Preparing for Print.

Once you’ve created a design or have something you wish to print on the Riso printer there are a few things you need to consider before sending it to us to be printed.

Layers.

You will need to separate your design into colour layers. There are lots of ways to do this, on photoshop you can easily isolate each part of the design you wish to be a different colour and separate them into individual layers. Other programmes can do this too but you want to make sure that each layer is aligned correctly so that when each layer is printed they come together properly to create your design. 

Tip - Convert your colour layers to grayscale to get a better idea of how they will look printed. Remember that the vividness or hue of a colour is not the same as it’s value. Only the darkest colours will be printed at full opacity. (Make sure to check out our blog post about ‘Thinking in Layers’ here if you haven't already.)

Formatting.

Ensure the files you send us are in an acceptable resolution, files that are too small or compressed will lose detail in the print process. You should design in a resolution of 300dpi and in the size you wish your actual print to be (A3, A4 or A5 for example). If you are used to designing for digital consumption you may have to increase the size of the document you’re used to. 

Converting your files to grayscale is recommended but not essential if you know what you’re doing but remember each colour must be separated into its own isolated layer and exported as such. Files should be exported and sent to us as PDF files. You can have all your colour layers in one PDF document but each colour layer must be its own page and be clearly indicated which colour that layer is meant to be printed in. Alternatively you can save each layer separately and name them the colour you wish them to be printed in.

Pigeon design by @coxyart

Printing. 

Print Size - Obviously you want to consider the size of your prints. The riso machine takes A3 and A4 paper but by printing multiples per sheet, you can go smaller or even at unconventional shapes and sizes if you are willing to do some trimming. The Riso Printer cannot print at full bleed, there is always a border or 10mm so the maximum size you can print is actually just below A3 at 297 x 420mm. We think borders are cool but if you want your design to be full bleed you will have to have your prints trimmed or trim them yourself. It is also good to have a margin of at least 5-10mm on your design to allow for any errors. 

Inks - When thinking about full bleed it is also worth mentioning that areas with high volume of ink will likely have marks, misprints or blemishes. The soy based inks that Riso machines use is are not archival quality and will never fully dry (similar to how your hands get a bit inky after reading a newspaper) this means that areas with lots of ink can be challenging in that they can easily smudge and the machine itself will print them with some marks and texture you may not have intended for. This can be another interesting quirk that people have come to love about Risography but it is still worth considering whether it is something you want in your next printing project. Often just by lowering the opacity of and having it print at a slightly lighter colour can alleviate some of these side effects.

Paper - We have a wide range of papers and stocks for you to print on in different textures, styles and colours. You are also welcome to bring your own if you have something specific in mind. But keep in mind that the Riso cannot handle anything above 210gsm, and it's always worth checking with us first if the paper you want to use is suitable. 

If you are having any issues and need help with formatting or need your printed trimmed or help with anything else, these services are available. We also run workshops where you can come and learn how to Riso print yourself, check out the website to see when the next induction workshop is.