Antsy Printers is a small risograph studio in Brighton, offering hands‑on access to riso printing. We’re here for anyone who wants to learn the printing process, experiment with colour, make zines, and print artwork.
Risograph printing is a duplicator printing process using soy-based inks to create interesting and vivid colour combinations. Similarly to screen printing, it uses stencils to reproduce the design, with each colour printed on separate layers, bridging analogue and manual printing processes.
Originally designed for printing in offices and schools due to its cost and time efficiency for large print runs, it has now been utilised for its artistic potential. Because each colour is printed separately, you can recreate your CMYK images with different colours, creating unique and vibrant prints.
Why Riso?
- Eco‑friendly: Risoprinting uses soy‑based inks and low‑energy, cold‑process stencil making.
- Vivid colours: Riso inks are bold, bright, and slightly unpredictable. You can layer colours, play with overlays, halftones, and create unexpected mixes that digital printing can’t replicate.
- Great for larger print runs: Once your artwork is set up, riso can produce high‑volume prints very quickly. Most of the cost lies in the initial master creation, so runs of 50+ are the most economical.
- One-of-a-kind prints: Each colour is printed separately, which means slight misalignments in registration and subtle variations between prints. These quirks are part of riso’s charm.
Things to consider:
- Ink smudging: Soy inks dry through absorption and oxidation, not evaporation. This means the ink sits on the paper surface for a while and can take weeks to fully cure. Prints are more prone to smudge in the first 24 hours. The good news is these marks can easily be rubbed off with a standard rubber.
- Paper limitations: Riso can only print on uncoated paper between 46–210gsm (up to A3). Glossy or coated papers prevent ink absorption, cause heavy smudging, and may jam the machine.
- Small runs can be costly: Because of the cost of masters and setup take time, very small runs (under 50 prints) can be less cost‑effective.
- Avoid dense colour coverage: Large areas of 100% ink coverage can oversaturate the paper, cause sticking, or tear the stencil. Use coloured paper or thicker stock if you need a solid background.
- Not for perfect digital accuracy: Riso has its own colour palette, and layered printing can cause slight shifts in registration and tone. If you need a flawless match to your screen, riso may not be the right process.
Ready to start risoprinting?
Our Induction Workshop is the best way to get comfortable with the studio and learn how the risoprinter works. Completing an induction unlocks access to our 1-2-1 printing slots, so you can come back and print your own projects independently.
During the session, you’ll design and print your own 2‑colour A5 prints. We’ll guide you through separating your artwork into colour layers using tracing paper, scanning your layers into the risoprinter, and printing your final design. You’ll leave with 15 copies of your 2‑colour print and a solid understanding of the riso process.