In a method and a device for continuously manufacturing films, webs, and sheets of plastics capable of forming optical images a melted plastic mass, pre-shaped as a sheet, is guided into a roller gap of a calender, the roller gap formed between a shaping engraving cylinder roller and a smoothing strip surrounding partially the shaping engraving cylinder roller. The shaping engraving surface of the cylinder roller is heated to melting temperature in the roller gap, wherein the melted plastic mass is applied directly onto the shaping engraving surface of the heated cylinder roller. A profiling is provided by cooling the melted plastic mass in the roller gap by heat removal on a side facing the shaping engraving surface.