18 Sep RISO Artist of the Month Olivia Fields
Meet RISO’s August Artist of the Month
What is your name and the name of your organization/location?
Olivia Fields | Brooklyn, NY 🍎
How long have you been in the art industry?
Professionally, I began doing editorial illustration in early 2019, first focusing on criminal justice before expanding to a range of clients and companies. Many of my illustrations have been published in periodicals such as Bloomberg Businessweek, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and Women’s Health among others! Alongside this, I started tabling in 2016, designing my own products and working on personal projects in my free time. Since graduating, I have given numerous talks about my career, traveled across the country selling my work at art festivals/conventions, and even developed an online course for RISO printing via Domestika back in 2022.
How long have you been using RISO duplicators and the method of RISOGRAPHY?
Next year will mark ten years of printmaking! I started my RISO journey by first trying out the printing process at MoCCA Fest in 2017. I began attending more art fairs around this time, and there were all kinds of artworks utilizing RISO. I was so intrigued by the vibrant colors you could get out of the machine. I wanted to learn more, so I took a weekend intensive which then led to an introductory course in undergrad at SVA. I have been printing at the SVA RISO Lab ever since!
What are some of your favorite colors to use with a duplicator?
A color I always come back to is Medium Blue. I like using it as a substitute for black in my linework. I think fluorescent pink is a foundational RISO color that I always mix in with others. I also enjoy trying colors I don’t normally have access to (specifically if my work is printed somewhere else). That’s always fun! I did this with a piece way back when before I had access to fluorescent orange. I should really branch out and try more color combos…My color choices usually depend on mood!
Why RISOGRAPHY?
What I like most about RISO is how hands-on the printing process is. From prints to zines to everything in between, it is so fulfilling printing artwork with your own hands. It’s a lot of trial and error with figuring out color densities, layering, mixing, drum positioning, etc. If you’re like me and work digitally, the image will not come out the way you see it on a screen. You have to figure things out as you’re working, but the payoff is always worth it when you get to enjoy the end result. Even if it doesn’t come out the way you wanted, there’s always something to learn from happy (and not so happy haha) accidents.
RISO also really forces you to think about color in a way I think is beneficial for any kind of artist. Since each color has its own drum, I am always considering how to get the most out of the colors I use in a piece. Even with just two colors, you can get so many values by playing around with opacities.
RISO lends itself well to the kind of work I want to make. Creating artwork that highlights my favorite themes through a medium I love has allowed me to interact with an equally excited audience. And interacting within this community of artists showcasing the many ways to utilize the process always leaves me feeling inspired. It’s a great motivator for making new things!
What would you tell people who are just finding out about RISO Duplicators and the artform of RISOGRAPHY?
If you have an interest in printing, then go for it! RISO is for everyone! But also know it’s a very “go with the flow” process, so be prepared to deal with the natural quirks of the machine. Stencil.wiki is a great resource for finding RISO events, locations, and resources around the world. The RISO community has really exploded with many workshop opportunities available all over! Have fun, check out the work other artists are making, and experiment whenever possible.
Feel free to plug any events that you have coming up.
You can find me and my work at New York Comic Con (for the very first time!) on October 8-11th, Sprinkle Trinkle Town in Dallas on October 16-18th, and Lightbox Expo in Pasadena on October 23-25th! Lightbox will be my last event for the year. Hope to see you bye bye! ^_^
Website Links:
Website: ohfields.com
Instagram: @tncts