Risography

The risograph is an amazing machine, created and manufactured in Japan, that looks like a pretty ordinary copy machine. In reality, it is a duplicator, meaning it digitally scans (or prints from a computer) whatever you want to print, and, through a process called thermal imaging, it transfers that image onto a master sheet.




Most RISOs print only one color at a time (some print two) and it essentially prints spot colors. This allows a lot of creative opportunities, as each color is printed over top of the other. The ink is soy based and has some slight transparency, so it can create some really nice color overlays.

Risographs don’t have print cartridges like most printers, instead they have a large print drum that is cylindrical in shape. The master sheet is wrapped around the drum and the entire thing rotates as the machine feeds paper through at a super fast speed.