DVD cover and video presentation

As I was searching for some anime DVD cover design, I realised that I should change the text on the middle of my cover and should add a barcode and a DVD logo to make it more realistic.  Here’s what I did:

From the image above, I added the logo and barcode as well two sets of title in the middle. This is to comply with the images I've seen about anime dvd covers. I sill find the all caps middle title not attractive to the eyes so I decided to make it thicker and add Outer Glow as what I did in my main title that can be seen on the front dvd cover. Unfotunately, the text doesn't allow me the option "bold" to make it thicker. What I did, I copied the layer text1 and moved the copied layer text2 a little above the layer text1 to get the "bold" effect that I want (refer to the image below as I highlighted the two layers).

Now, I'm happy with the outcome of both my DVD cover and label designs. Moreover, I also started working with my video presentation. At first, Premiere didn't allow my flv videos to be imported on it. I tried to research for the codecs but the pc won't allow me to install it. The only solution is converting the flv videos to avi. Steve helped me with the conversion for he has the software capable of doing it.

I add the mp3 file of the Twilight trailer first and cut some clips from the videos I found. It wasn't easy though, adding the video clips, for I need to incorporate it with the audio especially when the character speaks. So this is a challenge for me.

Done: DVD cover and label

Today, I am able to finish my DVD cover and label. The image below shows how I added a black background to both my cover and label. However, I used 50% opacity for my cd label while 25% opacity for the cover just to make it a little darker from the first I made. The reason behind it is that I want to give my work a feel of “darkness” because it talks about spirits and war.

I also added a white background colour with 19% opacity under my text because I find it hard to read. The reason is that the font colour is black while the background is also dark so it didn’t blend well. In addition to that, I also put grunge effect because it looks plain. I used the image below:

(Kirsty Pargeter)

I took some part from it to be use as my "stamp border". The image shown below is the part that I used. I put a grey background colour so that I know which part I will delete. I used Magic background eraser tool to delete unwanted white background. It doesn't mean you have to delete all the white background, as long as your happy with it and looks groovy, let it be that way.

Send it to workspace, select Pixels (by right clicking the image layer), then go to main menu: Select > Inverse. Reminder, the layer visible here should be the white background as highlighted on the image below under layers.

After selecting Inverse, press delete. Now, your creativity should work on this stage. The outcome of my grunge effect is shown below:

You can notice that under History window, all you can see are Erase, that's the part when I did the inverse-delete stage using what I call "stamp border". Did you also notice the sword? I added the swords to balance it from the images on from the front cover. I used Rikuo's sword for this stage:

After cropping it from the image, I used Marquee and Eraser tool to delete the background. To get rid off the fingers, I took some part of the sword, copy the image then cover the fingers; then repeat the process until all the fingers are covered.

I also added a Flare effect on the sword to look shiny (the same process from Rikuo's image). Moreover, I adjusted the image colour by manipulating its Levels, to balance the colour of the sword from its background.

From this, I noticed that when you read the text, it still kind of hurting my eyes. What I did was, I added Outer Glow effect with light blue colour. Here's the outcome:

References:

Kirsty Pargeter. Grunge Border. [online] Available at: < http://en.fotolia.com/id/336863> [Accessed 23 November 2011]