Risograph

The Risograph is is located in the Rad Lab for your use. Riso Fellows (chosen each term), will print your jobs, which you can pay for with PSU print credits (the same you use for the other Rad Lab printers).

Sol Cejas
Sol Cejas

Winter 2024
Mon: 10 to 1 with Olivia DeYoung / 3 to 6 with Sara Ray
Tues: 2 to 4 with Bri Cieri
Wednesday: 11 to 2 with Arya Thompson
Thursday: 12 to 2 with Ashley Koronko
Friday: 8 to 10 with Madison Inman

Closed all days the university is closed. See academic calendar here.

Location
Rad Lab, Art Annex 170

What’s a Risograph?
The Risograph printer, is based on the stencil method of printing, much like screen printing. While the machine looks very much like a photocopier, it functions quite differently. Black & white artwork is sent to the Riso either from the connected desktop pc, or on the scanned on top of the machine. The image is ‘burnt’ on to a paper-like master, which can then be used to duplicate it up to thousands of times. The master wraps automatically around an ink drum. The ink is pushed through the screen/master, and then prints onto paper that makes contact with the drum.

Why would I use one?
There are various reasons, but perhaps the biggest one is that the Risograph allows you to print with ink colors that digital printers simply cannot achieve—rich blues, fluorescents and more.

The Risograph also allows you to explore printing in a more basic sense, as it requires you to print each color individually. This allows for exciting overprinting possibilities as well as unexpected ‘happy accidents’.

How do I prepare my file(s)?
Please read this RisoGuide for a quick start on preparing to print. For a more in depth look, review this Risograph_Intro_Presentation prepared about the Risograph. This handy app, Spectrolite, helps you separate colors (great if you are printing a photograph in more than one color) and do other things like preview your job.

What do I print on?
We will provide white paper. If you want any other color, please bring your own paper. It must be 20# bond (75 gsm) to 100# cover (271 gsm).

How do I actually print?
At PSU, there are Riso Fellows who print your job for you. Riso printing is moderately labor-intensive, so you’ll need to a lot some time when you come in to print. You will bring in your original art, a paper print, or a digital PDF file (we can’t promise the computer method will always be operational). The Fellow can help you if your file/art isn’t set up correctly or if you have questions. If you are interested in becoming a Fellow, see below.

Pricing
Set-up
$2 per color

Impressions (times the page goes through the machine)

1–10: 25¢ /ea
11–30: 20¢ /ea
31–75: 15¢ /ea
75+: 10¢ /ea
(all paper sizes)

If you’d like to calculate a job, you can use this worksheet.

Where do I purchase print credits?
In order to print on the Risograph, you need to have print credits loaded on your card. Purchase them here.

What colors are available at the PSU Riso Room?
Green  // Yellow  //  Fluorescent Pink  //  Indigo Blue  //  Fluorescent Orange  //  Black  //  Sunflower Orange  //  Mist Grey  //  Cornflower Blue  // Red

Where can I see examples?
Check out our instagram feed—@psugd_riso!

Where can I read more about the Risograph?
These are some of PSUGD’s favorite Riso studios and resources to check out.
Outlet
Stencil Wiki
Hato Press
Oh, Spirit Duplicator!
Risotto Studio

Disclaimers
The Risograph machine was never designed to do highly precise work. It’s important that as you embark on printing your work, that you don’t expect the same kind of results you might get on a laser or inkjet. In fact, that’s what makes the Riso so much fun! It’s a lot of experimentation, and new kinds of outcomes that can be very exciting to work with.

So what can you expect? Registration may not line up perfectly when printing 2 or more colors. The ink rubs off easily, so do expect some smudges (sometimes removable with an eraser). Finally, because you’re printing with single colors, it’s hard to know exactly what the outcome will be, but you can make small adjustments as you print. The Riso Fellow can help you assess your artwork, and then help you should you need to make adjustments.

What is a Riso Fellow, and how do I become one?
The Riso Room Fellowship is a position held by 3 to 6 students per term. These students become the guides to the machine, learning the ins and outs of it, getting the chance to experiment with it for their own work, as well as printing work for customers during open hours. For more information, contact: Kate Bingaman-Burt, at kateb@pdx.edu

Past Riso Fellows

Fall 23: Sophia Mick, Bri Cieri, Zahira Zuvuya, Arya Thompson, Jordan Divers
Spring 23: Karina Benjamin, Leigh Annand, Reed Le, Angela Nguyen, Tiana Low
Winter 23: Monday Heyl, Noah Brown, Em Craig
Fall 22: Caryn Asness, Sophia Mick, Hlie Moua
Spring 22: Simone Gee, Gage Murray, Monday Miller
Winter 22: Tye Raymond, Wes Gibson, Maria Wehdeking
Fall 21: Steph Bianco, Emiri Nakagawa, Paris Fox
Winter 20: Kelsey Stewart, Andrew Gilbert, Corinne O’Conner
Fall 19: Sol Duncan, Leah Maldonado, Nia Musiba
Winter 19: Zak Stone, Emily Rask, Kami Gould
Fall 18: Walton Bush, Sydney Dolzine, Kelsie Wells
Spring 18: Whitney Mokler, Shea Satterlee +Sarah Nason
Winter 18: Ella Higgins, Billy Corona, Lisa Kohn 
Fall 17: Chloe Kendall, Morgan Marshall, Leland Vaughan
Spring 17: Nic Meier, Maggie Denham
Winter 17: Rosie Struve , Violet Reed
Fall 16: James Casey, Ciera Sherrick