HOW WE PRINT OUR MAPS
The Map Maker
The culmination of months of diligent and methodical preparation is here.
Finally seeing our maps spring to life on the printing presses is a big day for us.
Unlike a standard digital print, Lithographic printing is a real craft, so we take great care to get it just right.
The Printers
Home to the Heidelberg Speedmaster - 12 Colour Printing Press
You get exactly what you would expect from a company that has been making mechanised printing press's for over 200 years.
A stunning quality print.
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Plates are made
The artwork is 'ripped' to create a layer for each colour used in the maps. A plate is then produced for each of these layers and loaded onto the press.
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The Inks
The inks are mixed by hand to exact Pantone references. This allows us to use metallics and flourescents that cannot be re-produced on a standard digital press.
They are then added one at a time to each individual roller.
PRINTING
The Setup
Paper is loaded and the first prints are checked to make sure the plates are perfectly aligned and the colour levels are correct.
PRINTING
Full Steam Ahead
With checks complete the main print begins. Paper is fed through the machine one sheet at a time and the inks laid down one colour at a time.
The maps are regularly checked throughout the print to make sure the colour levels and alignment stay accurate throughout.
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Print run complete
The maps are left to dry for a day or two before we screen print our trade mark high gloss varnish to the land-masses for contrast.
