The colours of my studio
Riso colours
Risography is printing on a risograph, which works much like screen printing: every colour has its own drum and goes on the paper separately, one after another. So riso printing does not mix CMYK like an ordinary printer, it works with actual inks. I print with six of them on my Riso EZ 571 in my studio in Prague.
Six inks
-
RISO Fluorescent Yellow
Fluorescent yellow
My boldest ink. It glows like a highlighter and looks as if the paper had its own light. I use most of it on the leopards and bananas.
For example on: Leopard riso poster I, Bananas riso poster
-
RISO Fluorescent Orange
Fluorescent orange
A warm neon orange leaning towards pink. Strong on its own; over yellow it turns deep orange, over aqua a soft brown.
-
RISO Flat Gold
Gold
A matt gold, closer to ochre than to metal. It gives the prints warmth and depth, for wood and backgrounds.
For example on: Greyhounds riso poster, Tulips riso poster
-
RISO Mint
Mint
A light, fresh blue-green for leaves, water and soft backgrounds. Over yellow it makes a spring green.
For example on: Daffodils riso poster
-
RISO Aqua
Aqua
A bright turquoise, stronger than mint. It contrasts beautifully with yellow and gold, like the little birds on the Meeting poster.
For example on: Meeting riso poster
-
RISO Black
Black
Drawing, lines and details. Riso black is never completely solid, it has a fine grain, so even black areas look hand printed.
For example on: Dogs riso poster
Colours on top of each other
Riso inks are translucent. An ink printed over another does not cover it but makes a new colour, like two pieces of coloured glass. So six inks give many more shades on paper.
-
Fluorescent Yellow + Aqua = bright green
-
Fluorescent Yellow + Fluorescent Orange = deep orange
-
Mint + Flat Gold = olive
-
Aqua + Fluorescent Orange = warm brown
Why every poster is a little different
Riso printing is handwork, and you can see it. Each colour goes through the machine on its own and the paper moves a fraction of a millimetre every time, so the colours meet a little differently on every print. No two posters are quite the same.
A sheet may get a little more or less ink, solid areas have a fine grain and the paper shows through in places. Riso ink also never dries as hard as toner, so it can rub off a little. These are not flaws but traces of hand printing, and they are exactly what makes every poster one of a kind. I print on matt Munken paper, 170 g/m², which takes the ink in beautifully.
They glow less on screen than on paper
Fluorescent inks contain pigments no ordinary screen or home printer can show. In photos the yellow and orange therefore look duller than they are. In real life the poster really glows.
No toxic chemistry
Riso is one of the gentlest ways to print. The inks are soy based and the stencils the ink goes through are made of rice paper. A risograph prints cold, with no heating, so it uses very little energy. There is nothing on the poster but ink and paper.
Printing to order
Your own poster, invitations or zine? I also print to order, just get in touch and we will work it out.
Questions
What is risography?
Risography is printing on a risograph, a machine by the Japanese company RISO. It works much like screen printing: a stencil is made for each colour and the ink is printed through it onto the paper. It is quicker than screen printing and keeps the hand-printed feel.
How many colours can a riso print have?
As many as the printer has ink drums. My posters have two to four colours, and I print each one separately.
Why no blue or red?
Riso inks come in separate drums and cannot be mixed. I chose my six for the poster motifs, and more shades come from printing them over each other.
Do the colours last?
Yes, in an ordinary room your poster will glow for years. Only strong direct sun may soften the fluorescent inks a little over time.