Found Objects #19: A Mixed-Media Risograph Zine

A new zine that captures the experience of camping in Maine

I’ve been playing around on the risograph this semester, printing and assembling a zine inspired by a recent camping trip to Mt. Blue State Park. My goal was to capture those fleeting moments in nature away from the overstimulation of our daily lives. I also wanted to simply express the joy of hiking and camping.

This project started out as a demo for a class I’m teaching this semester called “Sketch to Story,” all about exploring text and image through zines, art books, comics, poems, and visual essays. For this project, I wanted to make a zine that was less story-driven, and more focused on visuals and sensory details. I also wanted to experiment with with the art of risograph printing by collaging photos and line drawings together.

What is a risograph? It’s a printer that’s basically a cross between screen printing and photocopying. It’s known for its bright, vibrant colors and grainy textures. The risograph at Maine College of Art & Design prints one drum (ink color) at a time, and we have six colors to choose from. Typically, we print and scan a grayscale image for each color, so each layer of ink tends to be slightly offset. The lack of consistent registration creates a fun, handmade feel, where each zine is different.

Below you can see two spreads printed on tabloid-sized paper with four layers of ink. I used dark green, blue, fluorescent orange, and fluorescent green. I loved seeing how the colors blend on each photo!

Going back to the beginning of my process — While camping, I took photos on a disposable camera and scanned some imagery from my Maine State Park Passport.

After choosing which photos and drawings to include, I sketched out my story and layouts. I drew some of these pages on location and others once I got home. (Like the coyotes!)

Here is the finished book! I’m happy with the pacing of the narrative, the compositions, colors, and range of values. I learned a lot about “duo” printing photos and line work, as well as flood pages filled with color—some of theses pages stuck to the drum as I printed, and it was frustrating! Ultimately, I had to print some of these pages as “photo” layers with less saturated ink and more grain. (Risograph printing requires a lot of troubleshooting!)

Lastly, I trimmed all of my pages and bound each book with bright orange waxed thread.

Speaking of bright colors, last night I witnessed the Northern Lights from our backyard in Southern Maine for the first time. What an experience!

Anyway, last weekend, I debuted these zines at the New England Art Book Fair at Space Gallery in Portland, Maine. The fair was BUSY, and I lucked out by receiving a full-length table.

I’ll be sending copies of this zine to my subscribers next week, and I’ll send one to any new yearly subscribers who sign up by the end of this month. If I have any copies left, I’ll bring some to festivals in Burlington and Boston later this fall.

Thanks again for reading and supporting my work. I hope that you all have a marvelous weekend!