IN THE BEGINNING
Like all good tales we begin long, long ago, in November 2021, shrouded in the midst of covid time. I went to see Beki for a masked meeting about a collaborative product idea that Good Things Collective were thinking of, for me to illustrate. Gift cards with an actual gift attached! And we discussed with excitement the possibility of getting them risograph printed, but where?
There are a few Riso Press People scattered around the UK ~ Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham and London of course - but not around these parts! …. Which led swiftly on to this idea…Let’s buy a Risograph printer for the Good Things Studio!!
This led to all sorts of other exciting ideas - but more of that later…
Firstly…
WHO ARE THE GOOD THINGS COLLECTIVE?
Good Things Collective is a Community Interest Company, focussed on working together to secure the necessary skills, equipment and space that the community needs to thrive. We encourage and support people from Morecambe’s West End and surrounding areas to participate in the arts and improve the wellbeing and health of the district.
Connecting with others, being with friends, sharing & talking about ideas, laughing at ridiculous things, creating beautiful art, collaborating to make something meaningful, communicating with thoughtful words. Celebrating Morecambe & contributing to the town's self esteem.
The Good Things Collective inspire, promote and support the incubation and growth of community rooted initiatives with a creative, social and sustainable ethos, ensuring these are socially engaged and generating meaningful sustainable growth and change in the area.
The Morecambe Community Riso Press is one of these initiatives!
I've been involved with the Good Things Collective as a volunteer for 5 years, which has added a whole new aspect to my art practice and life, it’s been very nice and I never want to leave!
Being part of a compassionate, inclusive and understanding community who provide opportunities and support, is great!
... AND WHAT IS A RISOGRAPH PRINTER?
The Risograph Printer is a stencil duplicator, developed by the Riso Kagaku Corporation in Japan in the 1980’s. Originally designed for large volume print runs, it looks like a photocopy machine but prints more like a screen print.
It is economically and environmentally friendly, it uses soy inks producing lower levels of toxic emissions and there’s no heat used to dry the ink so it is more energy efficient too.
The inks used are particular to the risograph and print beautifully vibrant images.
The printing process works best using absorbent recycled paper, and the prints produced are unique looking with an off-centred aesthetic and a tactile finish.
It has become very popular with graphic designers, illustrators and artists in recent years. It’s a great tool for experimenting with new print ideas as well as printing bulk orders of cards, posters, flyers and is very popular with makers of zines. Most Riso studios offer a Zine production template alongside information and tips about production.
RISOGRAPH PRINTING AT THE MORECAMBE RISO PRESS
At the Morecambe Community Riso Press, we will be able to print & publish art editions, postcards, greetings cards, zines, pamphlets, posters, flyers and labels for our artists' products.
We’ll also put on workshops so people can learn the art of risograph and where the community can become members of the Morecambe Riso Club which will provide cost price access to the machine! All adding to Morecambe's community wealth building & circular economy.
Here is a photograph of the Risograph printer we would like the most!
It's the Riso MZ770 - a 2 drum a3 & A4 printer, used at Hato Press in London, Inkwell in Berlin and Risotto in Glasgow.
“London, Berlin, Glasgow, Morecambe , everybody talk about Riso Printing!...on the MZ770”
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MORECAMBE SUNDAE ART ZINE
Running alongside this project is a community fanzine called The Morecambe Sundae Art Zine.
A collaborative publication, Risograph printed, in two colours, that celebrates imperfections, unashamed errors, beautiful nature, amazing people, and the glorious buildings & history, all inspired by life in this Northern seaside town of Morecambe.
The theme for this 1# issue is ‘Space, Places & Signs’, and it'll be packed full of amazingly cool art by local Artists and beautiful, thought inducing words from Wordsmiths, alongside information about all the amazing projects that have sprung from Creative West End and the Good Things Collective and ways to get involved.
The 28 page zine is coming together, I’m formatting the images as you read this, and we’ll be getting it printed when we’ve raised the funds !
CROWD FUNDER!
The aim is to publish 300 copies; 250 copies will be given as rewards through the crowd-funder; 50 copies will be put aside for the West End Community.
Through the crowd funder we would like to raise £200 to cover the printing costs.
A refurbished A3 riso is £2000 - £3250 plus vat £3,500
2 x New drums are £700 extra £1,400
4 x box of two ink tubes @ £65 £250
Box (420 masters in a box) £100 £100
Selection of recycled paper & card £250
to start printing on
crowdfunder charges (2.4% + 20p (per pledge)
plus P&P for rewards £300
TOTAL £6,000
However much we raise we will be printing the zine and we will find a way to buy the Risograph machine! Having said that, we would really, really like it if you could help us raise the funds!! It would make it all so much easier!
YOU!
What do you get? There will be future chances to join in! To join the Morecambe Riso Club, come to workshops and get your own art printed or maybe a discount when you buy some Morecambe Riso Art! You will also get a warm, fuzzy feeling because you have helped to build an eco friendly, not-for-profit, community enterprise… and we’ll love you forever!
The Rewards we’re offering for the Crowd Funder, at the moment ( we may add more! ) are as follows:
£5 A copy of The Morecambe Sundae Art Zine.
£10 A copy of The Morecambe Sundae Art Zine & some cool badges.
£20 A copy of The Morecambe Sundae Art Zine & some cool badges, 3 of my own Risograph prints plus a Cute Creature postcard.
£35 A copy of The Morecambe Sundae Art Zine & some cool badges & a ticket to one of our Risograph workshops ( valid for all of 2023 )
£200 A copy of The Morecambe Sundae Art Zine some cool badges & a ticket for a group of 8 people to a Risograph workshop ( valid for all of 2023 )
Other arty rewards may become available as the crowdfunder progresses...
THIS WAY TO THE CROWD FUNDER! >>>>>