Here’s a quick design tip on design from issue 44 of Before&After Magazine.
The circular shape of CDs or DVDs can make them tricky to design. This quarter-pie format is an easy solution that will have you turning out great labels in a hurry.
Dividing the space into quarters imposes a grid on the circle that makes your design decisions easier—image goes in one quarter, text in another, logo in a third. The quickest way to color-coordinate the text field is to sample it from the image.
Avoid awkward shapes: An image that fills three cells creates a Pac-Man look that will generally overpower any object in the fourth cell, and it’s unbalanced. Similarly, a checkerboard look is too complex (it lacks a focal point).
CreativePro members can download original content from Before&After Magazine, a beloved resource that taught a generation of newly minted digital designers how to design and communicate effectively with the written word. See our archive here.
© John McWade/Before&After Magazine, courtesy of Gaye Anne McWade.
This article was last modified on January 4, 2026
This article was first published on August 16, 2024
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