WHAT EVEN IS THE RISOGRAPH, ANYWAYS?

Listen, we know. Usually the first thing someone says when we eagerly tell them about the risograph printer is "Who are you, and how did you get inside my house at 2 AM?!" shortly followed by "So, tell me more about this 'rizzo-graph' printer business..."

It's more likely than not that you haven't heard of the risograph (pronounced ree-so-graff) before -- but if you have, welcome! -- and we're here to help explain what it is, how cool it is, and how you, dear reader, can utilize it for all sorts of creative projects.

Think about risograph printing as like a digital counterpart to screen printing. Our machine is a SF5450, and uses a single drum at a time -- requiring the drums to be swapped out between layers. Just like screen printing, the risograph prints one color, one layer, at a time. For prints with multiple colors, the ink drums are swapped out, and prints are passed through the machine repeatedly. 

Risograph printing is a wonderful budget-friendly, eco-friendly method of printing bold designs, posters, comics, zines, invitations - whatever you can think of!  Unlike digital prints, which cost the same amount to print each time, risograph prints decrease in cost the more that you print -- making it extremely useful for events or organizations that need a high quantity of color prints.

Another one of the differences between risograph prints and standard digital inkjet or laserjet prints is the vibrancy – risograph ink can achieve a fluorescence that’s hard to achieve with ink/laserjet printers. Risograph ink is also made from soybeans, making prints entirely compostable! 

[Important to note: Risograph is not ideal for one-to-one photo reproduction, or for glossy materials - the risograph printer can only use uncoated papers!]

You might be wondering how you could utilize printing on the risograph yourself. If you're not by now, maybe you should! Risograph printing is great for things like:

• Menus

• Invitations

• Comics

• Zines (short for 'magazines')

• Art Prints

• Coloring Sheets

• Worksheets/Forms

• and more!

Have more questions about how to use the risograph? Check out a private lesson to learn how to create vibrant and unique prints! Or, you can join our monthly RISO CLUB and throw yourself right into the deep end of learning to design for the riso!