Gregory's Server@flowti @GIMP the cover artwork is provided as either as hand drawn/painted or as photo files so sometimes scanned into gimp directly. I use the text tool/layers in gimp for the titles, blurb etc so usually can do everything just with gimp. One CD cover needed a lot of ongoing (frequently edited) vector work so inkscape was involved. I end up with a multi layer master as per the printer's template and then the 'fun with colour spaces' begins 🤔😳. The FOSS solution has been Krita to date but... 🤞🤞
@flowti @GIMP Krita is, on my machine at least, rather sluggish and tbh I know gimp so well now I am not keen on another learning curve.
The CMYK issue will mean a lot as indeed with getting art printed in colour it's a real challenge to meet the artists' expectations, especially with vibrant blue tones. The CMYK gamut is an issue in itself there of course!