Weddingbee Blog

There has been some inquiry about how a Gocco works. This is my best approximation of it.

Note: I’m not an artist, nor do I play one on TV… these are my horrible little doodles. This tutorial shows how the PG 10 SUPER and the PG 11 handle print registration.

According to Wikipedia:

Printing Registration is a term that applies to different methods of overlapping colors on one single image. There are many different styles and types of registration, many of which include Registration Marks in desktop publishing.

Items you will need:

• Gocco (this one is a PG 10 SUPER)
• Riso Ink
• 2 Gocco Screens
• 1 Blue filter
• 4 Gocco 1 time use Flash Bulbs
• Clear Registration Plate
• Paper
• Digital design and laser printer (or photocopier)

For example: the front of the Pretzel Save the Dates were separated into the sunburst and the brown text and Seattle image:

See how the sunburst has “negative” space for the mountain and Space Needle? This was necessary to avoid an orange Space Needle or an orange Mount Rainier.

OK, up next we burn the image on the screen.

Make sure your master copy of the image is aligned as straight as possible. The Gocco uses 2 one-time use flash bulbs.

You are ready to flash!…. hummm that didn’t sound as dirty in my head. Pressing down on the front of the Gocco will trigger the flash bulbs to go off and burn the image.

The bulbs are very HOT! Let them cool a minute before you remove them. Slide the screen out of the Gocco. I usually leave the master stuck to the screen until after I ink up.

It’s as easy as closing the Gocco lid and applying some light pressure. Use some scrap paper at first to get it just right.

If you are only doing once print per side of paper this is the end for you. Let dry and enjoy! If you would like to use the Print Registration of the PG10 Super or the PG11, there is one last piece.

If my doodle above isn’t clear, you are printing a copy of your second print onto a clear piece of plastic that snaps into the machine and sits on top of the sticky pad. The sticky pad is re-positionable on an X and Y axis.  Once you’ve printed image 2 on the clear piece of plastic you can put one of the already printed cards with image 1 on the pad and move it to align perfectly with the image.  Once it is perfect, the sticky pad locks into place and you remove the plastic registration plate.

The clear registration plate makes it easy to line up your image perfectly. When you are done with one project, use the Riso Cleaner to clean off the plate and it is ready to go for your next project.

I hope this has demystified the Gocco process.