Create Custom
Minidisc Labels



Professional looking minidisc labels don’t have
to come from professional labeling equipment!

~ Written by Scott Harden on August 12, 2005 ~

In this document I’ll show you exactly what I did to create the professional looking label below! I’ll also give you tips, tools, and downloads so you can make your own labels.

TABLE OF
CONTENTS

1. Overview
2. Needed Materials
3. Choosing Your Images
4. Designing the Labels
   1. Getting the Proportions Right
   2. Actual Minidisc Label Dimensions
   3. Download Minidisc Label Templates
   4. Using My Photoshop Templates
5. Printing Minidisc Labels
6. Cutting Your Labels
7. Applying your Creation
8. Concluding Warning
9. Extra Information
10. Custom Minidisc Label Photos

Perhaps the coolest part of this tutorial (as opposed to the others that are out there) is that in addition to showing you how to make minidisc spine labels (which look incredibly cool), I also give you tools you can use to create them yourself! (more on this later) If you’re reading this online, you can click the photos to view high resolution versions. Keep this in mind, as all of the photos on this webpage are clickable.

Overview

Most people who live in the Western World have never been exposed to minidiscs. They
were popular in Asia a long time ago, and they’re still incredibly
popular today. In America, most people are content in settling for
either a CD player or an MP3 player. Neither of which, in my
never-humble opinion, have media half as cool as minidisc players.
If you’re reading this, chances are you have a minidisc player yourself
and, like me, love the idea of cute little colored disks. However,
you’re discouraged by the fact that there is an incredible
lack of selection (more like a total absence of it) when it comes
to buying minidisc equipment in the US! It’s hard enough
finding blank minidiscs, let alone pre-recorded ones of
music you like. If you have a minidisc player in America, chances
are you’ll be listening to stock
media all your life. However, this does NOT mean that your minidisc
collection will have to consist of tracks of music saved on stock
minidiscs with scribbled-in handwritten titles!

Doesn’t it look cool? Quite honestly, it looks far better in real life than it does through these photos. Since I took them in a reasonably dark room, the true shine of the blue in the disk doesn’t show up in these photos like it would if you saw it in person. Seriously though, these have to be the coolest looking little things ever invented!

With a computer, printer, and very simple (and inexpensive) equipment
you can create surprisingly good looking minidisc
labels that look as good (if not better) as professional ones! If
you’re a hardcore minidisc lover and just like the idea
of spending time designing and making your own labels,
this is good news for you as well. Whether you want to slap a label
on a disk in five minutes or if you like to spend all day perfecting
the image, you’ll be able to find all the tools and information you’ll
need to know right here within this document.

Needed Materials

This documentation pack uses the following materials. Although it is recommended that you use these
as well to obtain similar results, improvising is a great way to learn
what works and what doesn’t (and, perhaps, what works better than the
original!)

• Full sheet sticker or label paper (mine is made by Avery)
  
  
• Photoshop (I use Photoshop CS2)
  
  
• Blank minidisc(s) (I like the Hi-MD Sony
  ones because they are under 2$ each and come in pretty
  colors)
  
  
• Paper slicer of some sort (scissors work, but I get far better results with a small and inexpensive photo
  cutter)
  
  
• Printer (It doesn’t have to be a good one! Mine is a DeskJet
  932C which was literally given to me by some family who upgraded)
  
  
• Razor blade (not required, but it sure helps a lot!)

Choosing Your Images

The label I’m designing today will be one for a minidisc that will contain a small collection of
songs by Hitomi Shimatani (yes,
it’s Japanese). I like to start by finding two images I want
to use; one for the sticker that will go on the face of the minidisc,
and one to be used in the creation of the spine. These are
the images of Hitomi Shimatani that I selected for my project. Do I
think she’s pretty? That subject doesn’t pertain to the topic of this
documentation pack

Once I have my images selected, I look for a color minidisc that will make the images look their best.
Some people would jump to say that if you have a reddish image, use
a reddish minidisc. While this may sometimes be true, often times you
can create labels that look better if you contrast them with the color
of the disk. Pick the color disk that works best and then
manipulate your image (if needed) to go well with that color. So now
you’ve decided on the images you want to use and the disk you want
to use. You’re ready to start your design!

Designing the Labels

In this section I’ll explain how to use Adobe
Photoshop to create Labels for your minidiscs. You can probably
use any program to do this as long as you get the dimensions correct,
although I suggest Photoshop because it’s pretty
useful. If you don’t
have Photoshop and don’t like the idea of slapping $600 down to purchase
a tool with a large stack of the green sustenance that nourishes the
big money software patenting conglomerates of corporate America, you
should talk to my pals over at Emule, WASTE, BitTornado,
and TorrentSpy! It’s worth
noting that BitTornado and Torrent Spy are friends ^_-

Getting the Proportions Right

Believe it or not, designing these labels to properly fit your minidisc can be harder than it sounds.
Your best bet is to make a “blank” sheet (where the shapes
are solid colors) that you can practice with. Print it, cut it out,
hold it up, and see if any of the sizes need adjusting. It might take
a few tries, so don’t be afraid to use up a few sheets of paper!

Actual
Minidisc Label Dimensions

Front Label: 1.407” wide, 2.077” high

Spine Label: 2.360” long, 0.113” wide

If you have Photoshop and want to simplify your life, you can download one of
the blank minidisc label templates I created to help you out! You have a few options here. You
could download a single label or a page of six. For first timers, I
suggest you only work with the single label. The .PSD file is for all
you Photoshop users out there. The .PNG file is for everyone else.

Download a single minidisc label outline: [PSD]
[PNG]

Download a sheet of six minidisc label outlines: [PSD]
[PNG]

 

Using My Photoshop Templates

This document isn’t intended to teach you how to use Photoshop, so if you’re not too sure how to handle
yourself in this large and somewhat complex program I suggest you search
for some tutorials to
get you started. With that being said, let’s jump right in. The template
I gave you has two parts to it. There’s a minidisc label size indicator
which is displayed as two light gray boxes (one for the face, one for
the spine) and beneath it in a separate later are crosshairs (which
help during cutting, but we’ll get to that later)

This is a three step progression of actions demonstrating how I went from my blank template to a finished minidisc label ready to send to the printer.

Insert the image you want to use into the top layer. Optimally, it should be of a large enough resolution
that it covers the entire minidisc label. Now, with the layer of your
image selected, hold down CTRL and click the icon (in the layers window)
of the solid label shapes. A striped border should appear around the
portion of your image. Click the mask icon (which resembles a small
circle inside of a small square) in at the bottom of the layers window.
This hides all of the layer except for that which fits the size of
the minidisc label. You’ll notice the layer now displays two icons,
one of your image and the other of a black and white shape. There may
be a chain link between the two images in this layer in the layers
window. If so, click the chain link icon once to make it go away. Next,
click on the thumbnail icon of your image and select the pointer tool
so you can move, resize, and rotate the image to your liking. You can
do the same process for the label beneath it. Finally, you can add
some text and effects to complete the deal. Once you’ve completed your
image, you’re ready to print it!

Printing Minidisc Labels

The labels I’ve been making lately have been printed on Avery’s
White Full Sheet Labels. I got a pack of 25 of them at OfficeMax for
$9.99 (which equates to a little less than 40 cents a sheet). If you’re
interested in purchasing them, I recommend this brand and know I’ll
be buying more personally (that is, when I run out of 25 sheets (which
is about 150 labels worth of paper)). No matter what you do, you should
always keep an eye on the state of your labels, because if the adhesive
begins to deteriorate it can cause big problems for your minidisc unit
if the label comes off while in the player. (More on this later) The
best printing settings for this type of paper are those that will place
a little more ink on the page than normal. With my HP
DeskJet 932C,
I’ve been getting good results by printing with the settings normally
used for textured greeting cards.

Once you print your labels, give them a minute or two to try. It really stinks when you spend all
this time on a label only to have it smear when you try to touch it.
Be patient and your extra effort will be worth your time.

Cutting Your Labels

Cutting your labels is the most crucial step to the final look of your minidisc labels. This is your
make or break moment! It’s incredibly important that you relax and
take your time when you cut these labels. The right tools help a lot
too. While
it is possible to cut your labels out with scissors, I strongly recommend
you use a double blade slicer. The one I’m using is one that one that
my family uses to chop their photos for scrap booking. Also,
a razor blade proves to be an incredibly helpful tool when it comes
to separating the sticky paper from the wax coated base sheet. With your tools ready
to go, take a deep breath and get ready to do some cutting!

Begin by using scissors to clip each label set out of the paper. Leave around half an inch around the
actual image so you can touch the paper to avoid smearing the fresh
ink. Look closely at the image and locate the crosshairs at the corners.
If you focus on slicing the image just inside
the crosshairs you’ll get far better results than if you try to cut on the edge of the colored
portion. (It’s a lot easier to line up a blade with a thin line than
it is with a contrasting edge) When you’re ready, hold your paper
firmly and slice it. Try your best to get clean slices, and don’t be
afraid to shave off a small (and I mean small) portion of the colored
area to ensure that you don’t leave any white on the edges (which,
for the record, makes your labels look really dumb).

Take me seriously when I tell you to rely on these crosshairs to slice your images! Especially for the edge with the corner in it, these lines help you greatly to make good, clean, smooth, and level slices.

One tip I’ll toss out there is to not be afraid to cut the same edge multiple times. I like to cut
it at least once really close to the edge leaving a small (0.5mm) white
edge on the side. This helps me perfectly align the label for the final
slice! Also, it’s best to cut off the edges of
the spine label before you try to slice it longwise. It’s really hard to mess up on that tiny
little slice, so if you snip it first you’ll have extra assurance you’ll
do the long slice correctly (and that’s the money slice!)

Notice how I cut a 0.5mm border around the edge of the image in preparation for my final trimming. This greatly improves the precision you get when making your final slices.

Another tip that I’d like to give you is to put extra thought in how you cut the corner chip
from the top left of the minidisc label. Believe it or not, this
little cut plays a large role in what the finished product will look
like. Since it’s the only irregularity in the shape of the label, the
eye is naturally drawn to it. The attention you pay to this little
corner can either help you a lot, or come back to embarrass you later. The
angle needs to be as close to 45º as you can get it. That little
slice is a lot smaller than you think, so when you cut it don’t take
too much off! That makes it look REALLY tacky. The size of the slice
in the edge on the recessed region of your minidisk is about twice
the size that your slice should be, since your paper will border
slightly inside the recessed area.

This step is really, really important. Notice how I line up the edge of my label with the corners of the squares on my slicer to ensure I get a clean, even, and level 45º cut on the corner! (poor Hitomi! She looks so scared in this picture)

Once everything is cut out, and before you remove the backing, hold up the labels to the minidisc
you’ll be putting them on to make sure everything is perfect. The
labels should fit cleanly, with a small amount of room between the
label and the edge of the recessed region it’s going to which it will
eventually attach. If you’re dissatisfied with the color of
minidisc you had in mind while designing this label, you still have
a chance to make a last minute change! I end up doing this
a third of the time myself, so don’t be afraid to swap discs as the
last minute.

The blue seems to go well with the orange and light blue color combination in the labels. I’m deciding to stick with it.

Applying Your Creation

Perhaps the most difficult part of your project is separating the sticky paper from the wax coated paper
backing. Sure, some label paper (like mine) has convenient little creased
pre-sliced edges on the back to help you separate the two, however
more often than not the stupid little things are never in the right
place so you’re left with really cool images that can be ruined in
a second by clumsy separation of the paper layers. I found that a sharp
razor blade helps a lot with this step. If you carefully (and I mean
carefully) wedge the tip of your razor between the two layers, you can
separate them enough that they can be split by hand. It’s
a lot easier to pry apart these layers with a razor on a corner of
the paper. Don’t
get me wrong, this isn’t fast. It usually takes me a minute to get
the razor between the two sheets. However I found it gives
consistently
better results than other methods I’ve tried lately.

Notice how I’m using that little corner slice to my advantage.

Be incredibly careful while slicing your spine label. One wrong move, one little slip,
or one touch slightly too firm can wrinkle, strip, smear, or incorrectly
slice this wimpy little strip of paper! Until it’s firmly secured to the side of your
disc, treat it very, very carefully. The corner method
works wonders with the spine sticker as well.

The corner method works wonders with the spine as well. Just be careful that you don’t cut it!

Much like slicing your labels, this next step is a highly visible one that makes a big impact
on what your final project will look like. Luckily for you though, it’s
not that difficult. I like to apply the big
face label first (because
it’s a little easier). It’s really easy to stick a label on crooked
if you’re not careful, so put extra thought into proper alignment.
I found I get best results when I use one finger
to line up and stick the top right corner of the label to the disc
first, then slide a finger down to the bottom right corner, then brush
to the left securing the rest. If you line up two corners (preferably ones far
apart) you know you’ll get a straight and even application.

Ah, a beautifully applied label looks great! Proper alignment is vital both for the face label and the spine label. It’s worth it to take your time!

When applying the spine, attach the leftmost edge of it to the correct place on the edge of the minidisc and hold
it there with your thumb. Since it’s such a narrow strip, a small portion
of the sticky paper touching the plastic won’t hold too firmly, so
you can move it around until it’s level to your liking. Once
you’re confident it’s level, go ahead and press the other end down
(gently) and rub your finger (lightly) from left to right to smooth out the
stick. Next, to be sure this spine is stuck on firmly, put some pressure
on it with something that won’t smear it (like cloth, your shirt, or
perhaps even another sheet of paper if you’re careful).

When done correctly, the spine labels can make your minidisc look awesome!

Concluding Warnings

You’re done! Congratulations with creating your very own incredibly awesome looking and completely unique
minidisc label. Now, there is something important I want to warn you
about. If you use this new minidisc for a few
years, the label will be subjected to a lot of strain. Greasy fingers,
temperature changes, humidity, and a plethora of other factors can cause
any adhesive surface to begin to deteriorate. As long as it sticks firmly to your minidisc
you’re safe, but if it starts to flake or peel at the edges after a
few years don’t hesitate to peel that label off immediately! If
it comes off inside of your minidisc player it could cause serious
and permanent damage! With that being said, I’ve found that the sticky
paper I use for my labels sticks to my minidiscs far better than the
labels that Sony ships with their minidiscs. In my opinion, these custom
minidiscs are even safer than the ones that Sony makes! Just watch
them closely and you’ll never have to worry about the safety of your
minidisc unit.

Extra Information

If you used this this document to help you create your own minidisc labels, let me know! Send
me pictures of your creations and/or quotable material regarding
their creation and I’ll display it on this webpage. Be sure to include
your name and website URL (if you have one) so I can link to your website
from this page! My contact information is on the contact page of ScottIsHot.com

Custom Minidisc Label Photos

Here are some photos of my own

custom minidisc label projects…

This page was written by Scott Harden on August 12′th 2005

(You may copy it all you want to, just try to avoid hotlinking
my images!)