Zines are small-circulation, non-commercial publications that are self-published using photocopiers and small-run printers. They cover a wide variety of topics and are created by their authors to share ideas and information. Zines started becoming popular in the 1960s as the photocopier became widely available, allowing for easy self-publication. While some zines later became magazines, zines remain a grassroots format focused on sharing content directly with readers through physical copies. Today, zines are often considered a form of artists' books.

1. Zine
the mini-magazine

2. A small circulation, non-commercial publication of
original or appropriated text and images. Any self-
published work that takes advantage of the photocopier
and/or small-run printers.

3. The idea is that circulation would be 5,000 or less. Probably 100 would be more like it.
These are Zine covers from Artcore, the longest running and one of the most popular
“fanzines” ever.
http://www.fourletter word.org.uk/artcore

4. Written, designed, and published by their creators, zines are grassroots publications
made simply on home computers and printers or copy machines.
Image from the Philly Zine Fest
www.phillyzinefest.com

5. Riot Grrrl
An underground feminist
art movement started in
the 1990’s.
Girl Germs - their Zine
Notice is was FREE. Much of the content of
Zines was/is appropriated, and also may
contain subject matter not always appropriate
for mainstream media. In that vein, Zines are
mostly freely distributed publications.

6. BUST
Some magazines, like BUST,
started out as zines, made
in garages and bedrooms,
and found distributors
after solidifying an
audience.

7. With the advent of the copy
machine, zines became a
very popular format of
personal expression and
communication beginning in
the late 1960’s.

8. Art Zines
Really, zines can cover content in just about
any area - art, politics, sci-fi, music, personal
journals, etc....
With the advent of the internet as another
tool of expression and communication to a
mass audience, zines have fallen out of the
realm of function and into the world of art.
Today, zines can be considered artists books, a
pice of art that the artist ask the audience to
interact with.

9. Open pages of a zine laid-
out before the binding is
finalized.

10. Israeli Political Zine
Still, many people,
especially avid zine-makers,
believe that the internet
cannot compare to
physically holding the
“object” in your hands.

11. Zine Class
Pratt Institute
2006

12. All Together as a Suite

13. One Pack of all the Zines

14. Caitlin Martin

15. Devon Kell

16. Erick Alloway

17. Rachel Morris

18. Victoria Monsul

19. Anne Tochka

20. Caitlin Phillips

21. Erick Wrenn

22. Pryanka Pandit

23. Images of Zines.....

24. Day 1
Jeremy and Claire Weiss

27. Mildred Town

28. Mildred Town

29. Catherine UK

30. As you can see, Zines are a wonderful tool
for expression. Be creative, be inventive!
BUT, for our purposes and for understanding
the rules of laying out, we will want to
consider the idea of the underlying grid and
how to use this grid in design. You will want
to understand the concepts of white space,
margins and gutters. What images will you
use? What is the purpose of your Zine? How
can the FORM and IMAGERY of the content
reflect the meaning?