Zine for the Year

3 minute read

Some of you might know that I hosted a zine workshop in November 2024 at Ritchie Community League. This was my (fun) way to get people out of their houses and creating in community. You should all know that my teaching style is “there are no wrong moves, just get stuff down on paper!” and with every workshop I host, I improve on this.

Thank you for being on this journey with me.

Anyhoo, I completed a few “example” zines in advance of the workshop so the attendees would have some ideas to get them started. I don’t know how much that helped them, but it sure helped me!

I taught four folding methods on two sizes of paper that would–in theory–be easiest to access. I gave each a funny name. This part of the workshop did not go as planned. When you say to a room of strangers, “now, get up from your seat and come see what I’m doing over here,” no one actually moves!

This was one of the examples, and the fold I called “the big one”! It offers less pages, but they is bigger than any other technique I showed. I don’t think anyone chose this style! Oh well.

It’s simple construction makes it an easy fold to do, but the large inside page was probably intimidating to folks. “How can I fill that big page?!” I get it.

Here’s an example of how you can fill a full 11×17 with zine-goodness.

YEAR OF CONNECTION

My theme for this zine is “connection” and I divided it into 4 parts: Lucas, Dan, family, community. I used pencil crayons and magazine elements for collage. The base is an 11×17 piece of printer paper folded in half twice. Closed, the finished zine measures 5.5 x 8.5 inches.

At first glance, the blue appears to be random doodles. But these are words, drawn in one of the favourite (only) techniques I remember from my high school vis comm class. I use this technique when I want to:

• fill white space
• disguise my journaling
• add a lot of text without appearing text heavy

And when I don’t know what to write, or don’t want to write full sentences. This text describes some activities and memories related to the theme of connection.

ZINES AS SCRAPBOOKS

“Once a scrapbooker, always a scrapbooker”

At least, that’s how it works in my house. I will take anything and make it into a scrapbook.

A perzine (personal zine) is a great way to capture a memory, event, or moment. I did a really generalized summary of my year with this one, but you could easily go the exact opposite way and get specific on a birthday party, road trip, or games night (or whatever you like to do).

Zines–just like scrapbooks–are 100% customizable and personal to the individual making them. That’s one of the reasons they are so great (in my opinion).

If the moment was shared with other folks, it also offers an easy chance to share with those people. Photocopy (or scan and print) and hand out as gifts as a token of your gratitude for being together.

This zine is not for sale, but I have others that are! Click here for my shop.