What (or who?) is RISO?
RISO machines, or risograph machines, are digital duplicator (or copier) machines created by Riso Kagaku Corporation. You can read more about RISO on their official website.
Our machine
At Razor Jogger, we print with a RISO MZ-990 machine. This machine can print on (up to) 11” x 17” sheets with a .5” margin around all sides (it can’t print full bleed), resulting in a recommended “safe” print area of 10” x 16”. Bleed prints can be done if formatted to fit within the 10” x 16” print area and cut down later.
How it works
RISO printing is commonly considered a cross between photocopying and screen printing. Like photocopying, stencils are digitally and mechanically created in the machine and used to output duplicates at high speed. Each stencil created then corresponds to one layer of colored ink, like screen printing.
These features make RISO printing ideal for posters, flyers, zines, comics, and other “DIY”-style projects that call for its peculiar charms and aesthetic.
RISO inks are generally semi-transparent and soy-based, making them ideal for some degree of overprinting and color-mixing. However, RISO inks do not cure quickly or completely, and layering large areas of overlapping colors may result in ink that smears and smudges when handled. This should be considered, especially in the case of book or zine pages, flyers, or any prints that will otherwise be handled often. All of that being said, these smudges and milder imperfections are a big part of the charm of RISO printing. If you are looking for ultra-crisp, ultra-clean, “perfect” printing that looks just like the stuff on your phone or computer, RISO just may not be the medium for you.
File formatting
Files should be properly formatted and ready for output on 8.5” x 11” or 11” x 17” sheets. We accept black and white or greyscale files, preferably 300ppi (or higher), in the following file formats: PDF, AI, PSD, PNG, BMP, SVG, and TIF.
Color separation and design service options are available if your art needs to be made print ready. Read more about our color separation services here.
Available ink colors (Updated November 2024)
How much does RISO printing cost?
RISO projects may often require more in-depth discussion for a quote that can accurately account for all the time and effort needed. We currently have about a two-week lead time.
The chart below can be used for general price estimates to simplify the quoting process. These prices are based on projects printed on white, 67 lb. cardstock, which is our stock paper. Special paper weights and colors may affect pricing and lead time.
Ready to work?
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