ARTWORK & PACKAGING

Your record cover isn’t just packaging — it’s part of the art. The first thing people see, the piece that sits on shelves, gets flipped through, and lives on display. A great sleeve turns heads, tells your story, and adds lasting value to your release. Whether you're designing a minimalist single jacket or a deluxe gatefold, this is where presentation meets passion.

Below, you will find vinyl cover templates for 7-inch or 12-inch records, center labels, gatefolds, inner sleeves, and more. To make the best of your artwork please read our recommendations carefully.

Cover design requirements

Before you start designing, make sure your files meet the specs. Getting things like bleed, resolution, and font setup right from the start will save time and avoid print issues. Follow the checklist below to keep your artwork press-ready.

ALL COVER DESIGNS MUST:

Use an CMYK color profile;
Have a 5mm bleed (the artwork has to extend 5mm beyond the trim line) on the edges of the covers;
Be at least 300 dpi/ppi;
Be exported as Acrobat 1.3 pdf;

ALL FONTS TURNED INTO OBJECTS

In Illustrator, it is called “Create outline.”
In Photoshop, it is called “Convert to shape.”
In InDesign, it is called “Create outline.”

LINES & FONT SIZES

The thicknesses of lines have to be no less than 0.15 mm in positive printing and 0.25 mm in negative printing;
Line thickness for hot foil and embossing has to be at 0.35 mm;
Fonts should have a minimum size of 5pt for positive printing and at least 7pt for negative printing.

COLORS:

Black text and lines should be adjusted to overprint with CMYK backgrounds; for metallic and daylight colors, there should be no overprint command;
In combination, the summary of all colors should not be higher than 280% for the ink coverage;
For deep black effects of 100% black, you should under-layer the black with 50% cyan (100% black and 50% cyan);
White fonts on deep black in 1C should consist only of 2 colors, black (+ 50% cyan), not more.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

PDF 1:1, exported or distilled without scaling;
Colour export settings "Fogra39"
Partial varnish, hot foil, or embossing on the exact position in 100% with one color on a separate page or less;
Without visible cutting lines, folding lines, and punching lines, instead – if necessary – cutting and folding marks;
Outside the bleed area – this is also binding for color bars;
Single placed and centered per page for multipart products, f. e., labels or booklets (single pages or imposed double pages) or similar.

Mathias, chief operating officer, standing in front of Maple, RPM Records' record pressing machine.

RECORD COVER TEMPLATES

12″ Discobag

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12″ Cover with 3mm spine

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12″ Cover with 4mm spine

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12″ Gatefold with 7mm spine

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10″ Cover with 3mm spine

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7″ Cover, 185mm

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7″ Cover, 180mm

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CENTER LABEL TEMPLATE

Requirement: The center label artwork must cover the entire template. Do not include premade holes in the design.

12″ Center Label

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10″ Center Label - 100mm

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7″ Center Label - 92mm

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INNER SLEEVE TEMPLATES

12″ Inner-Sleeve

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12″ Inner-Sleeve w/ Center Holes

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a swirl vinyl?

Swirl/Marbled vinyl records are pressed from a blend of PVC in selected colors, resulting in vibrant and unique patterns. The distinctiveness of each record adds unique value, as it’s uncommon to find two identical swirl vinyl records.

Do you print on gatefold covers?

Yes, absolutely. Gatefolds, box sets, and posters of all shapes and sizes are available to order.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Check out our FAQ to find more answers to your questions. Otherwise, don't think twice about contacting us. We are more than happy to help.