Let’s Make a Mini-Zine!

What is a zine, you might ask? The word “zine” comes from magazine, and they started to get popular in the 1960s. They’re also known as fanzines, minis, minicomics, and many other names.

The ‘rules’ for making a zine are as follows:

1. 1. You can make it using simple methods – drawing, painting, collage, or whatever other materials you can get your hands on!
   2. You can photocopy as many copies as you want!
   3. You can then sell/trade/gift them! (or build your own fortress of zines)
   4. There are no rules!

Zines can be about literally anything. Maybe you would make a zine about objects that begin with the letter B, or how much you love Clippy, or how many times you’ve seen a yellow car drive past your window. Zines can also be sketchbooks, journals, or, most importantly – comics!

At DCCS, we most often make our zines using a single sheet of A4 paper and a pair of scissors. Following the steps below, we can turn it into an 8-page book!

 

You can also use different sizes of paper! An A3 sheet will give you more space to draw (but will be harder to photocopy), while an A5 sheet would give you less space to draw (but you could make more copies).

Below are a couple of templates for you to use – one with the folding instructions, and another with some drawing prompts. Go make some zines!

 

How-To-Zine illustrations by Norrie Millar.

Here at DCCS, we follow the ABCD of drawing – Any Body Can Draw! All you need is something to draw with, and something to draw on. Do you need to already be a master comics artist like Jack Kirby, Bill Watterson, or Uderzo (RIP)? No! Every great artist started somewhere. So, without further ado…

 

Let’s Draw!

Can’t find a ruler? You can make one by folding a piece of paper lengthways 3 or 4 times. This happens in workshops more often than you might think.

 

Start Simple

You can use basic shapes and lines to make all kinds of characters!

Here’s a challenge – think about what your character is feeling. Are they happy, sad, confused? How can different facial features help to emphasise their personality? Have a go at making:

A friendly character

An evil character

A stylish alien character*

If you need some inspiration, you can use our selection of facial features below!

 

*Maybe your alien could have multiple eyes/noses/mouths!

The above images are from Dundee Comic Creative Space’s ‘Let’s Make Comics’. Artwork by Rebecca Horner.