RISO 201 – DIY Your ZINE!!! (Two Sessions)

Forget the slick, hyper-precise perfection of digital screens. The real magic of risograph printing lies in its raw, analog-like unpredictability. Because of the way the machine feeds paper and distributes ink, rest assured that every single book in your run carries its own unique personality—no two copies will ever be exactly alike. If you have a burning desire to see your words, drawings, or ideas boldly copied and bound into a physical object you can hand to someone, welcome to 8-page Zine. This is a two-week, 100% alternative publication deep dive into the world of DIY press. We will not use computers during class. Instead, we are using tactile layout methods like handwriting, markers, and paper collage clipped from vintage magazines to build our pages. Over two fast-paced evening sessions, you will design, print, and hand-bind your custom 8-page (2 duplexed sheets) publication in a limited edition of 15 copies.

The Two-Week Breakdown 

Session 1: Mockups & Printing the Covers: 

Figure out how a publication actually goes together. You will tackle the puzzle of “imposition” (getting pages in the right order), map out safe print margins, and create a physical mockup to map out your project. Then, to spark that itch to create, we will get right on the press to layout and print the front and back covers of your zine. 

The Homework: Between sessions, you will use your new layout template to draft your interior pages at home—using clippings, drawings, or home printers—getting them physically sized and ready to paste up for production. 

Session 2: RISO Printing & Binding (The Assembly): 

Take over the press. You will print your remaining interior pages, and then dive right into folding and binding your edition using saddle-stitching and traditional pamphlet stitches. We’ll finish with a group swap so everyone goes home with a full set of peer work. You’ll leave the studio as a certified, independent RISO publisher with a stack of your own finished zines and a fresh collection of work from your classmates.

This is an IN-PERSON, 2-session workshop. Space is limited to 8 students to maximize press and studio time. Level: Adult students at all levels. You must have taken a risograph class from ABAC or another provider before participating in this workshop. 

Dates & Times: Wed. 6 – 9 pm, November 11th and 18th

Duration: 2 consecutive weeks (Two 3-hour sessions) 

Please choose the appropriate ticket type below. Member Benefit: Members receive a 10% discount off the cost of the workshop, among other benefits. Click here to join as a Member, then choose the Member Rate below. Studio Certification: Completion of this class qualifies you to use the RISO studio for your own independent projects during Open Studio hours. Details on Open Studio may be found here.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR This workshop is led by Steven N. Landry, who has a great love and mucho experience in both digital and analog printing, as well as print project instruction moves. He’s a total functional design nerd who loves nothing more than troubleshooting a stubborn machine, talking paper stock, and helping students transform simple paper cutouts into awesome physical editions. They will be there to guide you through the quirks of the RISO duplicator with a lot of patience, tons of practical knowledge, and plenty of enthusiasm.