23 Jul RISO Artist of the Month Radhia Rahman
Meet RISO’s July Artist of the Month
What is your name and the name of your organization/location?
Radhia Rahman (they/she)
Queens, NYC
How long have you been in the art industry?
I’ve been artistically inclined since I was a child and continued to pursue art into adulthood. I graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2020 with a BFA in Illustration. Since then, I’ve worked with various brands, shared my post grad journey online, started an art business, distributed my work wholesale, exhibited at art fairs, and hosted workshops.
How long have you been using RISO duplicators and the method of RISOGRAPHY?
I became mesmerized by RISO in 2016 while attending art fairs, fascinated by the bold colors and gritty textures. In 2017, I took a RISO zine making class at SVA where I learned the printing procedure as well as how to operate the duplicator. In 2023, I purchased a RISO secondhand and have been printing nonstop for myself and friends!
What are some of your favorite colors to use with a duplicator?
I immediately fell in love with fluorescent pink. Any pink and blue combo is my favorite. Aqua is a runner up, both of these colors are so juicy remind me of candy.
Why RISOGRAPHY?
Most of my illustrations are rendered digitally using bright colors, which can be difficult to translate across CMYK printing. I find that RISOGRAPHY extends my vision with the range of vibrant inks. There’s a particular texture that RISO has that also adds a lot of depth, even with a graphic art style. There’s a lot of anomalies during the printing process which makes every print unique. It’s a labor of love and that’s why I lean towards RISO as my primary print method.
What would you tell people who are just finding out about RISO Duplicators and the artform of RISOGRAPHY?
Feed into your curiosity, observe, and collect RISO artwork! I’m born & raised in NYC where there’s an abundance of print spaces, art fairs, and workshops. Exposure to these spaces has helped me build a visual index of ways I want to translate my artwork into RISO. Like all forms of printmaking, I love seeing how RISO transcends different creative fields. I’ve seen animated flip books, paper crafts, photos, zines, cd slipcovers, trading cards, etc… If anything can be printed digitally, it’ll look 100% cooler in RISO. There’s something magical about using a RISO that can only be felt if you try it out yourself!
Feel free to plug any events that you have coming up.
upcoming events: Stationery Fest & Anime NYC
Website Links:
Website: radhiarahman.com
Instagram: @knivesmeow