Last June and again this October, we were invited to the School of the Arts, Universiti Sains Malaysia, to conduct Riso printing workshops. The first session in June was held for lecturers, while the recent one in October was conducted for students alongside Professor Phil Cleaver — a designer, educator, and typographer currently teaching at Middlesex University, London.
During the session, Professor Phil led a presentation on woodblock printing, while we introduced the students to Riso printing. Together, the two techniques offered a fascinating contrast, both rooted in layers, colour separations, and the beauty of imperfection, yet expressed through different technologies and time periods. The dialogue between these processes revealed how traditional craftsmanship and contemporary printmaking can complement one another in meaningful ways.
Our role was to guide students through the Riso process, giving them hands-on experience and encouraging experimentation with colour, layering, and texture.
Interestingly, Middlesex University is also where Inkling’s founder pursued his studies, though we didn’t meet back then, reconnecting in this peculiar and serendipitous way through printmaking felt incredibly special.
We’re thrilled to see that USM now has its very own Riso printer, the first educational institution in Malaysia to do so! We’re also genuinely happy for the students who now have the privilege to experiment freely with Riso printing without the worry of budget constraints, opening new doors for creative exploration in their practice.
A heartfelt thank you to Ts. Dr. Nurul Hanim Romai Noor for making this collaboration possible and for her continuous effort in championing creative printmaking in education.
