Serious Ris: Intro to Risograph Classes at Grounded Print Shop

Contributed

Learn a new artform this month at Grounded Print Shop as they offer their latest in a line of instructional classes, this one focusing on the unique print qualities of the risograph machine. Led by Chris Pace, the owner of Leadhead Screenprinting, the class aims to demystify the Riso process and make it accessible to anyone who wants to learn.

MONDAY, MAR. 24

There is something curious happening in Erie's Little Italy neighborhood — shops, bars, and eateries with youthful, vibrant energy are popping up, like Give A Crepe, in its new location at West 19th and Chestnut streets. The music venue-cum-cheesesteak spot Philly on the Rocks is rocking at West 18th and Chestnut. Grounded Print Shop, which opened its doors in 2019 at West 19th and Cherry, has always served multiple purposes in the community, from selling handmade paper goods, to offering memberships and studio space for artists, and offering classes and workshops — like this month's Intro to Risograph.

"Developed in the 1980s, a Risograph can be best described as a digital form of screenprinting," explained Ashley Pastore, owner and director of Grounded Print Shop. The class, which is led by Chris Pace, the owner of Leadhead Screenprinting, aims to demystify the Riso process and make it accessible to anyone who wants to learn. "We will teach students how to transfer their artwork onto a computer and use various programs to make it suitable to be printed with the Risograph," said Pastore. She also mentioned that class participants will "leave with prints to take home."

Intro to Riso is a must for anyone who would like to use the machines with any regularity in the future (you can even join Grounded's Riso club). And if you miss March's class, it will repeat each month through June, at least.

"Because of its tactile nature and textural feel, the images made through this process feel personal," Pastore asserted. "This process is quite fast and allows for some room to play with layering and output pretty directly, making it an ideal way of producing both original artwork and books, as well as catchy marketing materials."

5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. // Grounded Print Shop, 1902 Cherry St. // $30 // For more information and to register, visit: groundedprintshop.com