MELON PRESS
MELON PRESS
MelonPress is a St. Louis based publisher currently located in South Saint Louis. We specialize in Risograph printing.
Melon Press is a community driven collaborative that highlights the vibrant connection between art and print. Our focus is on publishing zines and chapbooks for local artists as well as fostering collaborations with creatives from across St. Louis.
In addition to these projects, we curate submission-based anthologies that showcase the talent of artists from the Midwest of the United States. With both in-person and online platforms, Melon Press offers accessibility and exposure.
For those interested in exploring our collection, it can be viewed at the Missouri Historical Society library situated on Skinker Boulevard.
What is a Zine?
Zines are independently published and produced magazines or small books that often feature themes not covered in traditional media, such as LGBTQ+, mental health, personal narratives, and much more. Originating in a community of BIPOC activists who demanded their voices be heard, zines have fueled cultural revolution, one after another. Today, zinesters continue to fight for their voices to be heard.
Zines come in various forms – narrative, graphic novels, dense research, and abstract beyond recognition. While not resembling a conventional book or brochure, every zine is crafted by a creative mind.
RISOGRAPH PRINTING
The Risograph is a printer originally made in the mid 1980’s in Japan. The process of a Riso is similar to an automated screenprint, each color layer has to be separated and printed separately. The image is burned onto a thin sheet (a master) wrapped around a color drum, each one holding a different color, then the machine rolls the ink along the paper to make the print. The whole process from placing the negative on the scan table to the final print takes a matter of minutes.
The Riso prints in a soy based ink that comes in a variety of colors. This ink produces a lovely, and often transparent effect that the Risograph is known for.
An important note about Risograph printing: This is not a perfect medium! Due to subtle shifting and mechanical registration error, each print is a little different, thus is the beauty of the medium.
Masters
Each color on each design/page requires a new master. Each master is priced separately.
Colors
We currently offer 4 colors at a time. If you are looking for a specific color, please request it below or check back in with us. We rotate colors seasonally, let us know what you want to see!
Paper
The Risograph can run sizes up to 11x17 and weights up to 80#. We provide a range of paper types and colors, but feel free to ask us any questions, and we can make recommendations.