What are Zines?

Zines are small booklets that are usually self-published, and contain illustrations, photographs, or text.
They are very good way for an emerging illustrator to get their name out into the commercial world, due to them being very cheap to produce, and with them retailing for generally a small price, consumers are highly likely to buy them if they look enticing enough.

http://www.alittleredhen.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/30/zine_hen_party_2007.jpg < image reference at this link.

I have bought quite a few zines in the past due to them usually being of an affordable price, and I have expressed interest before, in creating my own self-published zine.

Assorted examples of different zines can be found below.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/UK_and_US_zines.jpg < image reference at this link.

http://echotango.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/zine-wall.jpg < image reference at his link.

http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/6452/2300988/ZELDA_ZINE_1_3.jpg < image reference at this link.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi807Yr1AAacFZhfMlhmuTVbVnCEQNNNkRfVZte9oqShBTm_PfDdlbpBZmRsAni6SsCTxuY1JRhwhCWy7DO3YQrxOpvwAy6NVenbuZvZFc5WWpiTqWB4McFGUdtwgw8SeDEDcpEetLlI9eC/s1600/NikonD80-1-15-13+150.jpg < image reference at this link.

It can make commercial sense for an illustrator to produce a zine, for reasons of profit, and to raise awareness of your practises.

The closest thing that I have made to a zine, was during module two, which was entitled narrative illustration.
I pieced together a small children's book based on a story that I wrote as part of the brief.
The book was hand assembled, and wasn't mass produced, but it gave me a good idea of what is required to piece a book together.

My children's book.

I discussed an idea I had in an earlier blog about creating a zine based on the theme of local animals, and it is an idea that I think has a very good chance of working out, and I feel that I could potentially make some money off my product when I take them to London later in the year to sell.

London.

It would be relatively easy to create and produce a zine, as I have all or the necessary tools that I require, such as Adobe Photoshop, and the print room available to me.

The Print room.

Thomas.