Riso colors and overprint: so many colors from a few inks
One of the nicest things about risograph printing, in my opinion, is the color. You don't work with a single full-color image like with a regular printer, but with separate inks that you print layer by layer. And where two colors overlap, you suddenly get a third color. That is called overprint, and it is perhaps my favorite part of the whole process 🎨
In this guide, I explain how riso colors work, exactly what overprint is, and how you can achieve a wide range of colors with just a handful of inks (I personally use a maximum of 3 colors at a time!).
How does color actually work on the risograph?
With risograph, you work with loose inks, each in its own color. In my studio, for example, I have fluorescent pink, yellow, medium blue, aqua, teal, green, and red. Each color is in its own drum and gets its own layer.
That is different from your home printer, which prints everything in full color in one go. So with risograph, you think in individual colors, a bit like with screen printing. And that is exactly what makes it so much fun, because you can start playing with those layers.
One more important thing: riso ink is slightly transparent. It does not provide full coverage. This is why 'overprinting' works so well with riso printing. You can actually mix colors together!
What is overprint?
Simply put, overprint is two inks printed on top of each other to create a new color. Because the ink is transparent, you can see the color underneath through the top layer, and the two then visually blend into a third color.
A few examples that I use frequently myself:
Yellow with blue over it becomes green.
Yellow with fluorescent pink over it turns orange to red.
Fluor pink with blue over it becomes purple.
That way, with three inks, you suddenly have many more than three colors. And the beauty of it is that riso colors mix just slightly differently than you would expect on your screen, so there is always a bit of a surprise.
The Riso color chart (and why it is so useful!)
So, because riso colors mix a bit unpredictably, a color chart is very handy. That is a test print on which you show all your inks, plus all the overprints, plus a few shades in between.
That way, you know roughly what the result will be beforehand, instead of just having to guess. I personally grab my card for almost every project. Don't have one yet? Then print one out with the inks you use most; you'll get endless enjoyment out of it. Or buy mine in my shop!
More colors from fewer inks: playing with percentages
You don't always have to print a color at 100%. You can also make a layer lighter, and then you get a shade of that same ink.
That works with a 'halftone'. Briefly explained: a halftone is a grid of small dots. The smaller the dots, the lighter the color appears, even if you are using the same ink. For example, if you apply blue at 50% over a yellow area, you get a much softer green than with solid blue.
So, besides your basic inks, you actually have all the shades in between as well. That is where the feeling comes from that you can create an 'infinite number' of colors with riso, while you only use a few pots of ink for the basics.
Fluorescent colors, why they pop so much
Fluor pink is my favorite color, and for good reason!! It is super bright, it really pops off the paper, and it mixes with almost everything to create a beautiful color. Fluor pink over yellow gives a bright orange, over blue a lovely purple.
Fluorescent colors certainly have a character of their own: you can almost never recreate them as brightly on a screen. That is part of the charm, and it is precisely why riso prints look so vibrant.
The charm of almost: misregistration
Sometimes the layers don't align perfectly, and you see a small edge of the color underneath. That is called misregistration. At a regular printer, that would be a mistake, but with risograph, it is simply part of the process, and honestly, I think it looks beautiful. It is kind of the whole idea behind Studio Misprint: those little imperfections bring it to life.
You can even consciously play with it by deliberately shifting your layers a tiny bit. So just try it out; many of these kinds of things came about for me by just having fun tinkering.
Get started yourself
Do you want to play around with risograph colors and overprint yourself? Come visit Printclub , and I'll help you get started so you can simply try it out on the printer. And if you'd rather bring something beautiful home, take a look at the webshop at studiomisprint.nl, where you'll find prints and cards featuring all these color tricks :)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is overprint in riso printing?
Overprint is the process of printing two inks on top of each other to create a visually new color. Because riso ink is slightly transparent, the colors blend where they overlap (for example, blue over yellow becomes green).
Can you make all colors with Riso?
Not literally *all*, but quite a lot. With a few inks plus overprints and tints, you can get pretty far. Riso colors do mix slightly differently than on your screen, so a color chart helps to see what you are really getting.
How many inks can you print on top of each other?
In principle, as many layers as you like, but in practice, I usually stick to two to four. More layers can look nice, but the ink can smudge if you print too wet-on-wet, so building it up gradually works best.
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