Risograph
Risograph printing is a stencil-based process that combines digital preparation with mechanical duplication. The image is separated into individual colour layers, each transferred onto a master stencil that wraps around a rotating drum. Ink is then pushed through the stencil onto paper, one colour at a time.
Each layer is printed separately, allowing colours to overlap and interact. Slight misregistrations between layers are common and often embraced as part of the process, giving risograph prints a distinctive vibrancy and texture. The inks are typically soy-based and produce a rich, matte finish.
Although driven by digital files, risograph retains a tactile quality due to the physical layering of ink. The porous nature of the paper and the density of the pigment contribute to its characteristic softness and saturation. Colour palettes are usually limited to predefined inks, shaping the visual language of the print.
Risograph sits between commercial reproduction and fine art printmaking. Its capacity for bold colour, layered transparency, and subtle variation makes it a popular choice for contemporary artists and designers seeking both graphic clarity and material presence within an editioned format.
-
The image is separated into individual colour layers.
Each layer is transferred onto a stencil wrapped around an ink drum.
Ink is pushed through the stencil onto paper, one colour at a time.
The paper passes through the machine multiple times to build the final image.
-
Vibrant, flat colours with slight misregistration.
Visible layering and overlap of inks.
Subtle texture from soy-based inks.
Aesthetic that often feels graphic, contemporary, and process-driven.
-
Minor variations can occur between impressions due to ink flow and paper feed.
Consistency is generally high but not perfectly uniform.
Edition size is declared by the artist and typically modest.
-
Determined by declared edition size.
Small-scale production runs often limit circulation.
Variations between prints can make each impression subtly distinct.