In this course students will bring their Risograph printing skills to the next level. We will cover how to build custom three- and four-color Riso printing profiles, how to use the physical limitations of the printer to our advantage and how to set up files to avoid printing errors. A deep dive on book layout and production guidelines for Risograph publishing will be included. The course follows a broad trajectory: There will be a few home assignments early on, to get students up to speed on the specifics of Riso printing; then students will develop their own projects and put them into production.

PREREQUISITE: Completion of a Risograph course or Open Lab Access.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

The goal of this course is to create Risograph-printed, narrative-based minicomics from start to finish. Students will experiment with writing and drawing short comics, and learn to use Risograph to print and assemble them. Throughout the course they will be challenged to thrive within the limitations of this printing process. Students will also learn to analyze comics not only through written and drawn techniques, but also through color, physicality and printing technique. This course is for students who are interested in creating comics, as well as producing thoughtful, tangible art objects. Students will complete multiple zines; the final project will be a print run of a multicolor, Risograph-printed minicomic.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

Through playful assignments, problem-solving exercises, and colorful experimentations, this course is designed to explore the Risograph printing process. A rigorous introduction to the fundamentals of Risograph printing and print design will be given, which will then be applied to free form, experimental print and paper sculpture exercises. Each session will build on core Risograph principles through in-class assignments that push the expectation of what can be made with paper and ink. From paper sculptures to maximalist art prints to collaborative book projects, students will complete the course with a Risograph printing skill set, as well as a portfolio of beautiful Risograph printed art objects. Open to artists, designers, and printers of all skill levels.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

This hybrid course will introduce students to the essentials of Risograph printing using the principles of printmaking as well as offset print production. Through online lectures and design demonstrations, students will receive technical training in print design and file preparation for the Risograph process using four core techniques: spot color printing, duotone, posterization, and faux CMYK. We will also view a wide range of examples of Risograph work representing several creative fields. Each student will prepare a portfolio of various Risograph projects in the form of print editions, zines, cards, promotional fliers, and other projects formatted for the Riso print process as well as presentation in digital form. Feedback and guidance will be given through group and individual critiques. This course concludes with an on campus weekend workshop where students will be trained in the Risograph printing process and can print the work they’ve prepared. This course includes subsequent access to the RisoLAB through the end of the semester.

Note: All students with an active registration in this course will be given free access to the Adobe Creative Cloud. This course is held online and on campus.

This course delves into the evolving identity of photography, with a particular focus on ephemeral digital imaging and the materiality of printed matter. We will examine the current visual vernacular and how physical and digital archives, consumer technology, and the Internet have reshaped the ways we produce and consume images. Students will learn to deconstruct their photographs and expand their creative possibilities by making photo-based Risograph prints. We will cover the technical fundamentals of translating photographic images into Riso prints and develop self-directed projects in the form of print portfolios or small publications. Throughout the course, we will explore color separation and printing techniques while engaging in discussions around mechanical reproduction, the archive, authorship, sampling, and remix culture-situating these themes within the broader context of contemporary imaging, media, and consumer culture.

Note: This course is held on campus at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

The past few years have seen an explosion of zines and small publishing among artists, designers and photographers. Even the most digitally based creative professionals are embracing the zine as a vital tool for experimentation, collaboration and communication. The Risograph Duplicator has emerged as a medium of choice for zine publishing. This technology fuses analog and digital printing techniques, combining the vibrant colors of silkscreen printing with the speed and automation of digital and offset printing. In this course students will be given a rigorous introduction to this medium and how to use it effectively as a tool for self-publishing. We will explore color, form, layout and pagination, and how to communicate ideas in book form. Class assignments will act as conceptual sparks to point students in new directions. In addition, collaborative projects among classmates will foster creative cross-pollination. Students will complete several zine editions, and discover that producing a simple pamphlet in an edition can be an empowering act—a way of multiplying one’s vision and spreading it out into the world.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

RISO for Animation and FIlm focuses on using the machine as an animation tool. Students will learn how to print animations with the RISO, how to do color separations for moving image sequences, how to rotoscope atop printed contact sheets, and how to create an animation directly off of the scanner bed. Working both with the scanner bed and automation processes in Photoshop, students will take a hybrid analog /digital approach to sequencing frame-based media. The final animation might be displayed as a poster, a flipbook, a digital animation file, or a part of a larger film.

The death of printed matter has been predicted for more than half a century. Meanwhile, artists have been busy continually proving that print media—and the nimble RISO, in particular—offers vital new possibilities for experimentation. This machine has supercharged the international small press movement, which challenges both the traditional scarcity-based economy of the art market and the myth of the lone artist. RISO for Animation and FIlm will take this spirit as a starting point, as our class works together as a small community to push the RISO into more experimental territory.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB for the full duration of the 2025 Fall semester.

RISO for Animation and FIlm focuses on using the machine as an animation tool. Students will learn how to print animations with the RISO, how to do color separations for moving image sequences, how to rotoscope atop printed contact sheets, and how to create an animation directly off of the scanner bed. Working both with the scanner bed and automation processes in Photoshop, students will take a hybrid analog /digital approach to sequencing frame-based media. The final animation might be displayed as a poster, a flipbook, a digital animation file, or a part of a larger film.

The death of printed matter has been predicted for more than half a century. Meanwhile, artists have been busy continually proving that print media—and the nimble RISO, in particular—offers vital new possibilities for experimentation. This machine has supercharged the international small press movement, which challenges both the traditional scarcity-based economy of the art market and the myth of the lone artist. RISO for Animation and FIlm will take this spirit as a starting point, as our class works together as a small community to push the RISO into more experimental territory.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB for the full duration of the 2025 Fall semester.

Risograph Duplicator printing technology combines the vibrant spot colors of silkscreen, the high resolution and speedy mass production of offset lithography, and the user-friendly automation of an advanced color copier. These compact machines can function as a print shop in a box. Their ease of use, print quality and low overhead costs make them extremely popular among independent publishers, zine makers, graphic designers, photographers, and others who are interested in making quick and vibrant editions on paper. In this course, students will be given a thorough overview of Risograph printing and its range of printing techniques. Each student will generate a portfolio of various Risograph projects in the form of print editions, zines, cards, promotional fliers, and other printed matter.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

Risograph Duplicator printing technology combines the vibrant spot colors of silkscreen, the high resolution and speedy mass production of offset lithography, and the user-friendly automation of an advanced color copier. These compact machines can function as a print shop in a box. Their ease of use, print quality and low overhead costs make them extremely popular among independent publishers, zine makers, graphic designers, photographers, and others who are interested in making quick and vibrant editions on paper. In this course, students will be given a thorough overview of Risograph printing and its range of printing techniques. Each student will generate a portfolio of various Risograph projects in the form of print editions, zines, cards, promotional fliers, and other printed matter.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

Artists have increasingly embraced Risograph printing for its bold colors, distinctive textures and accessibility in creating editions and publications. Originally designed as a high-volume office duplicator, the Riso prints one color at a time, much like silkscreen, blending the precision and flexibility of digital workflows with the tactile, handmade aesthetic of analog printmaking. Its element of chance and imperfections encourage creativity and experimentation, making it an ideal tool for pushing artistic practices in unexpected directions. This workshop examines ideas related to authorship, appropriation, mechanical reproduction and remix culture. Drawing inspiration from digital sampling in music, participants will explore the archive as a dynamic source of creativity. In the first session, they will deconstruct and recontextualize found materials through hands-on experimentation directly on the duplicator’s scanning glass. In the second session, we will address how to prepare digital files with color separations for printing from the computer.
NOTE: Participants are encouraged to bring printed materials and physical images from personal or collective archives, such as family snapshots, drawings, documents, public domain imagery, magazine cutouts, record covers, advertisements, stickers, flyers, posters, books, wrapping paper, and/or other ephemera. The workshop is open to all; no prior experience with Riso printing is required. All supplies are provided. This course is held on campus at SVA. Access to the RisoLAB is included for the duration of the course.

Registration is limited. Contact registrar@sva.edu if any registration issues are encountered.

The RisoLAB is dedicated to the philosophy and practice of independent self-publishing. It provides the opportunity for creative expression, offers an understanding of the print production process, and encourages collaboration in the production and publishing of student projects. RisoLAB access includes use of the Risograph duplicators for self-publishing and printing, as well as small-format bindery tools, paper trimming equipment, inks, tools and resources, along with tech support. Students who wish to work in the Lab must have successfully completed a full semester RisoLAB class or the online course with follow up in-person bootcamp training.

Registration is limited. Contact registrar@sva.edu if any registration issues are encountered.

The RisoLAB is dedicated to the philosophy and practice of independent self-publishing. It provides the opportunity for creative expression, offers an understanding of the print production process, and encourages collaboration in the production and publishing of student projects. RisoLAB access includes use of the Risograph duplicators for self-publishing and printing, as well as small-format bindery tools, paper trimming equipment, inks, tools and resources, along with tech support. Students who wish to work in the Lab must have successfully completed a Risograph course at the RisoLAB.

In this course students will bring their Risograph printing skills to the next level. We will cover how to build custom three- and four-color Riso printing profiles, how to use the physical limitations of the printer to our advantage and how to set up files to avoid printing errors. A deep dive on book layout and production guidelines for Risograph publishing will be included. The course follows a broad trajectory: There will be a few home assignments early on, to get students up to speed on the specifics of Riso printing; then students will develop their own projects and put them into production.

PREREQUISITE: Completion of a Risograph course or Open Lab Access.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

The goal of this course is to create Risograph-printed, narrative-based minicomics from start to finish. Students will experiment with writing and drawing short comics, and learn to use Risograph to print and assemble them. Throughout the course they will be challenged to thrive within the limitations of this printing process. Students will also learn to analyze comics not only through written and drawn techniques, but also through color, physicality and printing technique. This course is for students who are interested in creating comics, as well as producing thoughtful, tangible art objects. Students will complete multiple zines; the final project will be a print run of a multicolor, Risograph-printed minicomic.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

RISO for Animation and FIlm focuses on using the machine as an animation tool. Students will learn how to print animations with the RISO, how to do color separations for moving image sequences, how to rotoscope atop printed contact sheets, and how to create an animation directly off of the scanner bed. Working both with the scanner bed and automation processes in Photoshop, students will take a hybrid analog /digital approach to sequencing frame-based media. The final animation might be displayed as a poster, a flipbook, a digital animation file, or a part of a larger film.

The death of printed matter has been predicted for more than half a century. Meanwhile, artists have been busy continually proving that print media—and the nimble RISO, in particular—offers vital new possibilities for experimentation. This machine has supercharged the international small press movement, which challenges both the traditional scarcity-based economy of the art market and the myth of the lone artist. RISO for Animation and FIlm will take this spirit as a starting point, as our class works together as a small community to push the RISO into more experimental territory.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB for the full duration of the 2025 Fall semester.

RISO for Animation and FIlm focuses on using the machine as an animation tool. Students will learn how to print animations with the RISO, how to do color separations for moving image sequences, how to rotoscope atop printed contact sheets, and how to create an animation directly off of the scanner bed. Working both with the scanner bed and automation processes in Photoshop, students will take a hybrid analog /digital approach to sequencing frame-based media. The final animation might be displayed as a poster, a flipbook, a digital animation file, or a part of a larger film.

The death of printed matter has been predicted for more than half a century. Meanwhile, artists have been busy continually proving that print media—and the nimble RISO, in particular—offers vital new possibilities for experimentation. This machine has supercharged the international small press movement, which challenges both the traditional scarcity-based economy of the art market and the myth of the lone artist. RISO for Animation and FIlm will take this spirit as a starting point, as our class works together as a small community to push the RISO into more experimental territory.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB for the full duration of the 2025 Fall semester.

Risograph Duplicator printing technology combines the vibrant spot colors of silkscreen, the high resolution and speedy mass production of offset lithography, and the user-friendly automation of an advanced color copier. These compact machines can function as a print shop in a box. Their ease of use, print quality and low overhead costs make them extremely popular among independent publishers, zine makers, graphic designers, photographers, and others who are interested in making quick and vibrant editions on paper. In this course, students will be given a thorough overview of Risograph printing and its range of printing techniques. Each student will generate a portfolio of various Risograph projects in the form of print editions, zines, cards, promotional fliers, and other printed matter.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

Risograph Duplicator printing technology combines the vibrant spot colors of silkscreen, the high resolution and speedy mass production of offset lithography, and the user-friendly automation of an advanced color copier. These compact machines can function as a print shop in a box. Their ease of use, print quality and low overhead costs make them extremely popular among independent publishers, zine makers, graphic designers, photographers, and others who are interested in making quick and vibrant editions on paper. In this course, students will be given a thorough overview of Risograph printing and its range of printing techniques. Each student will generate a portfolio of various Risograph projects in the form of print editions, zines, cards, promotional fliers, and other printed matter.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.

The past few years have seen an explosion of zines and small publishing among artists, designers and photographers. Even the most digitally based creative professionals are embracing the zine as a vital tool for experimentation, collaboration and communication. The Risograph Duplicator has emerged as a medium of choice for zine publishing. This technology fuses analog and digital printing techniques, combining the vibrant colors of silkscreen printing with the speed and automation of digital and offset printing. In this course students will be given a rigorous introduction to this medium and how to use it effectively as a tool for self-publishing. We will explore color, form, layout and pagination, and how to communicate ideas in book form. Class assignments will act as conceptual sparks to point students in new directions. In addition, collaborative projects among classmates will foster creative cross-pollination. Students will complete several zine editions, and discover that producing a simple pamphlet in an edition can be an empowering act—a way of multiplying one’s vision and spreading it out into the world.

Note: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.