While teaching ESL in Vietnam, I was delighted by the beckoning cats on display in the windows of nearly every shop. These talismans originated in ancient Japan but are still ubiquitous and joyful figures in many parts of Asia. The cats aren't waving, as it might seem, but beckoning customers inside to bring wealth and good luck to their proprietors. I decided to make the beckoning cat the subject of a poster at a risograph printing workshop at Kho Muc Studio. I like to begin by gathering inspiration and reference photos. Below are some beckoning cats I saw on sale at the Da Lat market.
After taking some reference photos, I created a grayscale illustration in procreate using my iPad.
Next, I printed the illustration using an inkjet printer.
Then, I cut out the individual pieces and arranged them into two layers. The top layer is a clear sheet of plastic so I'm able to see the bottom layer below it. Each layer is printed in one color, as a RISO printer only prints one color at a time. The paper is fed through the printer again to add the second layer of color. I printed the top layer in pink and the bottom layer in blue, a classic combination.
Also, white does not show up on a risograph so that part is obsolete.
Above are the RISO colors available at Khô Mực Studio (image from their website). When colors are layered, they create new secondary colors. The pink and blue layers overlap to create a reddish-purple.
This poster was illustrated and printed at Khô Mực Studio in Saigon. There are 10 original prints in total.