Fall 2024 Classes
Course registration for the RisoLAB’s Fall in-person and online classes are open! Our Open Lab Access links will be open for registration beginning on Wednesday, August 28th. You can browse our course listings below. Each description contains a direct link to a registration page.
Our semester begins on September 16th and runs through December 18th. Those who have previously completed a course at the RisoLAB are eligible to sign up for Open Lab Access. Registration for access will open during the last week of August.
Access all of our Visual Narrative and RisoLAB courses by following the link below:
RISO Printing: An Introduction (FALL 2024)
- Course Number: VNC-1577-A
- Instructor: Wren McDonald, Illustrator, Cartoonist
- Schedule: Thurs., Sept. 26 - Dec. 5
- Hours: 6:00pm - 9:30 pm
- Details: 10 sessions / 3.5 CEUs $525
- Studio Fee: $200
Course Info
Risograph Duplicator printing technology combines the vibrant spot colors of silkscreen, the high resolution and speedy mass production of offset lithography, and the user-friendly automation of an advanced color copier. These compact machines can function as a print shop in a box. Their ease of use, print quality and low overhead costs make them extremely popular among independent publishers, zine makers, graphic designers, photographers, and others who are interested in making quick and vibrant editions on paper. In this course, students will be given a thorough overview of Risograph printing and its range of printing techniques. Each student will generate a portfolio of various Risograph projects in the form of print editions, zines, cards, promotional fliers, and other printed matter.
NOTE: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.
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RISO Printing: Art Books and Abstract Comics (FALL 2024)
- Course Number: VNC-2371-A
- Instructor: Aidan Fitzgerald, Artist, Printer, Poet; Co-Founder, Cold Cube Press
- Schedule: Weds., Sept. 25 - Dec. 4
- Hours: 6:00-9:30
- Details: 10 sessions / 3.5 CEUs $525
- Studio Fee: $200
Course Info
This course is an exploration of the book as a work of art, as well as the formal ideas of abstract comics. The ease of use and the agility of Risograph printing make it the perfect method to execute different ideas in a relatively short amount of time. Students will learn the process of bookmaking from start to finish, and how to work within the limitations of Risograph printing. We will investigate and engage with abstract comics – books of sequential and formally linked drawings, as opposed to narrative-based comics – as well as photography, painting and design. Art books by contemporary artists will be addressed, as well as the history of art books and abstract comics. By the end of the course, each student will have developed distinct editions of art books, as well as a larger, multicolor Riso art book for a final project. This course is for students who are interested in creating art books, as well as those interested in learning a new perspective in making comics.
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RISO Printing: Zines and Small Publishing (Fall 2024)
- Course Number: VNC-2239-A
- Instructor: Sarula Bao, Illustrator, Graphic Novelist
- Schedule: Mon., Sept. 23 - Nov. 25
- Hours: 6:00pm - 9:30 pm
- Details: 10 sessions / 3.5 CEUs $525
- Studio Fee: $200
Course Info
The past few years have seen an explosion of zines and small publishing among artists, designers and photographers. Even the most digitally based creative professionals are embracing the zine as a vital tool for experimentation, collaboration and communication. The Risograph Duplicator has emerged as a medium of choice for zine publishing. This technology fuses analog and digital printing techniques, combining the vibrant colors of silkscreen printing with the speed and automation of digital and offset printing. In this course students will be given a rigorous introduction to this medium and how to use it effectively as a tool for self-publishing. We will explore color, form, layout and pagination, and how to communicate ideas in book form. Class assignments will act as conceptual sparks to point students in new directions. In addition, collaborative projects among classmates will foster creative cross-pollination. Students will complete several zine editions, and discover that producing a simple pamphlet in an edition can be an empowering act—a way of multiplying one’s vision and spreading it out into the world.
NOTE: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.
Mini Comics: From the Page to Production (FALL 2024)
- Course Number: VNC-2362-A
- Instructor: Wren McDonald, Illustrator, Cartoonist
- Schedule: Tues., Sept. 24 - Nov. 26, 2024
- Hours: 6:00pm - 9:30pm
- Details: 10 sessions / 3.5 CEUs $525
- Studio Fee: $200
Course Info
The goal of this course is to create Risograph-printed, narrative-based minicomics from start to finish. Students will experiment with writing and drawing short comics, and learn to use Risograph to print and assemble them. Throughout the course they will be challenged to thrive within the limitations of this printing process. Students will also learn to analyze comics not only through written and drawn techniques, but also through color, physicality and printing technique. This course is for students who are interested in creating comics, as well as producing thoughtful, tangible art objects. Students will complete multiple zines; the final project will be a print run of a multicolor, Risograph-printed minicomic.
NOTE: This course is held on-site at SVA and includes access to the RisoLAB.
Sign UpWeekend Workshops
Weekend at the RisoLAB: Photography and Painting (FALL 2024)
- Course Number: VNC-2256-A
- Instructor: Aidan Fitzgerald, Artist, Designer, Publisher; Co-Founder, Cold Cube Press
- Schedule: Sat., Sun.; Oct. 26 – 27
- Hours: 2:00 - 6:00 pm
- Details: 2 Sessions/$150
- Studio Fee: $200
Course Info
This workshop will focus on various ways to print photographs and paintings on the Risograph. Students will be guided through the Risograph printing process from conception to print design and production. We will cover halftone and grain touch processing; printing with two- and three-color profiles; and the limitations and possibilities of printing complex images on the Risograph. Each student will complete the course with a print edition on high-quality paper and take home multiple copies of their Riso print, as well as several color charts and other Riso ephemera. All supplies are provided. Open to all levels.
Note: This course is held on campus at SVA.
Sign UpOpen Lab Access
Fall 2024 RisoLAB Access (Full Semester-Sept. 16 – Dec. 18)
- Course Number: VND-ACCESS
- Instructor:
- Schedule: Sept. 16 - Dec. 18
- Hours: Availability based on RisoLAB Schedule
- Details:
- Studio Fee: $350
Course Info
The RisoLAB is dedicated to the philosophy and practice of independent self-publishing. It provides the opportunity for creative expression, offers an understanding of the print production process, and encourages collaboration in the production and publishing of student projects. RisoLAB access includes use of the Risograph duplicators for self-publishing and printing, as well as small-format bindery tools, paper trimming equipment, inks, tools and resources, along with tech support. Students who wish to work in the Lab must have successfully completed a full semester RisoLAB class or the online course with follow up in-person bootcamp training.
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Fall 2024 RisoLAB Access-Half Semester (Oct 28 – Dec. 18)
- Course Number: VND-ACCESS-B7
- Instructor:
- Schedule: Oct. 28 - Dec. 18
- Hours: Availability based on RisoLAB Schedule
- Details:
- Studio Fee: $225
Course Info
The RisoLAB is dedicated to the philosophy and practice of independent self-publishing. It provides the opportunity for creative expression, offers an understanding of the print production process, and encourages collaboration in the production and publishing of student projects. RisoLAB access includes use of the Risograph duplicators for self-publishing and printing, as well as small-format bindery tools, paper trimming equipment, inks, tools and resources, along with tech support. Students who wish to work in the Lab must have successfully completed a Risograph course at the RisoLAB.
Sign Up
Fall 2024 RisoLAB Access-Half Semester (Sept. 16 – Nov. 3)
- Course Number: VND-ACCESS-A7
- Instructor:
- Schedule: Sept. 16 -Nov. 3
- Hours: Availability based on RisoLAB Schedule
- Details:
- Studio Fee: $225
Course Info
The RisoLAB is dedicated to the philosophy and practice of independent self-publishing. It provides the opportunity for creative expression, offers an understanding of the print production process, and encourages collaboration in the production and publishing of student projects. RisoLAB access includes use of the Risograph duplicators for self-publishing and printing, as well as small-format bindery tools, paper trimming equipment, inks, tools and resources, along with tech support. Students who wish to work in the Lab must have successfully completed RisoLAB’s Risograph training or a Risograph course.
Sign Up
