Risograph

リソグラフ / 1980s– / contemporary revival / Technique / Stencil Printing

Keeps the per-color plates and their happy misregistration, giving each copy its own body heat.

Risograph — Two colour risograph print, 2014 (CC BY 2.0) · © Mario Felipe
Two colour risograph print, 2014 (CC BY 2.0) · CC BY 2.0 · © Mario Felipe
Risograph — Close up of a risograph print — Wikimedia Commons / CC0
Close up of a risograph print — Wikimedia Commons / CC0 · CC0
Risograph — Risograph printed poster, print studio in Guadalajara, 2025 — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 · © Alequihdez
Risograph printed poster, print studio in Guadalajara, 2025 — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · © Alequihdez

At a glance

Visual cues

  • Misregistration
  • Spot-color inks
  • Halftone dots
  • Paper show-through

Best used for

  • Handmade heat for zines and event notices
  • Memorable print with very few colors

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Dictionary entry

Type
Bold letters or homely serifs, separated by color plate
Composition
Large planes where overlap and slippage stay visible
Material
Two or three spot colors, coarse halftones, uncoated paper
Caution
Don't fake it with a noise filter. Design how the colors overlap first.
Further study
RISO print process / independent zine culture

Related entries

Often confused with

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Cite this entry

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https://indexstyle.org/styles/risograph
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[Risograph — IndexStyle](https://indexstyle.org/styles/risograph)
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<a href="https://indexstyle.org/styles/risograph">Risograph — IndexStyle</a>

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