How to Create a CD Cover Design

Using Illustrator, VectorScribe,

DrawScribe and Mesh Tormentor
by Iaroslav Lazunov | May 2, 2012

Important product change information

Since this article was originally published, DrawScribe has been separated
into two individual plug-ins:
DynamicSketch: sketch naturally in vector
InkScribe: draw precisely and accurately in vector

Existing customers of DrawScribe can find full details of how this affects their
licenses by reading this article.

In todays tutorial, well use the most advanced technology in the world of vector
graphics. The methods described here will allow you to work faster and more
efficiently. I bet in this tutorial you will discover information which you have not
heard of before!

Step 1
To create a CD Cover Design, Ill use a standard template of Adobe Illustrator
which is designed for these purposes. Start Adobe Illustrator and select the
option From Template in the Start Window.

If the application is already open, go to File > New From Template and open the
CD Print Items.ait file (Templates > Blank Templates).
Using a template allows us quick access to the outline shape and dimensions of
CD and cover, as all the shapes already exist in the template as guides.

Im not sure that all versions of Adobe Illustrator have similar templates, and if
you cannot find it, follow this link illustrator-templates. Here you can find a
variety of templates in PDF, not only for CD Cover Design, but also for posters,
envelopes, flyers, etc.

Step 2
Now we need an idea. I think it would be nice if the cover design will be
somehow connected with the design of the CD. After some thought I decided to
design a cover as a record player, and create CD as a vinyl record. Lets proceed
to creating the cover design. Turn on the Smart Guides mode (Cmd / Ctrl + U),
take the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle based on the template guides.

At the first step, I always create basic objects and fill them with different colors in
order to place them in the correct sequence. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create
a few circles. The centers of these circles must coincide.
Step 3
Take the Scissors Tool (C) and cut the bottom of the large circle at points A and D.
Remove the right side of the circle, take the Pen Tool (P) and continue path
creating straight-line segments AB, BC and CD.
Step 4
Now lets create the shapes of a few buttons and switches. Take the Ellipse Tool
(L) and create a circle in the bottom of the record player.

Drag this circle to the right, holding down Shift + Opt / Alt keys while duplicating
it.

In order to spread identical objects at an equal distance from each other, I

always use the Blend Tool. Go to Object > Blend > Blend Options and set the
number of Specified Steps in the Blend Options window. Now go to Object >
Blend > Make.
In the same way create a vertical row of buttons.

Later we will be coloring the buttons that is why they must become separate
objects. Select the blend object and go to Object > Blend > Expand.
Step 5
Create a few small items of the record players controls. Take the Pen Tool (P)
and create two angled segments, as shown in the figure below.

Using the Ellipse Tool (L) create two circles at the ends of these segments.
Take the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a frame around the vertical row of
buttons.

Step 6
Create another circle, which will become a light bulb and line markings around it.
When I need to round the corner quickly, I use the Dynamic Corner Tool (Window
> VectorScribe > Dynamic Corner panel), which is one of the tools of the
VectorScribe plugin. To do this, simply pick the specified tool and click or click-
drag on the corner that is supposed to be rounded.
Step 7
Now create a large button in the lower left corner of the cover. Such shapes are
easily created with the help of the Dynamic Shapes Tool (VectorScribe plugin).
Choose this tool and open its panel (Window > VectorScribe > Dynamic Shapes
panel). Now choose the type of shape Dynamic Rectangle and create a
rectangle. After its creation, you can specify the required dimensions, radii of
rounding corners, and the angle of the shape.
Now create another shape like the first one, but of a smaller size.

Step 8
Deform another rectangle with rounded corners with the help of the Direct
Selection Tool (A) or PathScribe Tool (if you are using the VectorScribe plugin) to
get the shape shown in the figure below.
An attentive reader might have noticed that the latter shape contains fewer
points than the first two rectangles. In order to make it easier to edit this shape, I
removed the two points with the help of the Smart Remove Point command. This
feature is present in the VectorScribe and DrawScribe plugins and allows you to
delete the path point with minimal effect on the paths profile.
To see this in operation within DrawScribes InkScribe tool, you may watch this
movie

Step 9
Lets create another type of switch which is not hard to make. To create a slider-
button scale, I used the Blend Tool, and then after Object > Blend > Expand
command I reduced the height of the central lines of the scale.

Now with the help of the Rectangle Tool (M) create two rectangles, as shown in
the picture below.

Step 10
Proceed to the creation of a tone arm. Using the Dynamic Shapes tool (Circle) or
Ellipse Tool (L), create three concentric circles.
With the help of the Rectangle Tool create a shape of tone arm lock.

Step 11
To create a tone arm, Ill be using the InkScribe Tool (DrawScribe plugin), because
I believe that this tool is ideal for these purposes. So, take the InkScribe Tool and
open its panel (Window > DrawScribe > InkScribe panel). In the Draw panel, turn
on a straight segment, Smooth points and Connector modes and create a path,
as shown in the picture below.

Using the same tool bend the straight-line segment by dragging its center.


Step 12
The Connector mode present in the InkScribe Tool allows us to obtain a smooth
transition between straight-line and curved segments. When the Connector
mode is enabled, at the moment the Bezier handle is within a threshold value of
the angle of the straight-line segment, a letter C will appear next to the point. If
you release the mouse button and then resume the manipulation on the handle,
the movement will be possible only in the direction of the straight-line segment.



By controlling the handles of the curved segment while using this technique, we
obtain the shape shown in the picture below.


Step 13
Now lets create other elements of the tone arm, such as the tone arm balance
and cartridge with stylus. All these elements represent simple shapes such as
rectangles, but they must be created at different angles, which must coincide
with the axes of the tone arm. It is quite difficult to do it with the standard means
of Adobe Illustrator. To solve this problem, Ill use the VectorScribe plugin. Take
the Dynamic Measure Tool and open its panel (Window > VectorScribe >
Dynamic Measure panel).



Now measure the angle of inclination of tone arm where the tone arm balance
will be located.



As you can see, the angle of inclination of the straight-line segment is -117.880.
Open Protractor panel (Window > VectorScribe > Protractor panel) and set the
measured angle.
Note: if you perform this measurement / constrain angle adjustment operation
regularly, you may use an option present within the Dynamic Measure
preferences to make this operation automatic. Please refer to the Copy Angle to
Constrain Angle Preference in this previous blog article



Now all the newly created objects will be located at an angle of -117.880.



Using this technique, create the other elements of the tone arm.



For the second straight segment, where there is a cartridge with stylus, new
measurements need to be done and keyed in into the Protractor panel before
creating shapes.

Step 14
Before proceeding, you may need to first ensure the Constrain Angle is reset to
0 via the Protractor panel.
As all the basic elements of the record player are created, lets proceed to
coloring and the creation of the other smaller items. Take the Gradient Mesh
Tool (U) and create a simple mesh based on the rectangle that you created in
step 2, as shown in the figure below.



Color nodes of this mesh into different shades of gray in order to reproduce the
play of light on the surface of the record player.


Step 15
Create a rectangle and with this, create a gradient mesh using the Gradient Mesh
Tool (U).



Place it below the shape created in step 3.

Select the rectangle and green shape and press the shortcuts Cmd / Ctrl + 7,
creating a Clipping Mask.

Step 16
Create light and shadow on the buttons the same way, using the Gradient Mesh
Tool (U).

Create glares of light on small items such as indicator light-bulbs with the help of
ellipses.



To create a socket, use simple shapes a few circles and a rectangle.

Step 17
Fill the switch handle with a linear gradient. Apply the Drop Shadow effect to
create a shadow from it (Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow ).



Color the vertical row of buttons using the techniques described in the previous
step.


Step 18
We proceed to coloring of the turntable. Select the bottom circle and fill it with a
linear gradient which consists of rotating shades of gray.



Fill the next circle with a linear gradient which consists of a darker shade.



Fill the next circle with the conical gradient.



Conical fills are not available in Adobe Illustrator you would say, and would be
absolutely right. But there is a trick that allows you to do so. You can read more
about this in my article by clicking on the following link Quick Tip: Create a
Conical Gradient with Adobe Illustrator, in Two Minutes!.
Fill the uppermost circle with a random color. There will be a hole in the CD cover
which will be covered with a transparent film.


Step 19
Design a label at the centre of the record. Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a circle
and fill it with a linear gradient which consists of two shades of blue color.



Now create an axis on the turntable. Draw a new circle and create a conic
gradient on it, as it is shown in the picture below.



Create another circle on top of the axis and fill it with a radial gradient from
white to gray color.

Step 20
Now lets create grooves on the circumference of the turntable. With the help of
the Dynamic Shapes Tool, create a rectangle with rounded corners, as shown in
the picture below.



Using the Pen Tool (P) create a shape filled with black color.

Set 0% opacity for this shape in the Transparency panel.



Now create an ellipse filled with black color.

Go to Object > Blend > Blend Options and set the number of the Specified
Steps in the Blend Options window. Now go to Object > Blend > Make.



Thus, we have created a shadow.

Step 21
Using this technique, create glare and shadow in the center of the deepening.

Group up all the elements of the groove and drag the group to the Brushes
panel. Save a new brush as a Pattern Brush.



Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a circle with no fill and a stroke of any color,
then apply the brush that you created in previous step to it.


Step 22
Now proceed to the coloring of the big button. The stages of its creation are
shown in the pictures below. I will focus only on the techniques that have not yet
been described in this tutorial.





Use Opacity Masks to create glare on the button. Lets see how its done..
Create an arbitrary shape. The color of this shape should match the main color
of the glare or light and shadow.



Now create a blend object, which consists of a black and white shape.

Select the gray shape and blend object and choose Make Opacity Mask from the
menu of the Transparency panel.


Step 23
With the help of simple geometric shapes create a Play symbol on the button.



No matter what you do, pay attention to details. Lets work on the reflection in
the symbol and the play of light on its edges.

Step 24
Now take a look at the process of coloring the tone arm.




As you can see, in many cases in order to reproduce the light and shadow, it will
be enough to simply use the gradient fill. But in the cases of complex shapes this
type of fill is not suitable. The curved segment of the tone arm has this kind of
complex shape. Lets take a look how to create light and shadow on such objects.
For this, we will only need the center area of the tone arm, so take the Scissors
Tool (C) and cut the path at the points A and B and remove the beginning and
end of the path.


Step 25
Take the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle. The height of this rectangle
must equal the width of the tone arm, in my case it is 10 px, the length does not
matter.

Keep the rectangle selected, go to Object > Create Gradient Mesh and set the
number of columns and rows.



Color the nodes of the created mesh into different shades of gray.

For further work we will need the free third-party Mesh Tormentor plugin plugin.
Once installed, you can access the plugins panel via (Window > Mesh
Tormentor). Select the gradient mesh and click on the Create mesh grid for
Brush button in the Mesh Tormentor panel.



Now the mesh has become a group of regular vector objects.

Step 26
Drag this group to the Brushes panel and save the new brush as a new Art
Brush.



Apply this brush to the curved segment of the tone arm.



Now, turn the brush back into the gradient mesh. Keeping the path selected, go
to Object > Expand Appearance.



Click on the Get the mesh from brush grid button in the Mesh Tormentor panel.

As you can see, this resulted in a perfect shaped gradient mesh automatically.

Step 27
Fill the rest of the elements of the tone arm with regular gradients.



Create glares and reflections on the curved segment with the help of Pen Tool
(P), then fill the resultant shapes with linear gradients.

Step 28
Create the shadows of some object using the Blend Tool.


Now we need to label buttons and finish the record sticker.


Step 29
Proceed to the CD design. As I said at the beginning of this tutorial, we are
making CD surface in the style of a vinyl record. With the help of the Dynamic
Shapes Tool (VectorScribe) and its Donut shape mode, create basic shapes of CD
using the template guides.

Now, fill the bottom circle with a linear gradient which consists of alternating
shades of gray.


Step 30
Based on the circle, create a conic gradient.



Create two more dynamic Donut shapes filled with black. These shapes will
represent areas at the centre and edge of the record.



Fill the top-shape with a linear gradient.

Step 31
Create grooves on one of the parts of the record. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and
create two circles with no fill and a stroke of gray color.

Based on these circles create a blend object.


Step 32
Copy the circle to which the conical gradient was applied and paste it in front,
then place above all the objects of the CD. Replace light gray color of gradient
sliders with white color.

Now select the blend object, shape with a conical gradient and apply the Opacity
Mask.



Using this technique, create the grooves in the main area of the record.



The CD design is ready; group up all of its elements.

Step 33
Place the CD below the elements of the central label.



Select the light gray circle, which corresponds to a hole in the cover and CD, then
press the shortcuts Cmd / Ctrl + 7 creating a Clipping Mask.



There is your stylish imitation vinyl record CD cover design!

Conclusion
Several Illustrator plugins have been used in the tutorial, so in conclusion I would
like to provide the links to where you can find detailed information about each.
VectorScribe (by Astute Graphics)
DrawScribe (by Astute Graphics)
Mesh Tormentor (third party)

Download the CD cover artwork

Click here for the Illustrator CS3/CS4 version
Click here for the Illustrator CS5 version

4 Comments

1.
J.L on 3rd May 2012 at 1:33 am
Hi Iaroslav!
Thanks for some really handy tips, especially the workaround for
Illustrators missing conical gradient feature! =)
Reply

2.
Bijutoha on 22nd June 2012 at 9:44 am
Superb I need 3 days to learn it yet be sure i will learn it . Thanks for
sharing
Reply

3.
Ben Simpson on 27th August 2015 at 1:47 pm
 Fantastic tutorial. It wasnt actually what I was originally looking for, but I
found it really informative and picked up quite a lot of new illustrator
techniques. Thank you!
Reply

o
nick on 27th August 2015 at 4:27 pm

Thanks Ben! Glad you liked

Reply
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