Maximise Your Print Media by Using Custom Die Cutting

Custom die cutting is a great form of printing as it captivates your audience and makes heads turn. Die cutting is a very versatile printing method and can be used for many forms of media such as folders, brochures, booklets, business cards or any other type of print media a designer may create for a client. The potential custom die cutting has is endless, so we have put together some effective ways you can use custom die cutting to create an unforgettable design. Emphasise Your Logo When you use die cutting as part of your design, it's natural for a person to become drawn to the areas that have been highlighted by the cuts. Custom die cutting becomes a target for your audience's eyes, making an organic impact, leaving a permanent impression with your audience. If you're intending on using die cutting to emphasise your logo, this will help create a unique shape so your audience will recognise it immediately. You audience will be able to experience your logo with their hands, giving a stronger sensory connection to what you're promoting. A popular die cutting technique is to cut around the contours of the logo, letting the canvas itself highlight the shape. You can also cut the logo shape directly into the stock so that the logo is formed through the use of negative space. For multi-page print jobs, you can cut a die cut window on one page in the shape of your logo and use another image on the next page, so that the logo is created from the color showing through. We recently used this technique for one of our clients, Aston Shaw, as seen below. Advantages of Tangible Interaction As printed media is physical, your audience can experience it as much with their hands as they do with their eyes. If a design can be experienced through multiple senses, it creates a stronger memory in the recipient's brain than if they had experienced it from just sight alone. A die cut business card for example will feel different in their hands as opposed to a traditional business card. This may make it more likely for them to hold onto it as it feels more unique and special than the rest. Highlighting An Image Die cutting can help you highlight a picture or design more effectively as well as eliminating any unwanted white space from the print. A single image can illustrate a brand's identity, such as a photo of a product or location, so having the ability to cut around that image makes it the sole focus of the media. Using a die cut on an image can draw attention to the most dominant visual elements, for example, if you have a design which contains a lot of visual components adding a cut around the important parts allows the design to look less busy and create a natural focus for the eye. Create An Identifiable Design If you have minimal space for visual elements then the shape of the canvas you choose can be a strong enough visual to sustain the design. Creating a template in a shape that's relevant to your brand or business can make a big impact. Identifiable shapes can come from any aspect of the brand whether it's a box of popcorn for a movie theatre, or a house for an estate agents, as seen in the image below. Produce Functional Die Cuts As well as being excellent for aesthetics, die cutting can also be a perfect tool to improve functionality. Media with rounded corners as opposed to square corners provide a practical purpose as well as adding a unique visual effect to the design. Functional cuts can also make organisation easier for you and your customers such as die cut business card slits; these provide you with complete marketing kits, making your brand look dynamic and memorable. Getting The Message Across The aim of print media and a marketing campaign is to get your businesses message across in the most effective way. By using a die cut to cut around a message, cutting the letters themselves or even putting the message behind a die cut window you will leave a positive impression and draw attention to your brand. Die cutting is one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd and with limitless ideas; you could have one of the most innovative designs in your industry. At Colour Print we can help you with your marketing and one off projects no matter how big or small your budget may be. If you have an idea and need some advice, please feel free to give us a call and we will help you achieve your goals.