In 2023, Print Club Torino once again hosted the Materials Technology for Graphics workshop led by Luisella Cresto. From January 31 to February 2, 2023, first- and second-year students of the Graphic Design and Digital Media program had the opportunity to experience Risograph printing firsthand—an affordable, low-impact technique patented in Japan in the 1980s by Riso Kagaku Corporation.
The theme chosen for the editorial project explores the concepts of limit and boundary, understood as an artificial line, a physical barrier, or an emotional obstacle.
We drew inspiration from typographic whites—the empty spaces in an editorial product (such as spacing, line breaks, and margins) that serve to separate words and frame the composition for printing. Despite the total absence of any mark or element, typographic whites hold the same visual weight as printed characters. In this way, the limit became the starting point for its own transcendence, giving birth to Cu nesci arrinesci.
The Risograph technique
The Risograph printer is an evolution of the mimeograph: a stencil duplicator that uses natural-based inks and masters, combining the color vibrancy of screen printing with the speed of a photocopier. During the layering of colors, slight misalignments and small printing variations may occur, making each print a unique piece.
Seeing the Potential
It means believing in the student’s potential, encouraging and motivating them to overcome their challenges. Only in an environment of mutual trust does learning become a dynamic and profound process, going beyond mere content acquisition to also engage the student's emotional and personal growth.
Stepping out of the comfort zone
Cu nesci arrinesci is a Sicilian proverb that literally translates to "those who leave, succeed." It is often used to imply that sometimes, achieving success requires leaving one’s homeland. However, in our reflection, we chose to reinterpret this perspective with a more positive meaning. We see nesciri as an invitation to push beyond personal limits in order to achieve one’s goals or as an encouragement to step out of one’s comfort zone.
