Find a photo from a royalty-free stock photo site (see Resources), or take your own hot photo. Save it on your computer in a folder you can easily find.
Open Photoshop or another art program on your computer. Click "File," then click "New." A window will open asking to specify the file size. See Resources below for file sizes of both cassettes and CD covers. Set the height and width to match the dimensions of whichever one you are making. Set the resolution of the image to 300dpi. Click "OK."
Click "Layer" from the top menu, and then select "New Layer." Rename the layer to "Cover" and clock "OK."
Click "File" from the top menu and then select "Open." Locate the folder in which you saved your hot photo for your cover. Click "Open."
Click "Image" from the top menu, and then click "Image Size." Set the resolution to 300dpi. The image will resize itself.
Click "Select" from the top menu, and then select "All." Then click "Edit" from the top menu, and select "Copy." Return to the blank mixtape cover. Click the "Cover" layer. Then press the "Ctrl" and "V" keys on your keyboard at the same time. The hot photo will appear as part of the "Cover" layer. Click the "Move" tool, which looks like a black arrow in your toolbox. Click on the hot photo and maneuver it around the cover until you have it positioned the way you want it.
If you wish to add any clip art or other photos to the image, repeat Steps 4 and 6, skipping Step 5.
Click the "Text" tool, which looks like a "T" in the toolbox. Select a font, size and color that are eye-catching and don't clash with your image. Use hot colors such as red, orange or yellow. Type in the name of the mixtape. Click the "Move" tool again and position the words where you wish them to be on the cover. Don't cover anything you want someone to see.
Repeat Step 8 for artist name or any other information you wish to put on the cover.
Repeat the entire process for the backside of the case. Instead of worrying about the title, however, you want to make a song list in Step 8.