Summer of Inspiration: Artist Date Week 9
After attending a zine-making workshop that taught us the fundamentals of zine-making, I was ready for a challenge. When I came across SUR NYC's post featuring a zine-making workshop led by Shin‑Yeon Moon, I was amazed by the creativity in her zines. The unique illustrations aside, the different modes of interactivity with the zines were jaw-dropping.
So I signed up and made my way over to Gowanus, Brooklyn, for an afternoon of creating.
Shin started off the session with an overview of the materials needed for more advanced zine-making. We were introduced to tools such as the swivel cutter, swivel stapler, Artist Tack, and archival stick glue. I was blown away by the variety of tools available to lower the need for the exhausting use of an X-acto knife.
We went through the different steps of making a zine, places to print for the best quality, and where to apply for zine fairs.
With the fundamentals aside, we were ready to get into it. The first demo was of a square flexagon, which would give you a cool flip style. Even with a template, this was mind-boggling to assemble, but once we arrived at the final step, everything made sense. The square flexagon style is best used for illustrations, as it reminded me of those dress-up books that allowed you to play with outfit configurations for the top, bottom, and shoes.
The next demo was a lot easier to assemble – a waterfall pull-tab. You can see it in action here under "Unraveling". This required some cutting, pasting, and folding, which felt very therapeutic. I can envision a few ways this pull-tab can add interactivity to various zines.
After a short break, we spent the final hour of the workshop ideating our zine, utilising an 11 x 17 piece of paper. The challenge was to leave no waste, making full use of the paper we were provided. I made a vertical flip zine with a pocket in the middle that could be used as a field guide for documenting things that made you happy – encapsulating each sense per page – and space to keep mementoes to remind you of the happy moments.
Before we wrapped up for the day, everyone presented their zines in the show-and-tell format. Not one idea was alike, which truly showcased the range of creativity in everyone. From a makeshift kitchen to a ball that rolls for infinity, I was genuinely floored by the ideas that people came up with.
One of the participants noted how important it was for us to "touch paper" in this digital age. So, here's a prompt for you: what would you create out of a single piece of paper?
Allow your creativity to guide you and follow every intuition.
