FILE REQUIREMENTS AND SETUP

FILE SETUP

EXPORT REQUIREMENTS

Please follow MP’s file setup requirements outlined below. Each printed ink layer should have its own dedicated (clearly labelled) PDF file. Please ensure that all files are converted to grayscale and saved uncompressed/high resolution. If files are not set up according to our specifications a set up fee may be added to the invoice.

► Example file set up for a 3-colour print by Paige Jung for the 2023 Artist Calendar. ① Yellow file ② Teal File, ③ Br Red file ④ Digital Proof ⑤ Final riso print! ►

FORMAT: PDF(s) preferred (.tif, .psd, .png is ok)

RESOLUTION: 300 to 600 dpi (high resolution)

COLOUR: greyscale / b&w / K

SIZE: to-size plus bleed (ie: the file size of an 8×10″ print would be 8.25×10.25″)

BLEED: 0.125”

SAFE ZONE: 0.25-0.5″

BLEED: 0.125”

VECTOR: to achieve the clearest line text and shapes should be changed to 100% K with no fill. (read more below)

PRINTER MARKS: do not include crop, registration or bleed marks. since we do imposition for all files for the digital proof we add our own when necessary.

MOCKUP: low-res PDF or jpg in colour. Required for book/zine projects that are 2+ colour so we have a colour reading order PDF to refer to. Not required for prints (but still appreciated if you want to).

FILE NAMING: it makes our life so much easier when you name your files concisely and correctly, thank you!

Zines/books: inkcolour_projecttitle.pdf
Prints: print#side_inkcolour_projecttitle_.pdf

Example 2c double sided prints:
1A_GRY_AnasArt.pdf, 1A_YEL_AnasArt.pdf
1B_GRY_AnasArt.pdf, 1B_YEL_AnasArt.pdf
2A_GRY_AnasArt.pdf, 2A_YEL_AnasArt.pdf
2B_GRY_AnasArt.pdf, 2B_YEL_AnasArt.pdf…etc

# = the print number, A/B = the side of the print (front or back), GRY = light grey ink, YEL = yellow ink (to keep file names shorter please use only 3 letters for ink colour codes: black = BLK, Medium Blue = mBL, Bright Red = RED, Green = GRE, Yellow = YEL, Purple = PUR, Aqua = AQU, Teal = TEA, Fl Pink = PIN, Orchid = ORH, Light Grey = GRY, Cornflower = CRN, Fl Orange = fOR)

FILE SIZE: uncompressed (under 50MB when possible)

SENDING: our inbox fills up quickly, please don’t send files directly via email thread. Use a storage/sending service, such as google drive, dropbox or we-transfer to send download link.

⚞ Note: Please read through the other info below about specific outputs (Photo, Drawing/Image, Type/Vector) as well as review the printer warnings on the Riso intro page, when ordering prints with Moniker Press you agree to our terms & conditions.

NEED HELP SETTING UP YOUR FILES?
No problem, we are happy to help! Moniker offers design, layout, colour separation and print file set up services at an hourly rate with a typical minimum of a 1/2 hour. Email erica@monikerpress.ca to discuss your project.

BOOK/ZINE EXPORT

Some additional file requirements for book/zine set up:

MULTIPLE PAGES + COVER: Please export your book/zine PDF(s) as single pages (not spreads) in reading order, including any blank pages. For perfect (glue) bound books, send the covers as a separate PDF file with the spine and bleed included. In the case of saddle stitch zines, include the cover and inner cover within the reading order file as it counts as a 4-page section in the booklet, even if only printed single-sided. So for example, if you are creating a 1-colour book/zine, you would send one file with all the pages. For a 2-colour book/zine, two separate PDF files would be required—one for each colour, including pages that are blank in the opposite colour file.

SADDLE STITCH: no bleed on spine edge. For example the file size for a 5×8″ booklet pages would be 5.125×8.25″.

PERFECT (GLUE) / COIL: include bleed on all edges of the page.

CREEP: When creating a saddle-stitched booklet or zine, consider there may be some margin creep.

DIGITAL PROOF IMPOSITION: For book and zine projects, digital proofs will be arranged in printer order so that when assembled they will be in reading order. For example in a saddle stitch book sheet 1 (4 pages) will have page 16 and page 1 on side A, and page 2 and 15 on side B. It is your responsibility to thoroughly review the proof and ensure that all pages are included and that the page order in the proof is correct, as per your intended design.

CONVERTING TO GREYSCALE

To ensure optimal printing results with a Risograph, you must provide individual separated greyscale files for each colour layer. Think of it as if you’ve put on “greyscale goggles” where every colour in your design has a corresponding tone in black or grey. By visualizing your design through these goggles, you can better understand how each colour will translate into the risograph grayscale printing process. Instead of using automated grayscale conversion, take the time to manually adjust each colour layer to the desired shade of black or grey. This approach, while time consuming, should help to ensure that your prints translate into the intended tones.

The chart below illustrates the difference between conversion types. Instead of simply changing the colour profile to “greyscale,” which may result in a light or faded print, it is recommended to manually adjust the colour layer to 100% K (black) or the corresponding grey tone that closely matches the desired yellow shade. Note that the specific process and adjustments may vary depending on your design software and personal preferences.

⚞ Tip: large areas of dense colour (and gradients) translate better for Riso when you tell it what to do, like adding a subtle texture or pattern to the area for it to follow.

CONVERTING PHOTOS: this is one case where automatic greyscale, or desaturating conversion works well. Depending on the results, you may want to adjust the levels after the conversion from greyscale so that it has the same richness in the shadows etc. ► Example of full colour photo converted to greyscale for 1-colour printing ►

COMMON FINAL SIZES

We can create most custom sizes, but suggest designing your project to fit economically on an 11×17” tabloid sheet to reduce stencil and paper waste. We will determine based on the final size that’s provided in your specifications. The cost is calculated per stencil, which covers an area of 16.5×10.5″. For example, if you have two 8×10″ art prints with the same color stencils, we would print them 2-up per sheet. So, when you order 50 copies of the 2-up sheet, it would result in a total of 100 prints.

All measurements for paper are in inches (thanks USA). Rounded measurements are required as our guillotine cutter is very old and can’t easily align to something that’s for example: “10.36959” but an even 10.5″ or 10.25″ is great!

PRINTS

11×17” (no trim)
10×15” (1-up)
8×10” (2-up)
7×9” (2-up)
5×7” (4-up)
4×6” (4-up)
4×5” (8-up)
2×3.5” (8-up)

BOOKS/ZINES

8×10” (1 or 2-up)
7×10” (1 or 2-up)
5×8” (2 or 4-up)
4×5” (2 or 4-up)

⚞ We’ll help determine how many
prints per sheet your order has.

BLEED / SAFE ZONE

What is bleed? watch this video tutorial for the basics.

Designs smaller than the max print area 10.75 x 16.75″ can print at full bleed. Add at least 0.125″ around your artwork extending past the cut line. For example the print file size for an 8×10″ print with bleed would be 8.25×10.25″

► purple square= artwork/design area, solid line = approx final trim, dashed line = approx safe zone. ►

Non-printable areas will vary based on the size of your artwork and how many we can fit per sheet (1up to 8up). ⚞ It’s best to plan for bleed in advance! This way you won’t lose information when we tell you that you must include a bleed area in your final files.

SADDLE STITCH BOOK/ZINES: no bleed on spine edge. For example the file size for a 5×8″ booklet pages would be 5.125×8.25″.

SAFE ZONE: Account for some misalignment within your design to avoid important content from being cut off during the final trim. A safe zone can be approximately 0.25-0.5″ of space between important content and the paper edge.

PHOTOGRAPHS (BITMAP)

Risographs are well-suited for printing photographs! When creating a stencil, the riso automatically generates a halftone bitmap pattern, eliminating the need to add this effect digitally and avoiding any undesirable moiré patterns. If you have already added a specific halftone effect or would like us to use specific settings, please inform us. Otherwise, we will determine the best settings for the image to achieve optimal results through the printer.

If you are seeking exact replication of full-color printing, risograph might not be the right fit for your project (and that’s okay.) While risographs can simulate a CMYK-like effect for photographs through a 2-4 color separation process, it's important to note that the results will vary from print to print. This characteristic of riso can add a unique feel to your photographs, creating a one-of-a-kind look for each print. Another fun aspect of faux-CMYK separations is the freedom to choose any combination of colours. For instance, you could print a photo using Bright Red and Green, offering creative possibilities beyond the traditional CMYK palette, check out some photo examples from the Print Log below:

1C EXAMPLES

3C EXAMPLES

2C EXAMPLES

4C EXAMPLES

GRAPHICS / DRAWINGS / SCANS (GRAINTOUCH)

Risographs are particularly fond of gradients and textures! For non-photographic images and text, the risograph utilizes a distinctive grain-touch pattern. Unlike the uniform round circles of a bitmap, this pattern is composed of small, almost squiggly shapes. Grain-touch adds the distinctive texture and character that Risograph is known for. It works especially well for replicating watercolour, charcoal and other textures. Based on your design we will determine the best output for your prints.

Risos often struggle to reproduce low-contrast or very light details, such as delicate pencil marks. Due to the nature of the printing process, these subtle elements may not be as pronounced or visible in the final print. It's important to keep this in mind when preparing your artwork or design for, and make adjustments accordingly to ensure the desired level of detail and contrast.

⚞ Scan at high resolution, especially if you intend to enlarge. Scanners often capture the texture of the paper which can be detected by the Riso and unintentionally printed. To prevent this, carefully examine the scans at “actual size” and remove any areas that contain unwanted texture. Doing so can ensure a cleaner reproduction of the artwork without paper texture interference.

1C EXAMPLES

3C EXAMPLES

2C EXAMPLES

4C EXAMPLES

TYPE / VECTOR

Risograph printers have the ability to distinguish between text and images when the file is set up correctly. This means that the Riso reads the text as line/vector rather than dots, resulting in sharp and clear edges for the text or shape elements.

► Scanned example: Helvetica Narrow from 4pt to 18 pt, with knockout text in 20pt and 24pt. Line from 0.25pt to 4pt. ►

Knockout text and small type, especially those below 6pt, are sometimes reproduced as bitmap rather than solid lines, which could affect legibility. But depending on the look you want to achieve this bitmap effect could still create an interesting effects.

⚞ IMPORTANT: To ensure that type and solid shapes are printed as vector/line, adjust them to 100% K (black) and ensure that there is no background fill. (to test that it is transparent, open your exported PDF in photoshop and you’ll see the background is checkered) This allows the Riso to interpret the elements properly and produce sharp clear lines without unwanted bitmapping.

TYPE EXAMPLES

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

ROLLER MARKS / INK RESIDUE: Consider the handling of your prints during the production process and as a finished product. Heavy ink coverage on a zine cover or fold line can increase the risk of smudging in those areas. Roller marks are more likely to appear when there are multiple ink layers and heavier coverage in the centre of an 11×17″ sheet, designing intentionally can reduce the likelihood of them appearing.

MIS-REGISTRATION: is the main component of Riso “charm”, it’s unavoidable! Trapping is a design technique that helps minimize the visibility of mis-registration, consider implementing in your design if you want to reduce the appearance of layers shifting in your prints.

TRANSPARENCIES / INDESIGN EFFECTS: Sometimes when effects, transparencies or overlapping text boxes are used in Indesign they sneakily appear in the stencil, translating into weird unwanted textures or lighter areas. If you are using any of these techniques in your design you may have to flatten your files (which would remove possibility for vector text but reduce likelihood of these ghost areas appearing). Please read Terms and Conditions Moniker Press is not responsible for submitted print files that have ghost transparencies in them.

DPI/RESOLUTION: Images that are 600 DPI (dots per inch) will achieve optimal reproduction with the Risograph printer. 300 DPI is also suitable. 72 DPI is not recommended as it’s primarily used for digital displays and is a lower resolution that may print pixelated or less sharp due to the limited amount of information making up the image.

Read more about Riso on the Intro to Riso page.

DIGITAL PROOFS

At Moniker Press physical proofs are not provided for print orders. However, all print orders will receive a digital proof that must be thoroughly reviewed and approved before we begin the production process. The approved digital proof serves as our reference for printing.

Once files have been submitted we will send you a digital proof made directly from your files. You are responsible for final review and approval, adjustments can be made to the files if necessary.

If further proofs and subsequent adjustments are required, a small fee may be applied to your order to cover the time and costs associated with creating multiple proofs. Please keep in mind that digital proofs cannot accurately replicate the exact colors, textures, or variations created by the Riso printing process. MP is unable to guarantee an exact color match, precise tone or shade accuracy, overlapping ink results, or consistent line quality through digital proofs.

PRE-PRESS ASSISTANCE

Moniker Press offers design, layout, colour separation, scanning (up to 9x12"), consultation, and print file set up services at an hourly rate with a typical minimum charge of a 1/2 hour. Email erica@monikerpress.ca to discuss your project.

Some examples of past projects we've worked on below:

COLOUR SEPARATION EXAMPLES