I’ve been wanting to get into creating zines for years, but I just never got down to it… until recently. I created my first zine, and decided to make it super tiny. It’s funny how the strangest things can sometimes have the greatest impact… this little thing is probably the most personally satisfying thing I’ve created in ages and made me stupidly happy 😀
If you aren’t familiar with the term, a “zine” is very broadly any self made publication. They are often characterised by being cheaply reproduced, often photocopied, for easy and cheap distribution in small quantities. They’re usually about specific topics and were popularised during the punk movement in the 70’s, but started long before that. These days they come in such varied forms, formats and topics that it’s pretty much what you make of it. Some are now highly produced, some still maintain a very DIY feel, and every other option in between.
“A zine (/ˈziːn/ zeen; short for magazine or fanzine) is most commonly a small-circulation self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images, usually reproduced via photocopier.”
So my tiny zine is about 4 x 5,5cm in size, staple bound with a kraft board cover, illustrated completely by hand in ink and watercolour paint. Due to the nature of this one it’s probably a one-off, although I plan to do more in different styles that would be more reproducible. The topic for this one was “Ultimate Resistance”, referring to the delicious foods that plague my brain, and that I have to use all my willpower to resist, on a daily basis. Do you experience anything similar? 😛 Take a look… (Shot in my hand for scale)
If you have ideas for future themes, share them in the comments! 🙂
P.S. I’m planning on doing some workshops soon and might include a zine workshop if there’s interest, so let me know if you’d like that 😉