Category: IC Main Guide

Risograph Image Options

The Risograph can print at 600 d.p.i. and has two gradient techniques to choose from:

  • Grain Touch: a randomized diffusion dither pattern (like a photo or film grain) 
  • Screen-Covered: creates classic halftone patterns on a very small scale.  
    • Screen Frequency controls the size of dots produced (higher numbers = smaller dots).
    • Screen Angle controls the angle that the pattern is set to.

We recommend using Grain Touch over Screen-covered. If you have questions about screen-covered and Riso halftones, please contact the IC.

Riso Printing | How does the Risograph Work?

An image is either sent digitally from the Riso PC or from a physical original via the scanner bed. The master is created by burning the image onto the master roll inside the printer. This stencil is then wrapped around the ink drum. The Riso feeds paper under the ink drum as it rotates, and ink is pushed out through the stencil to create an impression. 

On our Riso, two colors are printed at a time, and multicolored prints are made by switching out drums, then printing over each layer. The paper passes through the machine multiple times. 

Risograph ink is translucent, so its final appearance depends on the color of the paper it is printed on and the layering of each ink. Colors can be overprinted to create new ones. It’s also possible to blend any combination of tints of color together to produce color variants.

Ways to participate in CCS Riso

Trained students can rent time in the Riso Room year-round. The IC hosts Riso Printing events during the school year and student organizations (e.g. Riso Club, Freeform Press) use the Risograph for club events.

A brief explanation of how a Risograph printer works. Along with an introduction of the Risograph Studio in the Imaging Center.

Faculty & Staff

The Imaging Center will accept staff and faculty print jobs through the department print request form. If color prints or posters are being charged to a department, an 8-digit budget code number is required in order for the job to be processed. The appropriate account number can be obtained from your Program Manager.

Price Quotes

IC Techs will send you a print estimate when a print job is submitted via CCS email during our business hours. You will have the opportunity to approve the estimate and your job will be processed. If you submit a job outside of those hours, expect an estimate to be sent within one hour of opening the following business day.  

If you do not receive an estimate or price quote, please let us know. It is highly recommended that you calculate your own job cost prior to coming into the Imaging Center. 

Turnaround Times

Your print job will be completed in the order it was received. The standard turnaround time for the laser printers is 1 full business day. The standard turnaround time for the inkjet printers is 2 full business days. There are no “Rush” options currently. Please be aware that during midterms and finals, turnaround times can increase up to 2-3 business days. It is likely that your department request will be complete before this time. 

You will be notified via your CCS email when your job has been completed. 

Special Projects

We will work to the best of our ability in the Imaging Center to meet your special print and paper requests. Please contact Michelle Peck to talk about the logistics, such as scheduling needs or paper requests.

Sponsored Studios

For faculty teaching a sponsored project course, or any other course that will require large-scale printing, please contact Michelle Peck in the Imaging Center within the first few weeks of the semester with information on what type and how much printing is needed to complete the project and any major due dates.

In order to set up a student print budget, the Imaging Center will need a current class roster and budget authorization from the Office of Partnerships. 

More information on sponsored studio policies can be found HERE.

Personal Projects

Faculty & staff are welcome to print personal projects in the Imaging Center. The IC does reserve the right to extend the turnaround time for staff and faculty personal print jobs in order to complete the student and/or department workload.

Target Birds

Inkjet & Plotter Printing | Paper Resource List

This resource list is updated regularly. If you do not see one of these options in the drop-down menu while submitting a job, please write in the paper option on the form. Imaging Center staff will connect with you if that paper is no longer in stock.

Plotter Printer: Epson SureColor T5270D/T7270D

Standard Paper(s)
24# Bond Paper: 36″ & 42″ rolls
45# Bond Paper: 36″ & 42″ rolls
8 mil UV Microporous Photo Paper – 36″ & 42″ rolls

Specialty Paper(s)
Epson Backlit Transparency Paper: 36″ roll

For more information on our plotter printer, please visit HERE.

Inkjet Printer: Epson SureColor P5000

Standard Paper(s)
Enhanced Matte: 17″ roll
Watercolor – Radiant White: 13″ x 19″ sheets
Premium Luster: 16″ roll

Specialty Paper(s)
Exhibition Canvas Matte: 17″ roll
Hot Press Natural: 17″ roll

For more information on our desktop inkjet printers, please visit HERE.

Inkjet Printer: Epson Stylus Pro 9900

Standard Paper(s)
Enhanced Matte: 24″, 36″, & 44″ rolls
Doubleweight Matte: 24″ roll
Premium Luster: 24″, 36″, & 44″ rolls
Premium Semimmate: 24″, 36″, & 44″ rolls

Specialty Paper(s)
Exhibition Canvas Matte: 24″ & 36″ rolls
Cold Press Bright: 24″ roll
Exhibition Canvas Satin: 24″ roll

For more information on our wide format inkjet printers, please visit HERE.

Plotter Printing | Copier & Scanner Functions

The T5270D plotter is a dual-roll plotter printer and copier with a multi-function scanner. The T5270D can scan or copy up to 35.75” wide and 96″ in length.

General Information

Original files to be copied must be a minimum size of 12” × 18”. Any files that are 12” × 18” or smaller can be scanned in the 24-hour lab (on the 2nd floor) on a flatbed scanner at no cost.

By default, the Imaging Center will copy/print your image in the center of the paper roll. We can not determine the white border on your image. If you need a 1” white margin on each side of your image, save that within your file. You will be charged accordingly.

To drop off materials, please make an appointment via our Calendly. Files will be shared with the student via a shared Google Drive folder labeled Imaging Center – Scanned Files.

Scanned images will only remain on Imaging Center servers for three (3) weeks. The IC is not responsible for the loss of images scanned after three (3) weeks. 

Scanned images will be named: IC_lastname_scan.pdf/.jpg.

The Imaging Center does not resize any copy or scan requests. IC Techs will copy or scan images “as is”. The student will be responsible for resizing or color correcting each file.

Material to be copied or scanned must be submitted either rolled or wrapped in plastic.

Only paper-like materials will be accepted. Original material must be clean and free of dust, tears, and staples. See below for more information.

The standard turnaround time for the plotter/scanning process is 1 (one) full business day. Please be aware during midterms and finals, turnaround times can increase.

Accepted Media Types

  • Plain paper
  • Recycled paper
  • Tracing paper
  • Blueprint paper
  • Matte paper
  • Newspaper
  • Photo paper

Unaccepted Media Types

  • Documents with creases or wrinkles
  • Bound books
  • Documents with carbon backing
  • Documents with photos, stickers, labels attached either by tape or glue
  • Loose Leaf paper
  • Transparent paper
  • Cardboard
  • Plastic
  • Foam
  • Wood

Epson T777D & T7270D

Students will be able to receive proof-of-concept or draft-quality large format prints at a reasonable price. Plotter prints are not considered final, production prints. Paper and print quality are suitable only for draft printing.

The plotter printer is a dual-roll plotter printer and copier with a multi-function scanner. It can print up to 43.75” wide on the short side of your piece. Printing on the plotter is a great option for prototype printing, 1st critique, graphic, or poster-type work . 

Turnaround Times

Your print job will be completed in the order it was received. 

The standard turnaround time for the plotter inkjet printers is approximately 1-2 full business days. This does not include weekends or holidays.

At this time, there are no “Rush” options available. Please be aware that during midterms and finals, turnaround times can increase up to 2-3 business days. 

Information on test strips can be found HERE.

Epson P5000

Desktop inkjet printing offers unmatched resolution, color accuracy, archival properties, and larger media sizes. Inkjet printing is used for high-quality posters, photography, oversize book covers, or anything else where the highest quality or largest print sizes are needed. Inkjet printers are used for low-volume quantity print runs since they can get expensive. 

The Imaging Center has two Epson P5000 printers, which can print up to 16.75” wide (17” paper) on various media. This is a great option for small photographs (5” x 7” or 8” x 10”) or banner-type work (15” x 60”). 

Turnaround Times

Your print job will be completed in the order it was received. 

The standard turnaround time for the desktop inkjet printers is approximately 1-2 full business days. This does not include weekends or holidays.

At this time, there are no “Rush” options available. Please be aware that during midterms and finals, turnaround times can increase up to 2-3 business days. 

Soft Proofing

Soft proofing is a representation or simulation on a computer monitor of what an image is going to look like on an output device, such as a printer. 

Soft proofing only simulates the appearance of an ink-on-paper proof, also known as a hard proof. The reliability of the soft proof depends upon the quality of the monitor, the profiles of the output devices, and the ambient lighting conditions of the working environment. 

Please rent an i1Display profiling device in order to color calibrate your monitor.

Color Management Information

Soft Proofing

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