Category: Printing

Courtesy of WLNS

Local artist Jimmy “Soup” Coyer is turning his passion for independent comics and zines into a community resource. As the owner of Ultra Mega, an online store for unique goods, and the organizer of the Lansing Independent Comics and Zine Fest, Coyer has long been embedded in the city’s creative scene. His latest venture? Opening a neighborhood print studio on Lansing’s Eastside, designed to empower local artists with access to specialized printing equipment they might not otherwise afford.

Coyer’s journey began while volunteering at a local maker space, where he honed skills in various crafts like woodworking and blacksmithing. However, he noticed a glaring gap: no dedicated facilities for printmaking. “They can’t really accommodate a print space there. It’s more like woodshop, blacksmithing,” Coyer explained in a recent interview. This realization sparked the idea for his own studio, focused on providing tools like a Risograph machine—a Japanese copier that uses soy-based ink and stencils for efficient, eco-friendly printing without heat.

The studio is being built in two rooms of a home Coyer purchased last August on the Eastside. Over the past year, he’s transformed the space by building new equipment and sourcing used items from closing print shops. At the center is the Risograph machine, affectionately named “Friend,” which enables high-volume printing of posters, pamphlets, zines, comic booklets, art prints, flyers, and even poetry collections.

“People can make art prints. They can make flyers for their events. They could make little zines or comic booklets. They could print their poetry. They can do a lot of things, honestly,” Coyer said, emphasizing its versatility.

Funding has come through a GoFundMe campaign launched in June, which has already secured the Risograph along with black and fluorescent pink ink. Currently more than halfway to its goal, the fundraiser aims to cover additional needs like yellow and cornflower blue ink for full-color printing. Coyer envisions affordable access: “If they’re doing like a run of 100 prints, it could be as little as just like 10 bucks.” He plans to host open print days once or twice a month, where artists pay for materials plus a small upcharge for maintenance.

Challenges remain, including acquiring more equipment to make the studio fully operational and outgrowing the home-based setup. Yet, it’s already proving invaluable for neighbors, particularly comics artists who previously relied on basic tools like tabletop paper cutters. “A couple of my neighbors are comics people themselves, and they have been using like these dinky little tabletop paper cutters, and they don’t have access to fancy printers,” Coyer noted, highlighting how the studio saves hours of labor.

Looking ahead, Coyer hopes to expand with workshops, events, and more print methods. His love for the medium shines through: “I have always loved comics and zines, like independent stuff. I always thought it was a really cool mode of personal expression.” This initiative not only fills a void in Lansing’s art community but also fosters a collaborative space for creativity to thrive.

Reference: https://www.wlns.com/news/lansing-artist-aiming-to-open-neighborhood-print-studio/