Making Shapes...

Ever wondered how we make all the weird and wonderful cut out shapes you see in pop-up books or cards, leaflets and packaging...?

This process is called 'Die Cutting' and is used to shape or score paper or cardboard.

Die cut shapes are called “blanks”. The shapes are cut out using specially shaped blade(s) which are bent into the desired shape and set into a strong backing, usually plywood. These are known as a die or cutting forme. The picture above is one we made earlier...

The die cutting forme is then placed into a machine and the material is placed into position whilst the die is pressed onto it. Very much like cutting cookies out of dough! Once mounted in the press the cutting forme will cut and crease the paper instead of printing on it. Usually the sheets are printed first and then forme cut in a separate operation.

We can produce just about any shape you want using this process. Each 'blank' will be exactly the same shape and size. Producing a die cutting form is relatively quick, cost effective and gives you great design flexibility.

Get in touch with us for more info...

Understanding the lingo...

Scum, creep, dummy, bleed...
We understand that some of the terminology used by us printers can be a little confusing… Work and turn? Work and tumble?
Sounds like a circus?!
Printing has a language all of its own and to help you understand what we’re all on about, here are a few well-used terms and their meanings…

BACKING UP
Printing the reverse side of a sheet already printed on one side.
BLEED
An extra amount of printed image that extends beyond the trim edge of the sheet or page. As in ‘the image bleeds off the sheet’.
CMYK
(Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) The four process colours used in colour printing.
CREEP
Can also be called “push out”. This happens when the middle pages of a folded section extend a little bit beyond the outside pages. Printers compensate for it during layout and imposition – otherwise you’d be stuck with a little creep, and who needs that?!
DOT GAIN
A defect in which the dots that make up an image print larger than they should, causing loss of detail or stronger colours. Dot gain can mean the difference between a dark print and an acceptable print.
DUMMY
A preliminary mock-up of the final piece, showing images and text. This is sometimes just blank pages of the chosen paper, made up in advance to simulate the final size and format of the print job.
HARD PROOF
A proof on paper or other substrate as distinguished from a soft proof that is an image on a screen.
HICKEYS
These are small spots or imperfections that occasionally show up in printing, due to dirt on the press. Hickeys are bad news no matter where they show up.
IMPOSITION
Is the positioning of pages on a plate layout so that after printing, folding, and cutting, all pages will appear in the proper sequence.
KISS CUT
To die cut the top layer but not the backing of self-adhesive paper.
MAKE READY
The process of setting up and adjusting a printing press for a particular ink, paper and specifications prior to printing.
MOIRE
A moiré (pronounced mwa-ray) is an undesirable pattern that might make you think your vision’s in trouble. This is caused by incorrect screen angles for printed colours.
PDF
(Portable Document Format) A file format developed by Adobe. It can capture formatting information from many publishing applications. This makes it possible to send a formatted document to a computer screen or printer and have it look exactly the way in which it was created. You need Acrobat Reader to read PDF files. Printing industry workflows are now primarily PDF-based.
REGISTER
The positioning of two or more printing images in exact alignment with each other. Printing that is correctly positioned on the page is said to be ‘in register’. When you can see a single color ‘hanging out’ underneath another (an effect similar to 8 pints and a whisky chaser!) that colour is out of register.
RESOLUTION
Resolution is the term used to describe the number of dots (dpi – dots per inch), or pixels, used to display an image. Higher resolutions mean that more pixels are used to create the image, resulting in a crisper, cleaner image.
SEAL
An emulsion or varnish applied over a printed surface to protect it.
SHEETWORK
To print one side of a sheet of paper with one plate, then turn the sheet over and print the other side with another plate using same grip edge and opposite side guide.
SCUM
A film of ink printing in the non-image areas of a plate where it shouldn’t print. (Although not specific to print, we wonder if the person who came up with this word also invented Dummy and Creep!)
SPECIFICATIONS
A detailed description of a print order. You have to provide a lot of information to your printers, particularly comprehensive, detailed job specifications (specs). It’s this information that determines your price. Send wrong specs and you’ll get wrong prices.
VERSO
Is the left-hand and RECTO is the right-hand page of a book or magazine. Latin makes everyone sound smarter. Use these terms and impress your friends.
WET PROOFS
Also known as Machine Proofs – a proof of a job made on the actual printing press, in advance of the production run.
WORK AND TUMBLE
To print one side of a sheet of paper, then turn it over using the opposite grip edge but the same side guide and plate to print the second side.
WORK AND TURN
To print one side of a sheet of paper, then turn it over from left to right and print the second side using the same grip edge and plate but opposite side guide.

To view on our website please  click here!

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ARE YOU DRIVEN, ENTHUSIASTIC, POSITIVE & SELF MOTIVATED? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW OPPORTUNITY?

No one loves our business more than we do!  We are SUPER excited to be looking for someone who will share our passion and TAKE PART in helping us grow!

We are NOT looking for someone to fill a position! We ARE looking for a person to join our team that will treat our business with true PASSION and integrity. Someone fun, honest, motivated and willing to work towards Goals and Dreams, bringing new ideas to the table. As a customer facing, Administrative Support and MARKETING Assistant in the world of print, (heads up!), working in this trade is demanding! YOU will be under pressure, working with the public as the first point of contact for the business, managing our online presence, marketing campaigns, accounts & administrative support, data entry, sales support, multi-tasking and much more… And most of all, it will be HARD WORK.

But YOU will have the chance to MAKE A DIFFERENCE and create a lasting impact. If you are someone with a keen interest in Sales and Marketing please apply now. OR if you know someone who fits the description of what we are looking for, please share our information…

Contact us for MORE INFORMATION at print@maslands.co.uk -  WE CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Well done Team...

'I just wanted to drop you an email & thank yourself & the whole team for the catalogue which we have just received! It looks great & this is down to the brilliant support given by yourself, Paul and all the people on the print presses.

Everyone here is thrilled so many thanks.'

Happy Customer...

This is why we do what we do...

Hi Andy

I wanted to pass on the many thanks that I have just been given on the Kids Look Books.

They have been received so positively by the business and they believe they will be a real asset for the promotion of the kids range from the PR perspective! The fact that they were earlier too the account manager and PR Agency are delighted with.

(The account manager is walking around the building with one of the spares held to the chest with such love and pride you wouldn’t believe!)

Please pass on our thanks to the whole team Andy...