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B5 Custom DVD Cover Art

I've been waiting impatiently for weeks to introduce the folks at B5TV to digital artist Ric Easton and his incredible alternate covers for the B5 DVD sets (and those for other shows.) Since a lot of people have been replacing their cases because of hub problems anyway, putting really high quality, done-for-the-love-of-it-artwork seems like a no-brainer. I know of people who take Ric's designs on CD to their local Kinko's or other commercial printers and spend a few bucks to get them output on professional color printers, while others make due with high quality photo paper and home inkjet printers. (And probably a little Krylon fixative or self-adhesive clear plastic to protect the covers.)

I especially love the way Ric made one side of all five sets into a single mural featuring the station and Epsilon 3 spread out across all the sets - something that I coincidentally suggested to Warner Home Video sometime in 1998 or 1999. Ric's exectution is much better than my vague layout sketch.

The link that follows will take you to Ric's site, where you can download very hi-res (and very large) versions of the packaging for different tastes and case designs, as well as find information on where to buy replacement or alternate DVD cases - plus Ric's spectucular case art for the Trek sets and other series. Although I think Warner Bros. did a decent job overall on the sets (especially given that actors' egos and contracts probably had more weight than aesthetics when it came to certain decisions), but I think Ric's designs are more unified and pulled together and just generally look better. (Especially his one entirely original cover design.)

Ric is a member of the Home Theater Forum, and first posted some of his preliminary designs over there, but he specifically asked me not to spread the word to B5TV until he was finished and had the covers ready for download . Recently he let me know that he was done and that he'd be happy for me to spread the word to the broader B5 community - and I've been so busy with work and family things that I haven't had a chance until tonight! :)

You can all of Ric's terrific work at RixGraphix but here's a sample in the meantime:

1050557B53dSet.jpg


Pretty cool, eh? :D

Regards,

Joe
 
Awesome! I seriously am considering getting a custom case for each season so I could use that. Looks real sharp!
 
The real question is how do you get those covers (once printed) to adhere to the cases? There probably has to be a way to have them treated so they are similar to the original ones.
 
Hey there! First off... Thanks Joe for the very kind words. I'm glad you like them and I hope others will download and enjoy the covers.

The real question is how do you get those covers (once printed) to adhere to the cases?

Well, the covers don't really adhere to cases, they slip inside the see-thru plastic sleeve, much like a regular DVD case. As Joe said, there is info on my site on where to get the cases.

One more thing for now... I just want to say thanks to Joe for always keeping us at the HTF informed of the latest doings in the B5 universe. I along with many others cvan't wait to hear the official announcement of JMS's new B5 project.

Great site you folks have hear and I look forward to visiting often!

Ric
 
Hi Ric,
thanks for posting. your covers are indeed fantastic, showing the level of detail Warners should have applied to the releases in general. :D
Now, if only i can track down some of these cases in the UK...
 
Now, if only i can track down some of these cases in the UK...

Jetcase do the slim 6 disc cases for 85p each :). I bought them when I started designing my own B5 cases, but after seeing Rik's I'm slinging mine and downloading his :D
 
Wow, very impressive. I wasn't really that bothered about the cases until I saw what can really be done. Nice work there Ric :)
 
Yea I think WB did a great job with theirs, and I do kinda like that each season was a different color, but I think what Ric did with the large mural instead of having 5 fronts of the Station was far superior.
 
In Britain Season 4 uses is a different sized box, so there is a market for all 5 seasons to have the same box. The problem was that too many DVDs were falling off the upside down pages and getting scratched. Each DVD now omes in its own cover. Season 5 is expected to use the same system.
 
Now, if only i can track down some of these cases in the UK...

Jetcase do the slim 6 disc cases for 85p each :). I bought them when I started designing my own B5 cases, but after seeing Rik's I'm slinging mine and downloading his :D

Are you sure that is the right kind of case? The picture seems rather unspecific, and doesn't look much like the pictures on the American websites.

If I can get these cases in the UK I'll definitely use these new covers, they're marvellous! Excellent job :D
 
Agree with the others - these are fabulous. I think I will create some additional ones as gifts. They are that cool.
 
Wow. That is indeed a nice piece of graphical artwork. I like how the B5 spreads throught the all seasons. Altough I would prefere somekind... well.. different coloring. Now blue color is too dominant, and as the whole it's looking kinda dull. Don't get me wrong, I like the first one. Personally, I like "super slim" and WB's original images more.
 
Now, if only i can track down some of these cases in the UK...

Jetcase do the slim 6 disc cases for 85p each :). I bought them when I started designing my own B5 cases, but after seeing Rik's I'm slinging mine and downloading his :D

Are you sure that is the right kind of case? The picture seems rather unspecific, and doesn't look much like the pictures on the American websites.

If I can get these cases in the UK I'll definitely use these new covers, they're marvellous! Excellent job :D

Yeah, I'm sure. I've now downloaded and printed out all the covers and they fit perfectly. Remember - You have to download the slim versions of the artwork though!
 
I downloaded the LOTR-FOTR cover artwork for the theatrical and extended editions, and printed it at work. It fit my 8.5 x 11 paper, but it doesn't look large enough to fit a DVD case.

I haven't had any experience in downloading and printing anything like this. Are there particular printer settings I must use? :confused:
 
Now, if only i can track down some of these cases in the UK...

Jetcase do the slim 6 disc cases for 85p each :). I bought them when I started designing my own B5 cases, but after seeing Rik's I'm slinging mine and downloading his :D

Are you sure that is the right kind of case? The picture seems rather unspecific, and doesn't look much like the pictures on the American websites.

If I can get these cases in the UK I'll definitely use these new covers, they're marvellous! Excellent job :D

Yeah, I'm sure. I've now downloaded and printed out all the covers and they fit perfectly. Remember - You have to download the slim versions of the artwork though!

Thanks :) I hadn't noticed there were slim versions at the bottom of the B5 page on the website, that's why I was unsure.

Now that's sorted, can anyone recommend the best kind of paper to print on - from an inkjet printer? I printed some covers before, they looked perfect, but when I inserted them into the DVD case they stuck horribly to the plastic. So there were lots of air bubbles and things on the front, it wasn't too nice to look at. So, if anyone knows some decent paper I can use to print these onto, it would be greatly appreciated :)
 
Now that's sorted, can anyone recommend the best kind of paper to print on - from an inkjet printer? I printed some covers before, they looked perfect, but when I inserted them into the DVD case they stuck horribly to the plastic. So there were lots of air bubbles and things on the front, it wasn't too nice to look at. So, if anyone knows some decent paper I can use to print these onto, it would be greatly appreciated :)
What he said. Does photo (glossy) paper work better? I don't really want to buy a box unless it does. Maybe some sort of fixitive spray?
 
Great covers Ric, I may end up using them. :)

Just a slight nitpick though:
I noticed that on the back of the season 5 cover the quote goes "and that truth and strength sometimes...".

It should actually read "and that true strength sometimes comes...". Is it scary that I know it by heart? :p

Otherwise, great job. :eek:
 

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