Shandaken Projects' print studio is a multi-use space that provides:
Access to printmaking and publication-making tools for artists in residence with Shandaken Projects and with other organizations working on Governors Island
Print and finishing services for artists, art organizations, and select clients
Educational opportunities for the public
Opportunities for young people to earn a wage while attending printmaking classes
Shandaken's print studio boasts many tools but is primarily focused on the Risograph—a digital reproduction technology that uses soy-based inks to make offset prints. In keeping with Governors Island's environmental stewardship goals, all Risography waste is compostable.
The Risograph was invented by Noboru Hayama in 1986. Combining digital and analog processes, the "Riso" (translating to ideal in Japanese) ingests images digitally, then creates a fiber-based screen through which ink is extruded one color at a time. The final product is very similar to a silkscreen print, however Riso prints cannot be perfectly registered—their "wabi-sabi" aesthetic has been become a beloved hallmark of the medium. See some examples of prints made on our Risograph below.
From top to bottom: Ruby Sky Stiler, Standing Artist; a selection from the Investing in Futures card set; Pallavi Sen, Garden School Theatre; Mark McKnight Eric (Voiding) Redux; Ulrike Müller, forthcoming limited edition with Shandaken Projects.