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creating DVD covers??
- Thread starter AeroBar
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I'd guess most commercial dvd's come with 80#-100# gloss text weight covers and inserts. For inserts, generally thinner paper (80# or less) feels cheaper and thicker paper (100# and up) give it a feel of higher quality.
What's 'best' and what 'looks decent' is totally subjective, though.
What's 'best' and what 'looks decent' is totally subjective, though.
commerical DVDs use something called bonded paper and it only comes in huge bales. Plus bonded paper doesn't work with normal everyday printer ink/
I know that "best, etc." can be subjective, but a person who does it regularly will be able to advise on what works and what doesn't. For example, ordinary printer paper for letters, CVs, etc. do not look good as DVD covers.
I last tried printing a DVD cover about four years ago on some glossy card designed to look like a DVD sleeve. It completely ruined the printer.
Bond paper is quite common. Most cheap office paper in 500-sheet reams classifies as bond paper. I'm not sure what you mean by "bonded paper doesn't work with normal everyday printer ink".
But I understand your question now. You're asking what will lead to the best print clarity and quality using a basic home inkjet printer.
Generally to get the crispest image you'll want to use a paper that's coated, so the ink will lay on top of the paper and not absorb into it. (And coated is not the same thing as glossy.) But also of great importance is the fidelity of printer itself. If you're trying to print with a home inkjet printer using glossy paper bought from Staples/OfficeMax, I think it can be quite hard to get a result that matches commercial DVDs.
In my experience, if you're only making a handful of prints, I'd search out the pay-per-print laser printer at Staples/OfficeMax (laser printers use powder toner instead of ink), it will probably come out looking better. You can use dull paper because you'll still retain a bit of that gloss look when you put the paper behind the dvd case's plastic anyway.
Good luck!
But I understand your question now. You're asking what will lead to the best print clarity and quality using a basic home inkjet printer.
Generally to get the crispest image you'll want to use a paper that's coated, so the ink will lay on top of the paper and not absorb into it. (And coated is not the same thing as glossy.) But also of great importance is the fidelity of printer itself. If you're trying to print with a home inkjet printer using glossy paper bought from Staples/OfficeMax, I think it can be quite hard to get a result that matches commercial DVDs.
In my experience, if you're only making a handful of prints, I'd search out the pay-per-print laser printer at Staples/OfficeMax (laser printers use powder toner instead of ink), it will probably come out looking better. You can use dull paper because you'll still retain a bit of that gloss look when you put the paper behind the dvd case's plastic anyway.
Good luck!
I've printed DVD covers on standard inkjet photo paper that have looked great. Matte or glossy both work. Use what you think looks better for your application.
By the time you put the cover image under the plastic on a DVD case, the result is indistinguishable from a store-bought cover. Mine seem to have held up fairly well also.
By the time you put the cover image under the plastic on a DVD case, the result is indistinguishable from a store-bought cover. Mine seem to have held up fairly well also.
thecreativ1, Darth.Titan.
You are both correct that once the sleeve is in case it would appear "glossy", but I've yet to see any home made DVD sleeve that just looks nice.
But you guys seem to know about this so can you tell your recommendations of the best paper types for an inkjet printer?
You are both correct that once the sleeve is in case it would appear "glossy", but I've yet to see any home made DVD sleeve that just looks nice.
But you guys seem to know about this so can you tell your recommendations of the best paper types for an inkjet printer?