20 May RISO Artist of the Month Wren McDonald
Meet RISO’s May Artist of the Month
What is your name and the name of your organization/location?
Wren McDonald, Cartoonist & Illustrator, RisoLAB, PEOW2
How long have you been in the art industry?
I’m the author of SP4RX and several other self published comics and zines including my current series Precinct X99. I’ve done freelance illustration professionally since 2013 for a wide range of publications, publishers, and brands. I edit the comics award winning anthology series Ex.Mag, for PEOW2 and have done visual development for several animation projects. More recently I’ve been drawing ‘search and find’ books and organizing fanzines.
How long have you been using RISO duplicators and the method of RISOGRAPHY?
In 2013 I was invited to make a comic for PEOW Studio’s RISO-printed Sci-Fi anthology called Time Capsule 2. The texture, vibrancy, and physical quality of the printing felt like the perfect fit for my work. I looked into getting my own printer and found a second hand RZ 220 UI in Tampa (I was in Florida at the time). I printed on that for a while, using my single drum and making copies manually off the glass until I moved to NYC and discovered the magic of dual color printing as an artist in residence at RisoLAB, an educational RISOGRAPHY studio. I fell in love with the facilities and the community and became an educator shortly after. I’ve been teaching RISO printing basics and Minicomics at RisoLAB since 2019.
What are some of your favorite colors to use with a duplicator?
A recent favorite color combo has been Medium Blue and Fluorescent Orange. Wasn’t sure about Medium Blue at first, but it’s so vibrant and dark in value. And the fluo orange just vibrates. Doesn’t hurt to throw in Bright Olive too.
Why RISOGRAPHY?
The vibrant, tactile quality of RISOGRAPHY is incredibly satisfying. The physical nature really stands out in a sea of digital and process color. The result is similar to traditional printmaking but at the push of a button, making it easy to experiment and make revisions and run off a hundred copies. I thrive creatively with limitations, so the simplicity of RISOGRAPHY helps me push myself in directions I might not have considered otherwise. It’s the best tool I’ve found for self publishing and making prints
What would you tell people who are just finding out about RISO Duplicators and the art form of RISOGRAPHY?
Many people come to RISO for the first time from the digital art and process color world, my advice to them would be to start simple. Think about the manual, physical application of color; value, saturation, opacity, texture, etc. Challenge yourself to begin with limited spot colors. Programs that process colors for you can be invaluable tools, but without some foundational spot color experience the results often end up muddy and/or not what you’re looking for. And don’t get discouraged with the initial result. Like with anything, RISOGRAPHY takes experimentation and practice. If you’re in the NYC area, come take a class with me or one of my colleagues at RisoLAB!
Upcoming Events:
I’ll be at TCAF with some new prints June 7th-8th.
Website Links:
Insta: @wrenmcdonald