RISO Artist of the Month Louisa Tsui

What is your name and the name of your organization/location?

My name is Lou Tsui, and I run a Riso studio in Vancouver, Canada called CopyCat Studio.

How long have you been in the art industry?

I’ve been an illustrator and designer for about 12 years. I’ve worked as a freelance illustrator, and designer for Muji Canada. Previously, I was working as a Location Designer for animation with clients like Netflix and Atomic Cartoons.

How long have you been using RISO duplicators and the method of RISOGRAPHY?

I fell into Risography sometime in 2022. I used to do silkscreen and lithography when I was still in art school and was trying to find something similar to do again. Riso’s process was like silkscreening but with a machine, and I really enjoyed the process of thinking in values, playing around with the registration and the mixing of the inks.

What are some of your favorite colors to use with a duplicator?

I currently have been working with Cornflower and Fluorescent Pink, I love the combination! My dream colors for my machine are Sea Foam, Sunflower Yellow, and Fluorescent Orange.

Why RISOGRAPHY?

Risography is great for producing unique prints and zines! I also love the look of the dot process texture, the way the registration creates a slight knockout effect. It also challenges me to think in values and how to translate grayscale into colour. I think in an era where everything has been overtaken by digital tools, it’s a nice way back into thinking and creating things traditionally.

What would you tell people who are just finding out about RISO Duplicators and the art form of RISOGRAPHY?

It’s so much fun! Please give it a shot if you enjoy printmaking and thinking about colour theory.

Upcoming Events:

I am always going to be doing group shows at CopyCat Studio! I will also be setting up an online store to sell RISO prints. Please stay tuned on our newsletter and Instagram!

Website Links:

You can find me on Instagram @copycat_riso and my website is copycatriso.com