Starting as two friends, Marek and David, with a shared creative drive, Ritualis was founded back in 2021. At the time, Marek was working full-time as a tattoo artist whilst also creating linocuts on the side. When he needed a compact and simple printing press, he got his technically-gifted pal, David, involved, and together they set out to build it themselves.
Marek states; “As we worked on the design, we realised how much we both enjoyed the process and how aligned we were in our ideas and values. Once the first prototype with two levers was finished, I shared it with the tattoo community and received amazing feedback. That’s when we got the idea to make more of them.” From that point, everything took off quickly for the collaborative pair.
Ritualis’ range begun with the press, which is available in multiple sizes; all three versions built with dual levers. “We kept thinking about what we could improve, what extra benefit we could bring. That’s when we came up with the idea of centring lines, which people immediately started praising,” says Marek. The design is thoroughly thought-out, produced in an “elegant wave” and in a limited colour choice. “We didn’t want to make it in lots of colours, but rather focus fully on improving the functionality and adding meaningful features,” describe the founders.
Thriving in their progress and design process, the duo very soon realised that they didn’t want to stop at just the press. Marek tells us; “What we truly enjoy is developing and inventing tools. Of course, there are tools like rollers or barens where the basic principle already exists — just like with the press — but our mindset was: let’s make the product really well, from strong and durable materials, and try to add real value.” Today, Ritualis’ offering includes presses, glass and wooden barens, and rollers in various sizes. They’re working on anti-slip carving boards as well as expanding their range of high-quality printing supplies. Their long-term goal is to produce an etching press; a step that would allow them to further grow their reach and support people working with intaglio techniques, such as drypoint and beyond.
“We take pride in standing 100% behind everything that leaves our workshop. In the honesty of the craft and the care for even the smallest details. We want our products to last for generations – we have this lovely vision that one day, a descendant of one of our customers will find a press in the attic after decades, dust it off, start working with it, and it will still run beautifully!”
So what’s next for this up and coming brand? Ritualis have almost finished the production stage of their first range of large rollers for ink. These rollers are made from high-quality NRB rubber, are 40 cm wide, rotate on bearings, and are held from both sides. These types of rollers are typically used for large matrices or in lithographic studios. The idea for this new product range came about in discussions with artist friends and Mr. Pavel Piekar (director of the Šternberk Palace of the National Gallery in Prague), who is a great supporter of their work. Traditionally, large rollers are fixed to a solid axle. Ritualis’ innovation is that the roller itself rotates on bearings, making the inking of matrices or stones much easier. They’re also currently working on a rotating carving base, a glass plate in a wooden case, and drying racks for prints. There are plenty of ideas in the pipeline, and we sure can’t wait to see them come to life too!
Based in Czech Republic, Ritualis collaborate with the aforementioned National Gallery through Mr. Piekar, as well as with Hollar — the largest association of printmakers in their country. Internationally, they work with many amazing artists; “Receiving feedback from experienced artists is incredibly valuable to us. We can feel a strong community starting to grow around us, and it truly seems like we’re inspiring others to create. It opens up new possibilities all the time — and our connection with you (POP) is a perfect example of that. It means a lot to us.”
Although Ritualis products are tools that support the creative process, it is, ultimately, the individual artist and their work that is the most important part. The duo comment; “When someone chooses to print, it’s a sign that something has resonated with them — that they’re creating from within, in today’s fast-paced world, for the sake of expression and joy. It’s a way to share their perspective, to bring happiness to themselves and to others. We truly believe that the visual arts are incredibly important — now more than ever.”
Marek concludes; “I see every artistic discipline and process as a way to slow down — a moment to reflect on what I’m doing and what beautiful things can come to life through my hands. For me personally, the process is often more important than the final result. And that’s the beautiful part — discovering what each person enjoys most about it.”
www.ritualispress.com
@ritualispress
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