Fact Sheet: How To Make A Zine

By JPUncategorized

What Is A Zine?

A “zine” is a small-circulation self-published work of original texts and images, typically reproduced via photocopier. Historically, zines have served as a medium for fan groups, subcultures, and anyone looking to express ideas outside of mainstream publishing. This project will allow you to explore the creative aspects of composition by transforming academic writing into something visually engaging and personally expressive.

Here’s what Rose Rodriguez, one of NVC’s Librarians, has to share about zines:

“Zine, pronounced zeen. They are independently made publications that can be about any topic.   Many zines are written for and by marginalized groups and provide a way for authors who may be underrepresented in mainstream publishing to share their writing with others. Zines can contain a wide variety of content and subjects such as poetry, political issues, art, social activism, LGBTQ, creative writing, personal narratives, Chicanx culture, and more.” (source)

 

Zine Requirements

  • Length and Remix: There is no formal minimum or maximum page requirement, but the intent is for you to remix and rethink your previous paper or essay, so please avoid just cutting and pasting your existing text into your zine. Instead, revise and rework your text to fit with the new concept for your zine. Consider changes in POV, tone, mood, style, and organization as a way to focus and refine your material to fit into the zine format.
  • Physical Zine: The zine you create should be able to be made into a tangible, physical copy. If you start digitally, make sure to print out and assemble your zine.
  • Zine Focus / Concept: Your zine does not need to focus on the same exact topic or claim as your earlier work. Rather, it can be a tangential idea, only loosely related. Your zine should use one of your previous papers or essays as a source, the same as you’ve used other sources for earlier work. See the example workflow below for more details.
  • Inclusion of Art or Images: Include at least three pieces of visual content. These can be drawings, photographs, collages, or other artistic representations that support or enhance the text.

Example Workflow

Mikaela’s Journey: From Essay to Zine

STEP 1: Mikaela chose her essay, “How Street Art Changes Social Movements,” as the foundation for her zine project. Her original essay explored how street art amplifies voices and catalyzes social change, especially within marginalized communities. For her zine, she reimagines the primary discussion from her essay and decides to create a practical guide for aspiring street artists who want to use their work for activism, with “Paint the Revolution: A Beginner’s Guide to Street Art,” as a working title.

STEP 2: From her essay, Mikaela selects several three pieces of street art to be the main content for her how-to guide. For each piece of art, she plans a two page spread within her zine to highlight the artist, the social change the artist wanted the art to achieve, and the community impact of that piece of street art, all written in a way helpful to aspiring artists. She also plans to include a page which list several off-beat and colorful street art terms. Note how the topic for Mikaela’s zine is different but related to the topic / claim of her original essay.

STEP 3: Using markers, pens, and stencils, Mikaela designs her zine. She creates a graffiti-style cover and uses dynamic colors, tailored text, and playful wording to highlight each section.

STEP 4: Once completed, Mikaela photocopies her zine, giving it the gritty aesthetic of authentic street art. She adds bursts of hand-colored graffiti to the covers to make each copy unique. The final zine is a compelling combination of history, art, and activism, showcasing how her academic ideas have been transformed into an accessible, creative format. Now it’s your turn—what story will your zine tell?

Instructions

  1. Choose Your Topic: Start by choosing one of the three essays or papers you’ve already written for this course. This paper will serve as the primary source for your zine.

  2. Create a new topic / claim: Think about how your academic work can be used as source material for a work using a more informal, visual format. What is an idea or concept that might be more digestible and fit the zine format? What are the key ideas and points that carry over, and how can they be creatively illustrated or represented?

  3. Plan Your Zine: Draft a layout on paper before you begin the final production. Plan where your text and images will go. Think about using collage, hand-drawn illustrations, photographs, or mixed media.

  4. Create Your Zine:

    • You can create your zine by hand or use design software.
    • Standard zine sizes vary; keeping it to about quarter-page size (4.25″ x 5.5″) can make it easier to manage, but the choice is yours.
    • Experiment with different fonts and styles to give your zine a unique aesthetic, which fits with your concept.

  5. Finalize Your Project: Once your design is set, it’s time to produce your zine. Some zines are photocopied in black and white for ease and cost-effectiveness, but feel free to explore color if it enhances your vision.

Zine Making Resources

There are a variety of resources for zine making on the NVC Library website:

What Is A Zine?

A “zine” is a small-circulation self-published work of original texts and images, typically reproduced via photocopier. Historically, zines have served as a medium for fan groups, subcultures, and anyone looking to express ideas outside of mainstream publishing. This project will allow you to explore the creative aspects of composition by transforming academic writing into something visually engaging and personally expressive.

Here’s what Rose Rodriguez, one of NVC’s Librarians, has to share about zines:

“Zine, pronounced zeen. They are independently made publications that can be about any topic.   Many zines are written for and by marginalized groups and provide a way for authors who may be underrepresented in mainstream publishing to share their writing with others. Zines can contain a wide variety of content and subjects such as poetry, political issues, art, social activism, LGBTQ, creative writing, personal narratives, Chicanx culture, and more.” (source)

 

Zine Requirements

      • Length and Remix: There is no formal minimum or maximum page requirement, but the intent is for you to remix and rethink your previous paper or essay, so please avoid just cutting and pasting your existing text into your zine. Instead, revise and rework your text to fit with the new concept for your zine. Consider changes in POV, tone, mood, style, and organization as a way to focus and refine your material to fit into the zine format.
      • Physical Zine: The zine you create should be able to be made into a tangible, physical copy. If you start digitally, make sure to print out and assemble your zine.
      • Zine Focus / Concept: Your zine does not need to focus on the same exact topic or claim as your earlier work. Rather, it can be a tangential idea, only loosely related. Your zine should use one of your previous papers or essays as a source, the same as you’ve used other sources for earlier work. See the example workflow below for more details.
      • Inclusion of Art or Images: Include at least three pieces of visual content. These can be drawings, photographs, collages, or other artistic representations that support or enhance the text.

Example Workflow

Mikaela’s Journey: From Essay to Zine

STEP 1: Mikaela chose her essay, “How Street Art Changes Social Movements,” as the foundation for her zine project. Her original essay explored how street art amplifies voices and catalyzes social change, especially within marginalized communities. For her zine, she reimagines the primary discussion from her essay and decides to create a practical guide for aspiring street artists who want to use their work for activism, with “Paint the Revolution: A Beginner’s Guide to Street Art,” as a working title.

STEP 2: From her essay, Mikaela selects three pieces of street art to be the main content for her how-to guide. For each piece of art, she plans a two page spread within her zine to highlight the artist, the social change the artist wanted the art to achieve, and the community impact of that piece of street art, all written in a way helpful to aspiring artists. She also plans to include a page which list several off-beat and colorful street art terms. Note how the topic for Mikaela’s zine is different but related to the topic / claim of her original essay.

STEP 3: Using markers, pens, and stencils, Mikaela designs her zine. She creates a graffiti-style cover and uses dynamic colors, tailored text, and playful wording to highlight each section.

STEP 4: Once completed, Mikaela photocopies her zine, giving it the gritty aesthetic of authentic street art. She adds bursts of hand-colored graffiti to the covers to make each copy unique. The final zine is a compelling combination of history, art, and activism, showcasing how her academic ideas have been transformed into an accessible, creative format. Now it’s your turn—what story will your zine tell?

Instructions

      1. Choose Your Topic: Start by choosing one of the three essays or papers you’ve already written for this course. This paper will serve as the primary source for your zine.

      2. Create a new topic / claim: Think about how your academic work can be used as source material for a work using a more informal, visual format. What is an idea or concept that might be more digestible and fit the zine format? What are the key ideas and points that carry over, and how can they be creatively illustrated or represented?

      3. Plan Your Zine: Draft a layout on paper before you begin the final production. Plan where your text and images will go. Think about using collage, hand-drawn illustrations, photographs, or mixed media.

      4. Create Your Zine:

        • You can create your zine by hand or use design software.
        • Standard zine sizes vary; keeping it to about quarter-page size (4.25″ x 5.5″) can make it easier to manage, but the choice is yours.
        • Experiment with different fonts and styles to give your zine a unique aesthetic, which fits with your concept.

      5. Finalize Your Project: Once your design is set, it’s time to produce your zine. Some zines are photocopied in black and white for ease and cost-effectiveness, but feel free to explore color if it enhances your vision.

Zine Making Resources

There are a variety of resources for zine making on the NVC Library website:

Enjoy the process of creating your zine! This project is a chance to show off your creative abilities and see your writing in a new light. Let your imagination guide you, and most importantly, have fun with it!

Enjoy the process of creating your zine! This project is a chance to show off your creative abilities and see your writing in a new light. Let your imagination guide you, and most importantly, have fun with it!