For a general “maker” start, please check out “Zine / Minibook Maker I” which covers the three most popular sizes as well as the information you need to create your own zine.
This badge focuses on making your unique zine through embellishments, design elements and paper crafting techniques.
Throughout this badge set, I’ll use the word “zine” for all versions of minibooks.
Steps
1. Production.
Production and cost are usually the limiting factors in producing your zines. While color printers are readily available, the cost of full-color prints can become prohibitive quickly. This is why many zine artists use black ink only on a copier after they create their master or original copy.
At this point, you should have made a zine or two. Print out a couple copies and try the following ideas on your samples to see the different effects. Some of these are very low cost and some are costly. Some may take more time to do than you want to put into creating your zine. Take your time and experiment. You may want to keep these in your sample file as well.
NOTE: Do not assemble your zines until after you add your special touches unless you’re looking at something for the cover only.
2. Elements.
There are things you can do with design software to add variety to your zines. Remember to use these sparingly and consistently or it will look like a mess and your reader won’t bother to read your zine.
- Bulleted lists
- Call outs
- Clip art
- Drop caps
- Numbered lists
- Reversed type
- Rules or lines
- Simple shapes
- Special font headers
3. Markers.
Highlight markers come in a variety of colors. You might want to randomly highlight headers or words. You might want to highlight specific words that combine to make a quote, saying, riddle or other message.
You can also do the opposite. Found poetry is taking a page from a book and blacking out the words you don’t want while connecting the words you do want with white space. In either case, working with markers may take some time, but you might find it relaxing.
Add in fine markers to do a quick sketch or drawing for additional interest in your zine. For example, you might take the bullets in a list and make them flowers or put hash marks over a rule to make it thicker and more interesting. Of course, a quick sketch of your cat with the yarn he’s playing with on the page would be cute too.
4. Paint.
Even something as small as a painted swash under a word draws attention to it. A splatter pattern on a page gives texture. Watercolors can make simple shapes or figures. If you plan to use a wet medium, be sure your paper can handle it. Test before you print a hundred copies.
5. Stamp.
Rubber and polymer stamps can be found in craft, hobby, toy, discount and thrift stores. Lighter inks can be placed over black type and the words are still visible. You can also have the image go off the edge of a page. This is called a “bleed.” If you’re planning on running off the edge, be sure there is something under your page to catch the extra ink. You don’t want to mess up your table . . . or worse . . . get it on the back of the page you intend to stamp.
Don’t limit yourself to light images. You can combine stamped images into shapes or scenes. Since you don’t have to worry about running off a page, you can use the entire margin for stamping.
6. Stencil.
Like a stamp, stencils allow you to put an image onto a page. You can use ink or paint with a stencil so the areas that show through will be those on the sheet when you’re done. You can use it for dry embossing (raising the image from the flat paper). You can also combine these two with more subtle items like pastels. If you use a medium that will flake or rub off, you’ll want to seal it to keep your special area intact.
7. Punch.
Paper punches can allow you to round corners on your zine, make shaped holes, use it for a resist or you can glue the punched shapes to the page to create an image. If you plan to punch the page itself, be sure you are not taking off words that are needed.
All a resist does is block another medium from hitting the page. So, if you have a duck punched out, put it on the page and then splatter blue paint over it and the page. When you remove the punched duck, that area will have no paint. You can also do something more intricate. Cut a card slightly smaller than the size of your page. Use fancy corner punches on one or more corners. Use this card as a resist and put a frame on the card by coloring the outside edges. It doesn’t even need to be straight!
If you’re interested in creating items with your punched shapes like animals or flowers, it’s easy to watch your favorite YouTube star while punching shapes. You can find slews of assembly instructions for punched shapes online. If you want to go this way, you may want to create your own sample cards of the combinations you like.
8. Pop-up.
I’m sure you remember the kids books where you opened the page and the image popped up at you. When you closed the book, it folded down and fit as a flat construct. I’m not suggesting something so complicated. You can add a simple pop-up to grab your reader’s attention.
9. Insert.
An insert might be a single sheet put into the zine or it might be a four-page special addition that you want to add on a colored card stock (heavier paper). If you want to have it bound into your zine, you’ll need to have a fold with paper on each side. It doesn’t need to be a full page. I’m sure you’ve seen magazines where they put a return mailing card in the magazine with a small piece of blank paper on one side side of the staple and the card on the other.
10. Pocket.
You can add a pocket or envelope for a special surprise. Just leave a page blank and glue that baby on! You can also incorporate special folds to slip things into your zine. With over thirty years of printing experience, I could go into a lot of detail, but you’d be asleep before I finished.
Be sure to take into consideration what you want to include. For example, if you have a band and you’re distributing a song on a CD, a pocket is the way to go. Make sure that the paper and glue are strong enough to hold heavier items.
11. Wrap.
A wrap is merely a strip of paper you put around your zine. You might include it if you have an insert or pocket items you don’t want to lose. You might use it to announce a limited full-color edition of your zine or where you’ll be displaying your wares at the next art show.
If you are really worried about something you’re inserting, I’ve seen zines in plastic bags. I purchased one with 3-d glasses because the artist used a printing technique that called for the glasses and you needed them to view the zine.
12. Collect.
Trading cards are 2.5” x 3.5”. If you do a serial zine, you might include a collector card with each issue for a year, then offer a free card or two to anyone who has purchased all issues . . . or you can offer to sell the missing cards and extras for a small fee. Other collectible items you might include are bookmarks, stickers and color sheets.
13. Embellish.
There are a lot of embellishments not listed here. I didn’t want to make more “makers’ to this badge set. So, here are a list of additional embellishments you might want to add to your zine. Remember, this is just a starting point.
- Antiquing with coffee or tea
- Bad photographs
- Beads
- Bindery stitching
- Brads
- Burnt edges
- Buttons
- Calligraphy
- Chipboard shapes
- Colored pencils
- Crayon designs
- Diecut shapes
- Edging scissors
- Ephemera
- Fabric
- Found items
- Fun foam shapes
- Game pieces
- Geometric shapes
- Glitter glue (pay attention to dry time)
- Handwriting
- Ink blots / splatters
- Lettering
- Magazine clippings
- Newspaper clippings
- Origami shape
- Original art
- Paper scraps
- Patch
- Puzzle
- Rhinestones
- Ribbon / fiber
- Sequins
- Shrinky dinks / shrink plastic
- Special invite
- Stickers
- Stitching / string art
- Torn edges
- Vision board quote
- Washi tape
- Zendoodle
14. Imagine.
What else might you like to add as a special upsell or gift to your readers?
Badge and Supplement Files
Member Level
- EP_Badge List_Zine MB Maker III_larajla — list of badge items
- EP_Badge Set_Zine MB Maker III_larajla — list of badge set and related badges
- EP_Supp_List_Zine MB Maker III_larajla — list of supplements for the badge
- SUPP_BPG_Zine MB Maker III_2in_12up_larajla — generic badge printable
- SUPP_Zine MB Maker III_Journal_larajla — badge journal
- SUPP_Zine MB Maker III_Planner_larajla — badge planner
Supplement Fun
- N/A
Sites to Explore
- scrapbookingcoach.com/the-top-5-scrapbooking-embellishments-you-need-on-hand-for-your-scrapbooks
- www.scrapbook.com/articles/8-ways-to-embellish-and-decorate-your-layouts
- scrapbooking.lovetoknow.com/scrapbook-supplies/ways-attach-scrapbooking-embellishments
- modpodgerocksblog.com/how-to-make-scrapbook-embellishments
- www.creative-writing-now.com/found-poetry.html
- www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2UVoVWdy8M
- www.pinterest.at/pin/18718154683324508
- www.pinterest.com/sucor/card-embellishments-to-make/?lp=true
Get the infographic here > larajla blog post