How to prepare cassette J-card artwork

What each piece is

• J-card: the J-shaped folded card you see through the case. It can have three panels or be extended, with more panels folding out inside.
• O-card: a card sleeve that wraps the outside of the case.
• Labels or shell print: the design on the cassette itself, with a small printable area and often fewer colours than paper.

Panel order

This is the most common cassette mistake: the design is laid out in the order it appears on screen, but the card folds. Before placing anything, mark on the template which panel is the front, the spine, the flap and which panels sit inside. Printing a proof at home, cutting it out and folding it is the quickest way to check.

Sizes

Sizes vary between suppliers and case types. For reference, the front panel of a standard J-card is around 10 × 6.5 cm and the spine just over 1 cm. Always use your supplier’s template: a few millimetres are enough for a fold to land on text.

Spine and folds

• The spine is the only part visible when the cassette is on a shelf: artist and title must be legible.
• Leave room either side of every fold; paper does not always bend exactly on the line.
• Avoid thin lines or small text right on a fold.

Shell print

The shell has little surface and, depending on the print method, a limited number of colours. Ask the supplier how many inks it accepts and whether the plastic colour affects the result: a design made for white paper can change a lot on a coloured or clear shell.

Checklist

• Supplier template for that case and J-card type.
• Panel order checked with a printed, folded proof.
• Bleed all round and text away from folds.
• Spine legible at actual size.
• Shell design adapted to the number of inks and plastic colour.