For most people, a standard office copy machine may not inspire much creativity. However, the Japanese-designed Risograph printer from the ‘80s is no ordinary workplace appliance. Fast and easy to use, the bulky, gray machine was originally intended for offices and schools. However, today’s artists with a curiosity for vintage technology have now turned the Risograph into a printmaking phenomenon.
Read on to discover the history of the Risograph printer and the rise of risograph printing as an art form.
What is a Risograph Printer?
Invented by Noboru Hayama (founder of Riso Kagaku Corporation), The Risograph 007 printer was first released in Japan in August 1986. Its function is often described as a mix between screen printing and photocopying, as it can only print one color at a time. Combining both digital and analog printing methods, the Risograph receives your image digitally and then makes a stencil by burning tiny pixelated holes into a fiber-based master. This master is then wrapped around a color drum that pushes the ink onto the paper, resulting in a print. This process happens one color at a time (just like silk screen printing), so the more colors your design has, the more times your paper needs to go through the machine. read the rest here