. As you can see above that the template wouldn t be usable without
editing because it was filled, therefore for us to be able to use it we would have to cut out the inside
so it can be saved as a PNG then later place the image on Indesign. In order to cut the centres of the
template out we tried out different cutting tools that would be the most effective at cutting out the
parts we wanted, as well as accomplishing at the simplest way. The tool that fitted the characteristics
was the magic wand tool, this tooled allowed us to select large areas that weren't needed in the
template and remove them in the cleanest way, meaning less editing was needed afterwards to
smooth out the rough edges. However, we did need to make some areas that we cut around cleaning,
we done this by using the blur tool this allowed us the smooth the appearance of pixelated areas,
creating a more professional finish.

6. As this stage, we had finished editing the template and the
photograph, to make progress, we then placed the saved edited
image as a jpeg onto a new document on Indesign. To continue
with the process of the DVD we had to construct it on Indesign,
because the programme includes a wide range of fonts and has
the best quality finish. After placing the image onto Indesign, we
already knew what text that had to included on the cover, this
involved the name of the artist Katy B and the title On A
Mission , this information was essential to have on our DVD
cover, because this is a general code and convention of music
album. To add text on top of the image we added two different
layers in order for us to move the text separately if needed, to
make sure that they were in a position where they are visible, as
well as not detracting from the artist. The font size and the
positioning of the text that we were initially going to use, as you
can see above, that from far it wasn t clearly defined from the
background, along with the title on a mission . On the other
hand, the colour and type of font which was Gills San used did
resemble that of our flat plans which we wanted to keep a simple
theme, theme which in turn will look clear and effectively be seen
by a audience. Also we decided on a blue outline at this point to
help the text stand out from the background and relate to the
promotional poster.

7. Subsequent to this, yet again we used Photoshop when
editing a heart that we wanted to go on the back of the
DVD. To begin with this process, the first thing we
needed to do was to open the image on the programme
while doing this we noticed that the image was slightly
darker than we wanted it to be. To make the heart
lighter we had to change the brightness and contrast,
doing this was easy as we only had to move it slightly
more to brightness to gained the effect we needed. For
us to be able to us the heart as an out, once again we
used the magic wand tool to cut out the white areas on
the photograph that wasn't needed, this was
accomplished easily because of the distinct difference
between red and white.

8. To accompany the heart on the back of the DVD we wanted the front and back to link, therefore we
thought that having a photograph of a brick wall would clearly establish the connection to the front
cover as well as the genre. Similarly to the other images, we opened it onto Photoshop and thought
about what filters we could use on photograph to change it from just being a brick wall to looking
like a background that could be used on a real album. The effect we thought that could do this was
fresco, this gave an effect similar to the front cover. After doing this, to make the background we
took the edited heart from open document on Photoshop and dragged it onto the brick wall, this
allowed us to see what it would look like if placed on Indesign.

9. However, the appearance of the heart and brick wall on the previous slide did not
achieve the expectations we were hoping for, also the colour of the wall was to
dark to flow seamlessly with the front cover. This lead us to further our editing of
this image, because we felt the image was two dark we found by going on images,
adjustments then variations by selecting the whole area we were able to lighten
the image. Not only this but, by looking at the cover of the DVD the colour of the
background has a hint of pink, we thought that by incorporating this onto the brick
wall featured on the back of the DVD, it as a whole will look more together and
therefore would be of a high standard. Fortunately, by pressing magenta more we
were able to create a effect we were looking for.

10. Likewise, we changed the colour of
the heart to a deep pink to relate to
the pink in the background. The
colour was changed by using the paint To get the heart and wall on Indesign, we
bucket, by selecting the colour from first added a new page to enable the DVD to
the swatches and then pressing the be saved together. Firstly we added another
area of the heart that we wanted to layer on the page for the brick wall, then we
be change. one more put a second layer on this side
which we placed the heart. The reasoning
behind doing this was in case the heart
would work better in a different place.

11. Another vital piece of text that was needed
was the songs featured on the album, to do
this we added a layer and then written the
songs in it. Like the title on a mission the text
also had a white outline, to relate to other
features of the DVD. However the font for this
related to the promotional poster because it
was the same font we used for the artist name
Katy B . After close expectation, we saw that
the text was not easy to read being it was on
top of the darkly coloured heart.
To change the small scale
problem we had, we opened the
saved image on Photoshop and
simply changed the colour by
using the paint bucket after
changing the swatch colour to
light purple, in order to see the
text better.

12. After trialling the newly changed heart on the
background it was an improvement because
we were able to see the text clearly.
On the other hand, we felt as though the heart
blended to much into the background, and by having
the text on top of it only made it worse. Therefore
we changed the colour of the heart on Photoshop
using the same process previously used, and
changed the position of the heart after placing it
back onto Indesign framing it by the words making it
a focal point.

13. At this stage we started we looked at the DVD as whole and seen the font on the front
cover looked out of place as it didn't stand out. To alter the font we changed the size
of her name and changed the outline from blue to white, because it felt more
appropriate. We also added a glow to Katy B this was done by pressing outer glow
and the spread to 100%, this made the name more eye catching causing it to be
effective in grabbing the attention of an audience. The outline colour was changed on
on a mission , because at first we wanted the red in the text to link to red in a jacket.

14. Here, the DVD template that we made earlier in the process was now put on a layer and
placed on top of all the other images. Also you can see from the image above, that the
outline colour was changed again on on a mission from red to blue the reason for this
was the red seemed to dark to stand out. Also by incorporating the blue, we were
making a connection to the promotional poster. To save the images as a jpeg we had to
export it on Indesign in order to get our finished product.