Album Artwork Standards

Explained

Tips to get your artwork

up to store standard

Contents
Introduction: Standards
Modifying Album Artwork
Photoshop CS6 (Windows + OS X)
Size and Resolution
Cropping
Preview (OS X)
Size and Resolution
Microsoft Paint (Windows)
Size
Paint.NET (Windows)
Size and Resolution
Cropping
GIMP 2.8 (Windows + OS X)
Size and Resolution

Album Artwork Standards Explained

3
4
4
4
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
10
10

Introduction: Standards
Sometimes, album artwork can be a bit of a roadblock on the road to release.
We endeavour to make album artwork specifications as clear and easy to
understand as possible, but sometimes, changes have to be made and its not
always obvious how to go about making them.
Digital stores require all album artwork sent to their stores to be a square .jpeg
of at least 3000 x 3000 pixels in dimension, with a resolution of 300dpi. These are
the requirements outlined by digital stores, and as such these are the requirements
that we also need before sending your releases to them.
Problems frequently arise because the default resolution for many photo editing
suites is 72 or 96dpi, meaning that the files they export will be rejected unless the
resolution is altered manually. In this guide, we will be looking at how to change your
artworks resolution in a range of programs, across both Windows and OS X.
As well as the basic requirements, we at Horus Music also suggest that you
make your album cover as high quality as possible, making sure that no squashing,
stretching, or pixelation has occurred to your final artwork submission. High quality
artwork is important, as it is due to the different quality screens that we use when
consuming music, such as retina computer screens, TVs and various mobile
devices.

Album Artwork Standards Explained

Modifying Album Artwork

Photoshop CS6 (Windows + OS X)
Size and Resolution
Photoshop is a popular program to use when creating or editing album artwork.
Incidentally, its quite easy to change the size and resolution of your artwork. Once
youve opened your artwork in Photoshop, navigate to Image Image Size or
press + + I (on OS X) or ctrl + alt + I (on Windows).

In this prompt, you can then change the size and resolution of the image. If
youre altering the size of your artwork, keeping Constrain proportions ticked will
make sure that it remains square. It is best practice not to enlarge your existing
artwork as this can cause pixelation, always try to create your artwork in the
correct size to begin with.
Size

Resolution
Contrain Proportions

Album Artwork Standards Explained

Cropping
If your artwork is not square, then you will need to crop it. Transforming
(squashing/stretching) your cover is not satisfactory and may lead to it being
rejected. Below, we have a cover that is not square.

Not to worry. Navigate to Image Canvas Size or

press + + C (OS X) or ctrl + alt + C (Windows).

In the Canvas Size window, you can see

the size of the Photoshop canvas. The
measurement will default to Centimetres,
so change it to Pixels. Select an anchor
point if necessary. By default, it will
expand or shrink the outside of the image.
Make sure your artwork is 3000 x 3000
pixels and saved as a .jpeg.
Measurement
Anchor point
(currently
centre)

Album Artwork Standards Explained

Preview (OS X)
Size and Resolution

OS Xs default image viewer, Preview, will let

you quickly and easily edit the size and
resolution of anything you open. Start off by
opening your album artwork and navigating
to Tools Adjust Size

You will then be met with a prompt that will

allow you to change the size and resolution
of your image. As you can see on the right,
the resolution of our artwork is 72dpi, which
is incorrect. Any album covers submitted to
us must be 300dpi and 3000 x 3000. Once
all the changes have been made, simply
press OK and save the image.

If you are altering the size of the image, keeping Scale proportionally checked
will make sure that your artwork stays square.

You can check to make sure the image is up

to store standard by opening the Inspector
( + I) and reviewing the DPI and image
size.

Album Artwork Standards Explained

Microsoft Paint (Windows)

Size
Windows built-in image-editor will let you edit the size of your image. Simply
click the Resize button in the top right, under the Home tab.

Pixel readout

The Resize and Skew window will then

allow you to change the size of the image.
It will default to Percentage, so select
Pixels to get the actual size of your cover.
Enter in the correct values, press OK, and
save the image.

Album Artwork Standards Explained

Paint.NET (Windows)
Size and Resolution
Paint.NET is an incredibly powerful and free image editor for Windows, half way
in between the capabilities of Microsoft Paint and Photoshop. It can be used to
quickly and easily change the size of album artwork.

Once you have opened the image, navigate

to Image Resize or press ctrl + R.

The Resize prompt will then let you alter the

size and resolution of your cover. Make sure
that your artwork is 3000 x 3000 pixels and
300dpi to make sure that it is accepted by
stores.
Once the changes have been made, press
OK, and save the image. Make sure it is
saved as a .jpeg.

Album Artwork Standards Explained

Cropping
To crop your image, go to Image Canvas Size or press ctrl + shift + R.

Absolute size
(for pixel
readout)

In the Canvas Size prompt, you can change

the size of your image. Make sure that By
absolute size is selected, so that you are
working in pixels and not percentages. You
can also change the images resolution in
this prompt if needs be.
Beware that Paint.NETs cropping tool
anchors to the top left by default. Click on
the middle square to shrink or expand your
album artwork from the centre.

Anchor point

Album Artwork Standards Explained

GIMP 2.8 (Windows + OS X)

Size and Resolution
GIMP 2.8 is a powerful (and unfortunately named) image editor on par with
Photoshop. Although the layout of the program is considerably different from the
previous programs we have mentioned, it is still a simple process to change the size
and resolution of an album cover. However, if you are not already familiar with GIMP,
it is advisable to stick with Paint.NET.

Once you have opened the image, navigate

to Image Print Size

The Set Image Print Resolution dialogue

will let you change the size and resolution of
the image. You might have noticed that there
is a separate resolution value for X and Y dont be scared! They are linked by default,
so changing one will change the other.
Make sure your covers DPI is set to 300 (on
both axis), then press OK, and save the
image.

Album Artwork Standards Explained

10

Horus Music Distribution Limited is a UK registered company that is

legally bound by company laws and transparency. Many other
companies are not registered and therefore are unable to give you the
correct legal protection. Here at Horus Music the majority of our staff
are musicians and have an extensive background in management,
publishing and within labels. We pride ourselves in being truthful unlike
our competitors who do not always inform their customers of the real
story, because they are charging for free services or trying to keep hold
of your royalties for as long as possible.
Horus Music was established in 2006 and our representatives regularly
attend the Independent and International committees of the BPI, as well
as attending many various training events to ensure that our staff are
consistently, and continually, up to date of the latest developments.
Since 2006, Horus music has also been a yearly member of the Brit
Awards Voting Academy.
As a 360-degree music service, we work to help artists of all abilities
achieve their goals and ambitions across the globe. We are successful
in the areas of online and physical music distribution selling your
music to hundreds of stores around the world, music synchronisation
via our publishing division, artist management, live music promotions,
and promotion and marketing.
Our company is run by music professionals and enthusiasts who enjoy
music and help artists to achieve their ambitions. We have fantastic
connections and music partners around the world, which we believe
gives our artists the best possible opportunities they could ask for.

We distribute your music worldwide!

Album Artwork Standards Explained

11