Some people are gifted in the art of scrapbooking. Their spreads are beautifully intricate...
COVER STORY
Some people are gifted in the art of scrapbooking. Their spreads are beautifully intricate; filled to the brim while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic. Perhaps you’ve met journalers, who jot down their inner thoughts in beautiful print handwriting, with washi-tapes and stickers galore.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably tried to pick up one of these crafts - among other closely-related hobbies such as annotating or letter-writing - only to realise you don’t have the confidence to desecrate the pristine blank pages of your hardcover journals. In the hopes of one day gaining such confidence, your ever-growing stockpile of diaries remains untouched. We all have a creative inside us, waiting to be unleashed. In the meantime you may make-do with Pinterest boards, but the itching desire inside you remains unfulfilled.
As a cure for this dilemma, I offer you zines. Give them a try - their brevity and limitations may just cure you of the creative rut you find yourself stuck in.
The history of zines
Zines were often used by marginalised communities as a way to spread their message and doctrine in times of oppression. As they were entirely self-produced, artists and writers didn’t have to struggle with the censorship enforced by larger publications. Zines became a means of holding political, oftentimes even anarchist, discussions through underground and local means.
Once a single zine has been made they are easy to mass produce by photocopying. Due to their size they can be carried in bulk and passed out to community members at protests and rallies, or even placed in little nooks for curious passers-by to pick up.
‘Fan-zines’ have their own place in culture - some of the earliest examples came from science fiction readers, which may not come as a surprise if you know anything about the history of fandom culture. These can be anything from fan-comics to reviews. They are an important piece of history from a time before the Internet, and have persisted in creative spaces even today.
Similarly, zines have always been prevalent among artists. They’re a way to make and distribute your own mini-comics by selling them, giving them out for free, or even trading with other artists! South Asia has its own history of artistic zines, though it is nowhere near as well-documented as in the West.
The beauty of zines is, there are no rules to them. Photo-zines were and are still extremely popular, and you can write anything you want in one - poetry, short stories, ramblings, collages. Don’t be afraid to dedicate them to songs you like, books you’ve read, movies you’ve watched, even a particularly good fan fiction that left its mark on you.
How to make a zine
Materials needed include a piece of paper, scissors, and an open heart.
Firstly, before you even think about designing one, fold one into shape. This will give you an idea of how much space you have and where to place your elements. There are a multitude of tutorials online at your disposal. (It’s okay if your first attempt is wonky, the DIY vibe is part of their charm.)
Keep in mind that there are multiple styles of zines, but I’d recommend starting off simple with a single-page fold and then branching out based on your vision.
Secondly, get to designing. Most will prefer to make a draft - this can be on a piece of paper, in a diary, or even on an online editing software such as Canva. It may depend on which materials you intend to use. There’s no wrong way to make a zine - I personally often use mixed media, a combination of drawing, writing and gluing.
Experiment with different materials and let your limitations aid your creative process. I don’t have a colour printer, which led me to use coloured pencils over black and white photos to replicate the pop-art style. Can’t find the words to say? Use song lyrics. Can’t find the exact picture you need? Mix-and-match different elements. Don’t like your handwriting? Scavenge your resources.
Don’t have a printer? Your local library probably does, or perhaps your school. If there really is no option to use one then don’t fret; they’re not at all necessary. You can draw or cut out pictures from old books, or even make a text-based zine!
Tip: Magazines and newspapers are great resources. I use issues of the Us magazine in every zine I make - not only is the material of the pages perfect for giving the words you cut out an analogue look, it provides a good variety of images for collages.
Read other zines. Crack open Pinterest. The internet has all you could need to inspire you. There is no shame in replicating pages you see online, as long as you give your own personality leeway to shine through.
This is nice and all but what am I supposed to make a zine about?
My very first zine was a gift for my friend. I found a song that reminded me of her, printed out some of her photos, and made a very simple first attempt. I’ve improved a lot since then, but simply the joy of having made something with my own two hands drove me to make more.
Here are some ideas to get you started, tweak as necessary:
• Use the lyrics of a song you associate with a person (they can be fictional!)
• Use the lyrics of a song you associate with any non-living thing (a place, an object, a time of day)
• Flip through a book you like and make a zine out of quotes that appeal to you (this is especially nice if you’re too afraid to annotate books directly!)
• Write your own poem. Get creative with utilising the space.
• Take pictures from a memorable day out and create a photo-zine! Fill it with handwritten notes and doodles
• Outfit inspiration!!
• Write a study on a character, film or piece of art
• Make a zine on a movement you care about - the war on Palestine and boycotting, the pushback on women’s rights - with resources on how you can help. Keep multiple copies on you to give to people who are ignorant on the issue
• Make a mini comic!! Trade with other artists!! Encourage others to do the same!! (If 6 pages aren’t enough, look into making 36-page zines, or even booklet-binding)
• Make a list of things you like (foods, bugs, flowers, constellations)
• Make an entire zine using only one colour
• Make one of your Pinterest boards or playlists come to life
