Mono(chrome) Riso -
4th & 11th August
A two-Part Exploration of Texture & Tone
in Single-Colour Riso
In the world of Risograph printing, it’s incredibly easy to get swept away by bright, flashing neon colours and complex colour-layering. But sometimes, the most magical prints happen when you strip away the colour and return to the absolute basics: the power of a single ink.
Welcome to our Masterclass in Monochrome Riso Printing. Across two relaxed, hands-on evening sessions, we are putting colour mixing on the shelf to focus entirely on texture, depth, and grey-tone values. You will discover how the Risograph machine translates raw analogue mark-making into a beautiful, grainy halftone print. By the end of the course, you will have designed, printed, and assembled a limited-edition, 8-page single-sheet zine exploring your own visual narrative.
We are keeping our studio sessions tactile and analogue. Together, we will complete a series of grayscale value exercises and explore the power of negative space using the rich blacks of charcoal, the precision of graphite pencils, and the fluidity of black ink washes.
However, if you love working digitally or want to clean up your sketches on a laptop, we've got you covered! We will provide clear instructions and a video guide on how to digitise your artwork, adjust your contrast digitally, and prepare your files perfectly for the printer during your development week.
What to expect:
Session 1: Value, Space & Texture Lab - 4th Aug
We will dive straight into practical exercises, building grayscale value scales to see how different materials translate to print. We’ll run test prints so you can see exactly how the Riso scanner interprets your gradients. Finally, we will discuss the project for next week, and you’ll leave with a dummy zine layout and the knowledge to build your final project at home.
The In-Between Week
You’ll have a full week to develop your artwork at your own pace. You can choose to work purely by hand or follow our step-by-step digital guide to scan and refine your work on your computer.
Session 2: The Print Run - 11th Aug
Bring your finished layouts back to the studio! After prepping our pages at our fixative station, everyone will take turns operating the Riso machine to print an edition of 15–20 copies of their zine. We will cut, fold, and conclude the night with a grand Zine Swap, meaning you’ll go home with a collection of unique zines made by your classmates.
Who is this for?
Whether you are a seasoned printmaker looking to master tonal gradients, an illustrator wanting to see your sketches in a new light, or a complete beginner who loves zines and getting your hands a little dirty, this workshop is for you. No prior Riso or drawing experience is required.
2 Evenings: 4th & 11th of August
6:30pm to 9:30pm
The workshop costs: €110
Early Bird Price (until the 24th of July) - €95
Space for 6 participants.
Includes:
6 hours of in-studio instruction across two weeks.
Hands-on use of our riso printers.
A digital kit including zine templates and a short video tutorial for digitising your work.
Printing of your final edition 15–20 copies of your A3 zine
High quality materials - graphite pencils, ink, brushes, nibs etc.
Printing on quality paper
Drinks & snacks in a cosy studio environment!
