drift-print research archive, Tomoyuki Koseko

This project reinterprets the landscapes of Yilan, Taiwan, through a different lens to design a new way of seeing the region. At first glance, this book looks like an art book of the sea—but each image is actually a geological photograph of Yilan’s sedimentary rocks. Printed in blue and black Risograph layers, these works transform the rocks’ textures into seascape-like visuals. The natural misalignment of Risograph printing creates wave-like drifts and depth, a process we define as “drift-print”.

The title technique, drift-print, is an experimental method that intentionally manipulates what is typically considered a printing error: misregistration. By doing so, it reconstructs the natural fluctuations inherent in organic subjects as visual expression. This approach expands the potential of risograph printing by using misregistration and moiré effects to create visual depth, motion, and variation—each print becoming a unique visual landscape.

What sets drift-print apart is its reinterpretation of printing flaws. Misalignments and noise are not treated as defects but are reframed as expressive elements—manifestations of natural rhythm and irregularity. Through this lens, the rocky textures of the landscape begin to resemble waves or ocean currents. The process does not merely reproduce imagery, but actively develops new visual landscapes through printing.

The book includes not only the visual works produced through this method but also documentation of the project’s conceptual framework and experimental process. It functions both as a research archive and a stimulating resource for creators and scholars interested in print-based expression and visual experimentation.

Produced with support from SurfySpace, an artist-in-residence program in Taiwan.

Includes exclusive risograph test prints and a research document (A6 size, 32 pages) as a supplement.