Risograph printing

The Riso printer started out as a high-quantity, low-cost machine that had a resurgence in the art and design community. Recently, there have been so many incredible examples of Riso printed creative design and the print format is going from strength to strength. Suitable from anything like a simple business card to zines to posters, it’s an eco and budget-friendly printing solution for almost any project.

To find out a bit more about the process from one of Manchester’s leading Riso print studios, I chatted to ChuggaPress.

First off, introduce yourself and tell me a little about Chugga Press.

I'm Greg, a self-taught printmaker specialising in linocut and risograph. I set up Chugga Press in early 2019 as a means to support my own practice as well as learn the seemingly secretive and all too elusive ways of the Riso process (at least that's how it seemed!). Being a process-driven creative meant I couldn't get to grips with Riso unless I had control over the process from start to finish so I suppose that's why I went all out and committed to acquiring one!

How exactly does Riso printing work?

Riso printing acts as a middle ground between screen printing and photocopying; it has many of the same principles of screen printing with the low cost of a typical photocopier in that it can print up to around 150ppm at full pelt. Whether you send files via pc or scan them indirectly, the machine wraps a master around the print drum creating a stencil. This rotates whilst ink is forced through the stencil creating the image on the paper as it flows flat through the machine. Many machines are single colour drums but I have a two-drum version making clean two-colour printing that little bit easier. More colours can be added by passing the paper through the machine using a different colour drum.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Riso printing?

One of the main advantages for me is that the process is an environmentally friendly, low-impact way of mass-producing work. Paper is our main consideration so 90% of the time we use only recycled papers which to be honest have proven to be the most reliable too. The inks are rice-oil based and the printer itself uses minimal energy due to its next-to-no heat process. Fast turnaround times and its experimental nature are also positives for me. Like any print process, there are flaws, sometimes the most frustrating one can be registration or lack of; which makes designing with the process in mind pretty key! When things go wrong it can be quite serious and repairing isn't always simple nor successful as I've found out this week!

[Riso] can handle quite analogue inputs as well as fully digital creations and the design to print time can be next to nothing

Why do you think creatives are drawn to Riso printing?

Creatives are drawn to the process for a number of reasons. I guess one of the main reasons is the ability to print in some seriously popping colours; the pink is obviously one of the more popular ones here. The general affordability is also a big positive for artists wanting to create prints without the expense of other print processes such as screenprinting. There's also something about the immediacy of the process; it can handle quite analogue inputs as well as fully digital creations and the design to print time can be next to nothing.

Do you have any tips for people wanting to get into designing for Riso?

I think the main thing to bear in mind when designing for Riso is that it's not a perfect process and so no matter how you design the chances are there will be a flaw of some form in print. Designs that aren't 100% reliant on registration will work the best and a limited colour palette will always make for a cleaner print; the more times the paper goes through the machine the more marks and blemishes the print can pick up as the ink never truly dries (think newsprint). One of my main tips is to always have some quiet space at the top central part of the design, this will help prevent unpleasant track marks appearing from where the rubber paper-feed tire drags through the ink. This way even if they do appear, they can usually be erased. Overall learning to embrace the imperfections and work with them is the best road to successful Riso printing.

You can find out more via the ChuggaPress website or follow them on Instagram for to check out some of the fantastic work they are doing. You can also find Greg's (aka 'h_a_b_i_t_a_t_s') personal design work on his website and via his Instagram.

Workshops & Events

There are plenty of ways to get into Risograph printing, from workshops to monthly socials, check out our little list of the events coming up in the next month or two.

Dizzy Ink, Nottingham

Last Wednesday of each month, 6-9.30pm. From £25.00

Find out more

Dark Peak Press, Glossop

18th Feb

£25

In this introductory workshop Dark Peak Press will show you the basic methods of how to produce artwork, how to transform your artwork into a print and you'll get the chance to make your own two colour print edition to take away with you.

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Online Intro to Riso, Online

7-9pm GMT 20th Mar

$25 – $75

Learn about risograph printing, design your own prints and get print samples from the press!

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Bread + Roses, Bradford

Daily through to April

£35 Learn how to use Risograph - a specialist method of printing adopted by artists + designers - and gain open access to facilities at Bread + Roses, Bradford.

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Partisan Collective, Salford

1-5.30pm BST 23rd Apr

£0 – £49.10

Learn the basics about risography and how to use it right. Trident Press' bi-monthly RISO Beginner’s Course is back at Partisan Collective on Saturday 26th February from 1-5pm.

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