Printing Services

Fantasy Printhouse offer RISO printing, book binding and workshops for creatives, businesses and non-profit associations. We produce all kinds of printed matter such as posters, art prints, postcards, zines, booklets, and exhibition catalogues.

What is Risography?

Riso printing is a stencil-based, eco-friendly printing process which combines the look of screenprinting with the speed and convenience of digital duplication to produce vibrant, textured prints.

Riso printing is ideal for any project which values bold, vibrant colors, a tactile handmade aesthetic, and the charm of slight imperfections.

This could be menu cards, posters, invitations, greeting cards, art prints, zines, publications, folders – or anything else! Riso is most cost-effective for print runs of 50–5000 copies, although we also produce smaller editions.

Our inks

Color is at the heart of riso printing, bringing each print layer to life through unique, richly pigmented inks that can be overlaid to create unexpected tones and striking visual effects. Fantasy Printhouse have 8 riso inks in stock:

Purple

Cornflower Blue

Yellow

Brown

Fluo Orange

Green

Red

Black

Please note that a digital screen can’t give justice to the depth and warmth of RISO inks and printing– you’re welcome to come by our studio and pick up a free color chart!

Color Separation & File Delivery

Part of the magic of RISO lies in the layering and creative use of colors, as well as adjusting opacity to make the most of single colors. With RISO inks, the idea that “less is more” often rings true.

Using just 1–2 colors can create striking effects, while 3–4 colors can expand the range and even approach a CMYK-like quality for photo-realistic prints.

Send us your artwork as greyscale PDFs (300 dpi or preferably 600 dpi).
Each print color layer should be delivered as a separate file in greyscale.
Send us a full color PDF preview of your artwork for reference.

Check out this video for a tutorial on how to set up your files and use color separation in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.

If you feel unsure about file setup or have any other technical questions, we are here to help, just get in touch.

Paper

A risograph printer can print on uncoated paper between 80 and 300 gsm. Fantasy Printhouse stock a range of high-quality papers from Munken to Arena, and can order custom papers for your project if it fits within your timeline. You’re also welcome to supply your own paper, provided it’s uncoated and within the suitable weight range.

The maximum print area is 291 × 413 mm (slightly smaller than A3). The maximum paper size is A3 (297 × 420 mm).

Why only uncoated paper? Riso ink is soy-based and needs to absorb into the fibres of the paper to adhere properly. Coated papers have a thin plastic layer that prevents absorption, causing smudging or poor coverage. Recycled papers can sometimes pose similar issues if they contain plastic fragments, and tracing paper is also unsuitable for this reason.

Binding

Fantasy Printhouse offers a variety of binding and finishing options, including side and top staples, rounded corners, folding and trimming services, and custom touches that give your project a professional finish.