So, my grandfather was a pretty accomplished amateur photographer, and in the ’50s was a member of the Boston Camera Club. He won an award for a particular photo (“Mike”, a regal Irish Setter) and was talking to the club about the photograph. As the story goes, he was showing some photos of clouds over a field, and was asked how he knew what the photo was going to be, when he was taking it. “From taking photo after photo after photo…” was his reply, and his advice to me, learning how to take photographs years later.
Such is Risography.
After making print after print after print, I started being able to visualize, even just a little bit. My first stabs were pretty much trying to duplicate work I thought was Riso. I was seriously disappointed, and though got some good responses on it, I didn’t feel it was “true to the Riso”.
I started from an offset-printing place, and tried to adapt the brochure design to the printer. A lot of that was trying to handle the halftones.
I was able to put the thing together on what is pretty much the community-recommended stock – Mohawk Superfine Eggshell Ultrawhite 80C. It’s yummy, and beefy… folded up, it felt kind of strange – too heavy, but to lay all that ink on it, you needed a heavy stock.
I felt a degree of satisfaction in learning what I could do with the machine, but I felt like I was using a hammer for driving a screw. It was trying to print an offset brochure with a screen printer. I scrapped it all and started over.
I have started being able to imagine what stuff is going to look like – to visualize the Riso. I decided to re-think the tri-fold brochure idea and go with a simple print – printed with an image on the front, and text on the back. Here’s where I’m at:
Most importantly, it works – you can read it. It also feels distinctly Riso to me. Just for a peek into what it takes to build that, this is what the files look like in Photoshop:
So yeah… “take your time” is Piece of Advice #1. “Make print after print”, is #2. Also something I learned in the darkroom – don’t be afraid to use paper. I know, my apologies to the trees, but you can’t be stingy with stock if you’re trying to see like a Riso.
#3, or is it #4? Visualize.
And of course, the advice from my artist friend, Jennifer… “You’re supposed to have fun with it! lol. Part of the process of art making!”
Oh yeah. Could it be that I’d forgot we’re making art?
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