Riso has become a popular printing method within the creative industry over the last few years. Originally designed as pieces of office equipment, the process now attracts designers, artists and illustrators. That is because riso is fairly cheap, is environmentally friendly, and it uses a range of vibrant and warm colours.
This type of printing uses a spot colour process. Unlike digital printers – which combine cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink to create full colour images – risograph printers print one colour at a time.
This means each colour you print has to be registered by eye, and the more colours you want to use, the longer it takes to make! Risograph users have to be clever about what colours they use and how they can be combined to create even more options.
Below I've compiled a list of some of interesting artists, designers, illustrators and risograph printing presses that use the limited riso colour palette in different ways.
RISOTTO: Printing press and design studio
RISOTTO are Scotland’s leading risograph print specialists. They are known for their bold and vibrant patterns that make use of translucent riso inks, combining them to create more colours and add depth to the designs.
Take a look at RISOTTO' designs and resources on the website: risottostudio.com
Pick ‘RISOTTO SHOP’ to browse their own creative designs.
Choose ‘LEARN’ to explore a world of tips, inspiration and risograph resources.
Risolve: Printing press
Risolve is a risograph print house and design studio based in Philadelphia, US. They have been printing these colour chart test sheets (above) as part of an upcoming project with Color Library. Color Library produce colour profiles for risograph and offset printing, and this publication will show-case what effects and colours can be produced when using them.
Find more colour tests and print work can be found on Rissolve'a website: risolvestudio.com
Follow Rissolve on Instagram: @risolve
Visit Color Library’s website: colorlibrary.ch
O.OO: Design
Risograph and design studio O.OO based in Taipei, Taiwan have a great selection of riso projects. Their project 360° 365 days. 2017 calendar is particularly interesting; using the circle as a starting point, different shapes emerge throughout the calendar as different points on the circumference are connected. Riso printing these designs allows the two shapes to overlap, combine and create a range of new secondary colours.
Explore more of O.OO’s work on their website: odotoo.com
Follow O.OO on Instagram: @odotoo_com
Sigrid Calon: Visual arts
Sigrid Calon:
TO THE EXTEND OF / \ | & -
Video: De Monsterkamer.
Take a look at Sigrid's work on her website: sigridcalon.nl
Follow Sigrid on Instagram: @sigridcalon
Liam Cobb: Comics, illustration
London based comic artist and illustrator Liam Cobb uses risograph printing to produce his books and comics, such as ‘The Fever Closing’ (shown above). He uses a limited range of riso colours per story, and combines them beautifully to create surreal new worlds. His work is initially hand drawn, then worked on digitally which helps create the final result.
Find more of Liam’s comics on his website: liamcobb.com
Ryan Cecil Smith: Comics, zines and more
Ryan Cecil Smith is a cartoonist based in Los Angeles, USA who creates beautiful comics and zines. He is also the creator of ‘Riso Color Sciences Multipack’ (above) which explains his process for taking hand-drawn and hand-coloured drawings and turning them into risograph prints. Initially designed as a reference for personal use, he hopes others can also benefit from his experience and put it to use in their own risograph prints and experiments.
Find out more about the Risograph Color Sciences Multipack on screentone.tv
Follow Ryan on Instagram: @ryancecil
Rachel is a freelance designer, production assistant and workshop leader.
Follow her on Instagram: @racheyvongrimm
Explore her website: rachel-littlewood.com
