Japanese Risograph Printer Helps Connect Global Artists Through Vibrant Independent Print Culture

A once-overlooked Japanese printing machine originally designed for low-cost office use has become an unlikely favourite among artists and designers, helping to build an international creative network from Glasgow to Kyiv. Now, a new exhibition in Scotland is celebrating the rise of risograph printing and the global community it has inspired.

How the Risograph Became a Favourite Among Independent Artists

Designer Gabriella Marcella says she immediately felt drawn to the risograph printer the first time she used one.

“The process, the immediacy – it resonated,” says the Scottish-Italian creative. “A lot of my aesthetic comes from that machine.”

Marcella, founder of Glasgow-based Risotto Studio, has curated an exhibition at Glue Factory Galleries showcasing international artwork produced using risograph printers.

Invented in Japan during the 1980s by printing firm Riso Kagaku, the risograph resembles a photocopier but produces prints with a finish closer to screen-printing. Known for its vivid colours, soy-based inks and distinctive texture, the machine has become closely associated with zines, political activism and independent publishing.

Gabriella Marcella’s Journey From New York to Glasgow

Marcella bought her first risograph printer on eBay for around £200 after discovering the format while studying at Pratt Institute in New York.

“As soon as the auction was won, my dad drove me round to collect it from a pair of pensioners who used it to print their grandsons’ football gazettes,” she says.

After returning to Glasgow, she established Risotto Studio in 2012. Her work, known for its bold shapes and saturated colours, has since attracted clients including Stüssy, Apple and Swatch.

Riso Club Brings Together Artists From Around the World

In 2017, Marcella launched Riso Club, a non-profit initiative aimed at promoting risograph artists internationally, particularly those working outside major creative centres.

“I’d always wanted to promote places away from cities like London and New York, where illustrators and creatives still work,” she says. “There’s a niche but global riso community who I’ve got to know over the years. I wanted to profile that.”

Through an annual membership, subscribers receive monthly sets of four postcards created by risograph artists from a featured city. Editions have highlighted creatives from locations including Lille, Lima, Kyiv and Damascus.

Marcella says the choice of postcards was deliberate.

“Physical things land differently. A postcard through the door has a weight, texture and intimacy that digital communication doesn’t – especially in the social media age, where we can scroll past hundreds of amazing images a minute.”

Showcasing Cities Beyond Stereotypes

Marcella believes the project offers a more personal way for audiences to discover places through local artistic perspectives rather than familiar clichés.

“This is a way of discovering places through artists rather than through tourist stereotypes,” she says.

She notes that some featured cities carry particular emotional or political significance, including Kyiv and Damascus.

“The risograph has roots as a political printer,” she adds. “Older machines often come from political parties or schools because it was a fast and affordable way to share ideas and information.”

Kyiv Artists Reflect Life During Wartime

Designer Mari Kinovych curated Riso Club’s Kyiv edition, which also raised funds for charity Razom for Ukraine.

She said the issue aimed to capture Kyiv’s vibrancy while reflecting the realities of wartime life.

“I chose a piece by Anna Gavryliuk featuring tank traps and flowers to illustrate this duality,” Kinovych says.

“For my own contribution, I chose an illustration reflecting the love, acceptance and care that defined the city during the second year of the war. I have never felt a stronger sense of community.”

Damascus Edition Explores Memory and Nostalgia

Kinda Ghannoum, curator of the Damascus issue, said the collection sought to present Syria beyond its conventional media portrayal.

“Each artist contributed a personal reflection on the city and the nostalgia many of us carry while living away from home,” she says.

“The results were even more beautiful than I imagined. I felt proud that together we could represent the spirit of Damascus in such a meaningful way.”

Glasgow Exhibition Marks 100 Issues of Riso Club

To celebrate 100 editions of Riso Club, Marcella produced a special anniversary issue featuring work from her own design inspirations, including Nathalie Du Pasquier, Peter Shire and Barbara Stauffacher Solomon.

All 400 postcards from the project are now being displayed in Glasgow as part of the exhibition.

Marcella says she hopes visitors leave with a renewed appreciation for print as a medium for connection.

“I hope they see that design can be generous, accessible and social,” she says, “and that print can still connect people in a very direct, everyday way.”

Why Risograph Printing Continues to Thrive

As digital media increasingly dominates communication, the enduring popularity of risograph printing reflects a continued appetite for tactile, physical creativity.

For Marcella and the artists involved in Riso Club, the enduring appeal of the machine lies not only in its distinctive aesthetic but in its ability to build meaningful connections across borders — one printed postcard at a time.

Graham Greene

“Entrepreneur. Freelance introvert. Creator. Passionate reader. Certified beer ninja. Food nerd.”