How-to prep your files

Before we start off: remember I am here to help you. Especially in your first couple of times printing with the RISO I will explain everything in detail. Don’t worry about asking too much questions, I am more than happy to help. I will assist you in preparing your files, explain everything in detail and I will even give advise on your choice of inks.

Some basics

Let’s start off with some basics. Remember that the machine:

- prints one colour layer at a time.

- works with 1 black and white file per colour layer (where darker leads to a more intense colour). You can work with gradients and greyscales within this file.

- the inks are semitranslucent, this means that if you print one over the other they will start to mix instead of cover each other. This gives you way more colour options by mixing, but if you want pure yellow, make sure there’s no other colour underneath.

File types

I accept a variety of file types. You can deliver me:

- clearly labeled black and white layers in 1 PSD file.

- clearly named JPG, PNG or TIFF files.

- clearly labeled PDF files (if each page is a different colour layer, please mention it clearly in the file name or in your e-mail).

- if registration is very important, give me a PDF clearly labeled with each colour’s own code in the file name, RISO-BLK, RISO-LGR, RISO-GLD, RISO-PUR, RISO-BLU, RISO-GRN, RISO-YEL, RISO-FLO, RISO-BRR or RISO-FLP for Black, Light Grey, Flat Gold, Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Fluor. Orange, Bright Red and Fluor. Pink respectively.

- InDesign packages, if you’re working on a zine.

I do not work with unlabeled files, or Illustrator files.

Size

Make sure your files are sized properly. The machine always prints on A3 sized paper using an A3 sized master.

So if you want to print an A5 size card, don’t waste paper and fit several on 1 sheet of A3 paper.

If you want to print a 25x35cm print, place it on an A3 sized canvas.

For zines, just make sure your page size is as you want it to be.

Examples

Down here you can find a wonderfully beautiful example of Juliane Noll’s Sunset print.

The black and white images are what we sent to the RISO, the colour layers are the separate ink layers the RISO gave us.

The fourth image is all the inks combined into one image. Take note of how the colours mix when they overlap.

Yellow layer

Fluor. Pink layer

Blue layer

Combined layers / end result.

[Thank you, Juliane Noll, for letting me use your print design]

Graphic design & digital illustrations

For graphic design and digital illustrations it’s best to start off your design using seperate colour layers and converting them to black and white.

You could also work with black and white layers and in Photoshop use a solid colour adjustment layer on the screen blend mode and each black and white layer on a multiply blend mode. This gives you a pretty clear preview of what to expect from the print (remember screens can’t properly show fluorescent colours).

Analog illustrations and paintings

Sometimes you just can’t start off designing your work in seperate black and white layers.

This is not a problem. Just use the Spectrolite app, it’s free, designed for Mac OSx. And you can find it here: link

It makes seperating colours easy and intuitive.

[Thanks Anemone, Adam and Amelia, for developing this app!]

Photography

RISO works perfectly for monochromatic images. Just send me your black and white images and tell me which colour of ink to use.

You can also use colour photographs, but they require you to colour seperate them. This is not a problem. Just use the Spectrolite app, it’s free, designed for Mac OSx. And you can find it here: link

It makes seperating colours easy and intuitive.

[Thanks Anemone, Adam and Amelia, for developing this app!]

Colours

SO-RI hosts 18 colours. We have Black, Light Grey, Flat Gold, Burgundy, Purple, Violet, Medium Blue, Blue, Aqua, Teal, Hunter Green, Green, Fluorescent Green, Yellow, Orange, Fluorescent Orange, Bright Red and Fluorescent Pink inks.

Note that these are not your typical CMYK colours and that RISO requires a completely different mindset to work with.

Colour experimentation

While it’s obvious and easy to look for a CMYK approximate and use Aqua, Fluor. Pink, Yellow and Black for some realistic colours, don’t be afraid to experiment with some different colours.

While you might be able to come close to true CMYK colours; exact colour reproductions should never be your goal when using the RISO print technique. Go for bold colours and use the variety of colours to your advantage.

Hex codes

If you’re ever in doubt about your files, ask me.