What is Riso Printing?
Discover the magic of eco-friendly digital stencil printing
What is Riso Printing?
Riso printing (also known as Risograph printing) is a digital stencil printing technology that combines the efficiency of digital printing with the unique aesthetic of traditional printing methods. It's like screen printing but done on a machine!
Developed by the Riso Kagaku Corporation in Japan in the 1980s as a low-cost alternative to traditional litho printing, Riso printing has been embraced by artists and designers for its rapid printing abilities, vibrant colors, and environmentally friendly soy-based inks.
Each Riso print has a unique one-of-a-kind charm and quality that we just adore. The process allows artists to use bright and vivid colors that you can't reproduce with digital or litho printing.
How Does Riso Printing Work?
Our Riso machine prints one or two ink colours at a time using a stencil applied to a rotating drum. By feeding pages through two or three times and changing the drum stencil, you can produce gorgeous multi-layered artwork.
File Preparation
Your artwork is separated into individual color layers, each saved as a high-resolution grayscale file when printing from our laptop
Or you can print from original artwork, illustrations, photographs, collages, and more. (if you could photocopy it, you can print it)
Stencil Creation
From either the laptop or scanning bed the Riso machine burns a stencil (master), onto the print drum, one for each colour.
We can print two colours at a time, 'cause we're fancy like that.
Color Printing
As the paper passes through the machine, the drum rotates and soy-based ink is pressed through each stencil as paper feeds through the machine.
You can adjust the speed and pressure a bit here to alter the darkness of the print (a bit).
Layering Process
Each color is printed separately, building up the final artwork through multiple passes.
We tend to print from light ink to dark to reduce smudging, and build up the layers of colour.
Did you know? Riso printing is inevitably a collaboration between artist, printer, and the machine itself. The slight transparency of the inks allows for beautiful overlapping effects that create unique color combinations!
Why Riso is Eco-Friendly
Riso printing is one of the most environmentally conscious printing methods available, making it perfect for artists and businesses who care about sustainability.
Soy-Based Inks
Made from sustainable raw ingredients, not harmful oil-based chemicals.
Low-Energy Process
No chemical dryers or extensive heating required, reducing energy consumption.
Plant-Fiber Stencils
Stencils are made from plant fibers and can create large print runs from a single master.
Recycled Paper Compatible
Works beautifully with uncoated and recycled paper stocks (actually, it'll only print on uncoated paper).
The Unique Aesthetic of Riso
Riso printing creates a distinctive look that's impossible to achieve with any other printing method. It's these unique characteristics that make Riso prints so special and collectible.
Vibrant Spot Colors
Bright, vivid colors that are sometimes hard to capture on computer screens
Grainy Vintage Effects
Characteristic texture that gives artwork a warm, hand-made feel
Transparent Ink Overlaps
The slight transparency of inks creates beautiful color combinations when layered
Charming Imperfections
Each print has subtle variations and slight misregistration that adds character
Pro tip: The grainy effect of Riso printing gives photographs a really cool vintage vibe, especially with monochrome images!
Riso vs. Other Printing Methods
Riso printing sits perfectly between screen printing and digital printing, offering the best of both worlds for many projects.
| Feature | Riso Printing | Digital Printing | Screen Printing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Impact | Very Low | Medium | Low |
| Setup Cost | Low | Very Low | High |
| Small Run Cost | Very Low | Medium | High |
| Color Vibrancy | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
| Speed | Fast | Very Fast | Slow |
| Unique Aesthetic | Yes | No | Yes |
Perfect for: Flyers, art prints, posters, zines, greeting cards, business cards, and limited edition projects where you want that special hand-crafted feel.
Our Ink Colors
We have six vibrant ink colors available: Yellow, Fluorescent Pink, Bright Red, Green, Medium Blue, and Black.
Colour values provided to help you preview the colours on your screen, but the actual colours "pop" more in real life, especially the fluorescent pink, values are approximate, source: Stencil.wiki
Yellow
Warm, vibrant yellow perfect for bright accents
- #FFE800
- rgb(255, 232, 0)
- hsl(55, 100%, 50%)
- cmyk(3, 4, 86, 0)
- Pantone: Yellow U
Fluorescent Pink
Eye-catching pink that really pops off the page
- #FF48B0
- rgb(255, 72, 176)
- hsl(330, 100%, 64%)
- cmyk(8, 68, 0, 0)
- Pantone: 806 U
Bright Red
Bold, saturated red for strong statements
- #F15060
- rgb(241, 80, 96)
- hsl(350, 85%, 63%)
- cmyk(0, 78, 49, 0)
- Pantone: 032 U
Green
Fresh, natural green for organic themes
- #00A95C
- rgb(0, 169, 92)
- hsl(150, 100%, 33%)
- cmyk(77, 1, 82, 1)
- Pantone: 354 U
Medium Blue
Classic blue that works with everything
- #3255A4
- rgb(50, 85, 164)
- hsl(222, 53%, 42%)
- cmyk(88, 68, 0, 0)
- Pantone: 286 U
Black
Essential black for text and bold graphics
- #000000
- rgb(0, 0, 0)
- hsl(0, 0%, 0%)
- cmyk(0, 0, 0, 100)
- Pantone: Black U
Color tip: Riso inks are translucent, so their final appearance depends on the paper color. Colors can be overprinted to create new ones - for example, pink on yellow paper creates a red effect!
Ready to Make Your Riso Dreams Come True?
Now that you understand the magic of Riso printing, let's create something amazing together. Whether you're an artist, designer, or small business, we're here to help bring your creative vision to life.