01.

QUICK HISTORY

Developed in Japan by Riso Kagaku, the Risograph was designed to reproduce large quantities of printed material quickly and efficiently. Its stencil-based process made it possible to turn a single idea into hundreds of copies, ready to be distributed, shared, posted, folded and passed on.

That ability to print in numbers has made duplicator printing a natural tool for communication. From political campaigns and protest movements to community organisations, grassroots projects and cultural movements, print has long been used to make messages visible and put information directly into people's hands.

Artists found their own possibilities in the process.

Riso became embedded in zine culture, independent publishing and DIY art communities, where making and distributing your own work is just as important as the work itself. Posters, artist books, comics, flyers, publications and editions could be produced in multiples without losing the physical qualities of print.

Along the way, the supposed imperfections of the machine became part of its appeal. Misregistered layers, halftones, overprinted colours and unpredictable combinations gave artists a visual language that felt immediate, tactile and unmistakably Riso.

Today, you'll find Risograph being used at every scale, from global campaigns and established artists to tiny independent presses, student publications, community workshops and someone making their first twenty-copy zine.

KMKM

Digital artwork

Riso print

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Digital artwork

Riso print

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01.
Artist: Malika Illustration
Printed by: Dizzy Ink

02.
Artist: Super Freak
Printed by: Dizzy Ink