fanzine research

1. Fanzine Research
OLIVIA GROOM

2. Existing Product
Front cover Double Page Spread

3. Existing Product
This fanzine is based on the fashion industry and covers different aspects of fashion revolution.
The fanzine has a contents page at the beginning which gives the reader an idea of what the
fanzine includes and what information they will be gaining from it. I think this is a really
beneficial element to a fanzine as I like to know what ill be covering whenever reading
something. The subject of the fanzine is based around making a change within fashion, talking
about what we need to change and discovering more together. It involves personal articles
which are quite informal mode of address with a friendly and inviting tone, which I like as you
feel you can connect with the writer, especially when its personal experiences. Its all direct
mode of address, with a lot of facts about the fashion revolution and specific dates, using
direct mode of address with ’you’ and ‘we’. The colours are very bright and intriguing, with
bold fonts. The design is very simplistic but to the point, which represents the fanzines topic
well as it is to the point and direct, wanting it to be a joint effort in making a change within
fashion, so it really grabs your attention. There a few pages that are a double page spread of a
collage of photographs, of people of all different colour and gender. This links to the theme of
what the fanzine is about, making everyone come together making a change telling a different
story about fashion. There are also photographs of people at protests, but most of all a lot of
text with quite a bit of spacing on each page. I noticed however some pages were very full with
lots of information and photographs, where some have minimal content which gives variety
and lets you process information separately, I quite like this idea.

4. Existing Product
Front cover Double Page Spread

5. Existing Product
I chose this existing product as the design element Is very similar to
how I would like to create my fanzine. The context and subject is on
coffee, which I find quite boring however the design element makes it
interesting which is quite clever. The context is mainly factual and gives
you the names of all different types of coffee. The photography is bold
and pleasing to the eye, which is what I like. The coffee comes across as
an art, which in theory it is when it comes to latte art etc. The fanzine
makes this a focus and the photographs of it are really interesting to
look at. When it comes to colour, its quite basic browns and beiges as
it would be when related to coffee, however this works well with the
theme and is thorough throughout. The fonts are really artistic and
everything comes across elegant and dainty. The creative side to this
fanzine is something I want to also create with my final product. Some
of the font is written in coffee which is a really interesting approach to
the ways you can make coffee artistic and beautiful., a couple of the
pages turn coffee into things such as a clock and writing. It also has
pages that involve a diagram showing you the steps of making coffee.
This is good content as it is also turned into a creative element but
providing information.

6. Existing Product
Front cover Double Page Spread

7. Existing Product
I really like this fanzine as it is a topic I find
interesting myself. The fanzine is very authentic
and real which I like, as well as the photographs.
The photographs are enlarged and really good
quality which is nice to look at. It portrays a
passion of surfing through there being less text
and more photographs, as well as quotes about
the love of surfing. The context is minimal,
however you get the impression surfing has a big
impact on peoples lives. There is a double page
spread with the quote ’OUT OF WATER, I AM
NOTHING’. The use of this language has a big
impact on the reader and the importance of
surfing in that persons life, with not much more
context but photographs to show this.

8. Existing product

9. Existing product
• I came across this fanzine on the subject of the city of Brighton,
exploring the costal town and what it is and represents. I really liked
the colours that are used which is what drew me to it in the first
place. The subject is also something I am interested in as I like the
city itself. The fanzine involves mostly artistic approaches and water
colour/abstract paintings. There is also a few professional
photographs of the city and the beach as it’s a costal town, with
very beautiful elements that make it attractive, therefore
something people would be interested in. The texts are fun and
there is a variety of sizes and styles. The colours used are all very
feminine and pastel colours, which represent a beach or costal
town with lots of lights. When it comes to content, its very minimal.
It adds a few historic dates of some of the photographs of buildings
and the pier, but there is a lot of text at all. I like this as the design
element makes up for it.

10. Existing product

11. Existing product
• This Banksy is based on the English graffiti artist Banksy. The thing that
drew me to this fanzine was the subject mainly revolving around Banksy
and his work as I like his style and the graffiti he's created. The cover is eye
catching with a splash of paint with all different colours. This is the most
colourful part of the fanzine, but it is a good technique to catch the eye.
The content of the fanzine involves all facts about Bansky himself and his
work. It’s a really interesting read as well as involving loads of photographs
of his work, so I think it works really well on a whole, with the story behind
Bansky. The design element is quite modern and has an edge to it which
represents Banksy's work. The double page spreads are all filled with the
same style of text, and similar colours of greys and blacks and the odd
bright red or green. The ratio of text with photography is very thorough
throughout, which makes it an easy read. To say that Banksy is a creative
artist, I feel the fanzine could have had more creative elements to it to
represent this as his work is fun and has a different and controversial
approach on a whole.

12. Existing product

13. Exisiting product
This fanzine is a collection of photographs of the iconic supermodel
kate moss. This fanzine has no text, and is more a portfolio of different
photographs throughtout her modelling career. The colour scheme is
all black and white, which is different and authentic. All the
photographs are desplayed differently, some are cut to half the
photograph and all in a collection, for example there are 5 snippets of
her eyes put together as one image, giving a dramtic effect. The
photographs are all interesting too look at as she is so well known and
iconic, as well as timeless. It come across quite vintage with an edge to
it, which represents her as a model well. Some photographs are
repreately shown which catches the eye and draws you in, like she
does as a model. Some of the double paged spreads are put together
as collages which is a nice idea making it all compact and intriguing.
This gives me a lot of ideas when it comes to my photography design
aspect of my own production.

14. Research summary
From re searching different existing fanzines, I have found out a lot more about what they involve. Most
fanzines I looked at had a contents page, which told you about what the fanzine will be filled with and
the different aspects to the topic. I like the use of a contents page and will definitely use this as it gives
it more of a professional approach. I noticed fanzines use a lot of photographs and pictures- I think this
is a factor that draws you to reading one as it draws you to the text and makes everything a bit more fun
and interesting. A lot of pictures are hand drawn in some fanzines, I like this artistic approach as its
pleasing to the eye and keeps things light hearted. When I begin creating my fanzine I would like to
draw a lot of my own designs and I found the fanzines I enjoyed researching the most were the artistic
ones. I noticed each fanzine had a variety of text and none were the same, they all had something
unique to them which I think is the whole point. From researching fanzines I found they reminded me a
bit of leaflets, but more content and more fun. They are basically mini magazines on any subject or topic
that you want to bring to life through text and pictures. The text is all very creative and has a variety of
fonts and sizes. Depending on the subject there is a lot of content with facts and opinions, where as
some fanzines provide more pictures and drawings. I want to combine both and create something that
is fun and has a lot of content also. However, I don’t want to make it more factual and more interviews
and my own thoughts and ideas, with a more journalism approach. From the research I am hoping to
get a new range of design ideas and create something that I haven't before. I also noticed the older
fanzines had a different design element with more photos that were stuck in and a bit more casual.
However, the new designs have a lot of photoshop elements to them and revolve more around social
issues rather than bands of football.

15. Research summary
• I have come to realise fanzines are a very fun and
fast way of reading about a certain subject. Unlike
magazines, there are no limits on what you can
and cannot include with fanzines. They are
enjoyable as they are so creative and personal. In
summary, I want to create my own fanzine along
these lines of it being personal and close to
myself, I feel the more personal the more
intriguing it is. Fanzines remind me a bit of
someone’s own scrapbook or diary, that you have
the chance to read and look through their
hobbies and interests.

16. Initial Ideas

17. Idea 1
• Creating a fanzine on my own artwork as I love
art and painting. I could create loads of
different designs and collages of locations of
places I have been such as holidays and days
out. I could also draw people, or any objects
that are personal to me that I love. I like the
idea of creating a fanzine on my own artwork
as it is something I wouldn't’t normally share
but have a chance to, without judgement or
grading, it is whatever I want it to be on.

18. Idea 2
• Idea 2 is to create a fanzine on my family's business,
architecture. With this I could include my own drawings,
paintings and photographs of architecture and places I have
visiting. I could also include all my own photographs of my
dads work and floor plans he has designed, including my
first house that he designed. I could get original floor plans
which are personal and write about them. I could also do
an interview on my dad and one myself. The one from my
dad I could ask him questions and do a auto biography on
his life and how it all began. With myself I could get
someone to ask me questions on architecture in my life and
how proud I am of my dad. I think this is my favourite idea
so far.

19. Idea 3
• Idea 3 would be to do a fanzine on makeup and
fashion, as this is one of my main interests. I
could involve and write about make up and
products I use with photographs and tips I have
found over the years, as well as some images of
my own clothes and personal style. I would also
talk about shops I like to buy my clothes from and
any models I get inspiration from or celebrities. I
think all 3 of these ideas would be very personal
to me and tell a lot about myself which is the
whole enjoyment of a fanzine.

20. Bibliography

21. Bibliography
1. Charlotte Oliver (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on
26/9/18)
2. Josh Brownsword (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on
26/9/18)
3. How to be a fashion revolutionary, ISSU 20/6/13
4. Coffee consumption, ISSU 3/7/15
5. Surf issue, ISSU 15/3/17