🚀 go-pugleaf

Monika,

The specs provided are straight-forward and pretty standard for high-quality print reproduction. And the job itself is not terribly complex.

But even so, if you have had zero experience preparing such artwork, there is a pretty good chance you will not get it right. Sure, you could fudge your way through the process. But the consequences of doing it wrong could be expensive, both monetarily and from a client-relations standpoint.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to learn, understand and become proficient in the process -- but even with a simple job like a record jacket, there is a lot of production prep and new apps you'll have to learn and understand. Ideally, I would suggest working and learning with an experienced, patient designer who does a lot of design for print work. 

      I know only the basics of photoshopping and I have never tried working
      with pdf or eps nor tried any design programs.




That is hardly a qualification for success. While it is possible to do a simple job solely in Photoshop, it is like using a hammer to drive screws -- for a number of reasons, it's the wrong tool. So, you will also need to know an professional print-savvy application such as InDesign, QuarkXPress and/or Illustrator, and how to use such a file as a container for laying out and placing properly sized and press-prepared pictures and other graphics, plus type and logos.

You will need to know something about type, fonts, and typography. You will also need to know something about proper file preparation for print reproduction and understand a bit about commercial offset lithography and what happens when ink touches paper. You will need a color-calibrated monitor. You will need to understand the differences and best uses of different file types, resolution, color profiling, ink gain, dpi, ppi, and lpi. This has little in common with .jpg snapshots being tweaked in Photoshop and run out on an inkjet.

By the way, that is a lovely illustration you created for the CD! But, the Photoshop file you may have for the CD is probably of inadequate resolution for decent quality reproduction when enlarged for the much larger vinyl album. It will have to be rescanned.

I hope this helps. Please come back with any other questions.

Thanks.

Neil