Making Zines
There is no wrong way to make a zine...but here are a few tips, pointers, and resources to help you make a zine.
How to Make a Zine
Resources
Finding Images
- Images: a library research guide to finding visual resourcesQuick overview of searching for images in the databases Cornell University Library has built or licenses, as well as collections on the open web.
- Wellcome CollectionWellcome Images is one of the world's richest and most unique collections covering many themes, and are particularly strong in the areas of mental health, sex and sexual health, genetics, public health, and 19th-century books. The digital collections can be downloaded and used under Creative Commons non-commercial, attribution and Public Domain licenses, depending on the material.
- Smithsonian Open AccessMillions of the Smithsonian's images that can be shared and reused without permissions. Includes images and data from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives, and the National Zoo.
- Life Photo ArchiveMillions of photos from the LIFE archive, stretching from the 1750s to today. Most were never published and are now available for the first time through the joint work of LIFE and Google.
- Reusable ArtPublic domain images from vintage drawings, books, and other media
Making a Digital Zine?
- CanvaHas a free tier and allows PDF download
- FlipsnackHas free tier; no PDF download, online only
- Electric Zine MakerA free and radical computer program you can use to build printable zines
What you need
What you need to make a zine:
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Paper (any type will do! Yes, even printer paper.)
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Writing utensils, such as pencils, markers, and pens
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A way to combine your pages and hold them together, such as a long-arm stapler, folds, or a rubber band.
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How will you combine the pages of your zine? Are you just folding the paper in half? Thirds?
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How will you hold it together? Are you stapling the pages, using a simple rubber band, or binding them together?
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Repurposed materials - use whatever you like and feel drawn to. Some examples include newspapers, fabric, images, drawn art, stickers, washi tape, paint chips, etc.
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Photocopier, printer, or scanner to share your zine
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Zines are for sharing so remember that this will be replicated. Think about what will show best as a copied text. If you are making a digital copy of your zine, you can use a scanner to upload your pages.
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