Making Zines on Photoshop!

[lora northway]

Has anyone got any tips or advice on how to make a zine using photoshop? I have created templates but am swimming in pages and confused by page numbers, intimidated by my multiscreens and frankly i am white in the face.

[Dan 10things]

Photoshop pixelizes text pretty badly, it's really designed for working on photos, not doing layout. So I don't blame you for feeling confused, I don't think anyone uses it for zine layout. I edit my photos and prepare them for printing in Photoshop, but then do my layout in a program like Pagemaker or Indesign.

[lora northway]

thanks! I am trying out indesign.

[Christopher DeBoer]

I am using photoshop for the photos and indesign for the text. If you have the newest version, you can set everything up (menus, layout, toolbars etc) for edition text with photos together, in one simple click. Then all you have to do is start working. Its pretty good shit.

[Las Vegas Zine Library]

or use photo shop to size photos, repeat images (helps not waste paper) for backrounds, basic prep stuff then print it and do a physical layout (literal cut and paste!). Less confusing i think, and you get to handle everything physically! After all's said and done you can always scan it into the computer (if you want to avoid copyshops alltogether) and print out the B&W. I love photo shop, but with zines i think a big part of what i enjoy is the process of sticky fingers, papercuts, and falling asleep in a heap of paper. Newer technology gives us an added dimension for creation but things like handwriting, or coffee stains can connect me more to the zine i'm reading, ya know? Don't let the process stress ya too much, you'll figure somethin out. :)

[lora northway]

will be using all of said suggestions- I began with handmade pages, some scans, some emailed art and writing and so I must flex it all together using every method. thanks so much for feedback- and any furthur suggestions
on HOW TO USE INDESIGN would be appreciated.
xx

[amandaaaa]

i love in design. i use it to set my zines.
i start with an 8.5 x 11 page with like.. .25 inch margins on each side.
then i drag 2 ruler guides and split the page into 4 equal sections. (i like the quarter sized zines)
and then... well.. i just make my pages. like, wherever on the pages i feel like. after i have them all, i make a quick mock up kind of zine with scrap paper just writing the subject or whatever on each page how i want it all to be so i can use that to figure out the right order in indesign to put them the pages in.
then i save them all in a pdf file on my flash drive or something and take it to get printed (double sided).
then i cut each page in half and put it together.

...this made more sense in my mind than after i typed it all out. haha.

[incurable hippie]

I've made my front covers and my fliers on photoshop. The text shouldn't be pixellated, I guess it depends on what font you use and what size canvas you start with in the programme.

The text and layout though I haven't used photoshop for. Good luck with it!

[Dan 10things]

Big text and big file, if you don't run any filters after you've added the text, not a problem. But size 12 times new roman font for a full page in Photoshop will look crappy. Photoshop is a lot better in later version at handling text, but it's really designed for editing photos and not text/publication layout.

[incurable hippie]

Exactly, always work with a big big file. It's a million times easier to scale down and keep quality than to scale up and keep quality. And there are thousands of free fonts available so there should be something that works well :)

[Erin H]

"Why?

Why use Photoshop for such things?

A computer is almost always more difficult to use than not. And this is a fabulous situation where you can avoid using a computer altogether."

In my case, it's easier to use a computer because of my disability.

[Johnny Misfit!]

i use photoshop to layout zines.
it sounds like you are on the right track. i make a page template to begin with.
then I add in the text or images. i make sure they do not bleed over to fold or cut lines.thats the worst.
what i do to begin is make a small zine out of scrap paper and then number the pages. this helps me know how many photoshop files i will need to create.
if you want i can email you a psd of my template.
im no expert but it works for me.
good luck.

[Lauren Kurtis]

I use it for my zine. I use a A4 page with guides to show me where the boundaries are. InDesign is probably a better and easier option.