Teaching Zines

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Comment by Room 15 Press on May 2, 2013 at 1:57pm

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Comment by nicci mechler on April 23, 2013 at 8:41am

Hey, y'all. :)

I'm a long time zinester thinking about theory and writing up a syllabus to propose a class to my university. Does anyone have any sample syllabi for college level zine introductions? Zines as art form?

xox

Nicci

Comment by Aijung Kim on February 17, 2013 at 7:14am

hey carey,

it's tough when you don't have a lot of time. i wouldn't say i'm an expert teacher since i've had no formal training, but i've been teaching kids for about 3 years now. it can be challenging sometimes, but i'm lucky since mostly the kids already enjoy art and aren't resistant to it. i taught one after-school program where the kids were, and it was extremely difficult! in that class i only had 1.5 hours as well, and felt like i couldn't get anything done. i ended up putting them on a timer ("You have 10 minutes to write - GO!") and that actually helped them be more motivated.

in my class, i start out just showing them examples of zines. you could let them look at zines for about 10 minutes, all different kinds. that might help explain them more than just telling them what zines are. then i asked the kids what they thought zines were, based on what they saw. but basically i affirm that a zine can be anything they want, and it can be random too (which kids really seem to enjoy). but it can also tell a story, educate, or just be beautiful to look at. some kids might not get it, but some will really take to it. then try to get them to make something right away. making a zine will teach them about its possibilities. try to set everything up so it's really easy for them to make a page. i have them each make the basic "instant zine" without any words or graphics just so they get how to make it, and have them label the page numbers and then unfold it so they can see the final layout. then i use an 8.5 x 11" piece of paper and fold it up into 8 sections. This will be the paper they paste their pages of the collaborative zine onto. before class, i cut out small pages that are a bit smaller than the page size of the final zine (so their art doesn't get cut off on the photocopier) and give them these pieces of paper to create their art/writing on. i don't give them too many directions about what the page should be, just one word as inspiration. the pages are small, so it's easy to finish a page. i really recommend doing a quick collaborative zine this way first just so they have an idea of how to make a zine. if you wait for them to create their own zines first, it will take a lot longer and they won't really understand how to structure a zine. the first zine can be silly - it's mostly just for practice. i don't know how many class sessions you have, but i'm sure that once they get the basic idea, they will have lots of their own ideas. but i did find that doing some writing/drawing exercises first helped my students generate some content for their zines in case they got stuck with what to fill their pages with.

i've done an after-school program that was 1 hr and 15 minutes long and they were able to complete a zine during the class time, using the method i described above. i wasn't able to photocopy until after class was over, but in the next class i gave them their zine to fold and they wanted to make another one. i saw one of the kids at an event a few months later and he told me he'd made 5 zines on his own. i was thrilled! but i wished i had been able to talk to the class more about content, though i'm sure that will come with time anyway.

hope this helps. i say be simple to start with. all they need to understand is basic structure and the idea of creative freedom. then you can get more detailed and talk about how zines can be meaningful. but get examples of zines or make your own to show them!

Comment by Carey Jordan on February 17, 2013 at 6:56am

Oh, I really would like to set up some type of class exchange zine program so they can get a look at what other kids are doing and feel a sense of community. 

Comment by Carey Jordan on February 17, 2013 at 6:55am

@Aijung Kim

I work at an arts center as well one day at week for an hour— high school kids (17 and 18). This past Saturday I barely had enough time to get through them learning how to put one together! I found myself just rushing through the process it didn't help they were 15 mins late but I want to make sure they're getting something out of it and understanding the importance of self-expression and having a voice. I would love to create an experience that after the class is all said and done that they continue making zines. I just find myself not knowing how to pace myself (I'm new to teaching in general so that's an added layer) as well to articulate to them what the objective is of doing zines.  

Comment by Aijung Kim on February 17, 2013 at 6:28am

hey, if anyone has any questions about stuff, i'm happy to answer. i may not know all the answers, but i've had experience teaching 2 zine classes to kids ages 9 - 12, and they're both been so awesome! it is my favorite kid's class to teach. keep in mind this is at an art center where kids already love art, so i'm not sure what it would be like if you had kids who didn't like art or writing. "Whatcha Mean What's a Zine" is a great one. My class runs for 5 days and is 3 hours long per class day. i have them cut out words from magazines and tape them onto cardstock scraps (i got this idea from the book "Poemcrazy" where she suggested using tickets you find at carnivals). When everyone has gathere a bunch of words or phrases they like, i have them pick a few that are their favorites and put them in a jar. Then someone picks out one word and we make a group zine with it. i have them make an "instant zine" (the kind where you get a cover, back cover, and 6 pages out of one side of paper once it is folded), using that one word as inspiration. each kid makes a page. if there are more than 8 kids, they make 2 zines (w/ 2 different words) and whoever gets done earlier can make more pages or work on the back page which can fold out to make a poster. i photocopy those creations and give them to the kids the next day to fold, and we talk about "guerilla art" and putting the zines in random public places for people to find and enjoy. then they each work on individual zines as well as one more collaborative zine. i provide mags and books for them to cut up, rub-on lettering, and books on different kinds of lettering that they can trace or copy. we do some writing exercises at the beginning few sessions which they can decide to include in their zines. they also can use their word tickets in their zines or we use them for the writing exercises. oh, and everyone re-names themselves using the word tickets as inspiration. many end up using their psuedonyms in their zines. the last two classes are free for them just to keep working on the zines. i suggest doing all the writing stuff in the beginning because the last couple days they are intensely working! you need to give them time to finish everything up.

well, that's the gist of it. hope it's helpful. i have the privilege of having a long class time, which i some of you may not for shorter workshops. i am also pitching an adult zine class at the art center which i am crossing my fingers will get enough students to run. i really think that older people would love making zines - they are so freeing and give voice to people who might otherwise not realize they could have a voice in such a way.

Comment by Carey Jordan on February 17, 2013 at 6:13am

@Green Tea Sundae

I'm in the same boat—before a few weeks ago I've never even heard of zines and here I am teaching. I'm having fun with my class as I go along but I've been reading books such as, "Stolen Sharpie Revolution  Whatcha Mean What's A Zine? and Make A Zine!" which all have been helpful. I have a graphic design background so I thought this would be the perfect balance to get away from the computer. My only struggle is coming up with a lesson plan. I was hoping this forum would help but it doesn't seem too active.

Comment by Green Tea Sundae on February 16, 2013 at 1:07am

Hi! I'm so excited... planning on doing a zine-making camp with my high school girl students (I'm an ESL teacher in South Korea), and hope everything turns out well! I don't have too much experience in making zines myself, so my students and I are going to be learning this together. 

Comment by Sarah on May 10, 2012 at 10:44pm

Hey everyone

 I am starting up a Zine Library, it will live at Transit Lounge Caboolture (which is a non for profit youth arts organisation I work for) We are just getting our collection started so the more zines we can add to it the better! We work with local young creative people and will be running some awesome zine workshops :) 

If you would like to add to our collection please send your zines to

Transit Lounge Caboolture
PO Box 159
Caboolture, Australia QLD 4510.

Include your return address and I'll send you one back (one of my own or another local zinester) to say thanks.

Comment by Paper Monster Press on April 19, 2012 at 2:26am

http://www.facebook.com/papermonsterpress

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ASUANG by PAPER MONSTER PRESS

Asuang is an umbrella term for creatures that people our imagination. As blood suckers, they engender in us, a fear of the dark, of morbidity, of paleness, of incense. The fear that desires, the fear that suffocates, not just creatures but open spaces and high places. Fear of beings that when looked at mirrors or through other eyes, resemble perhaps, ourselves? Then here maybe, there be monsters?

Asuang then calls not just for darkness but for hallucinogen, psychedelia, kaleidoscopic narratives in whatever genre.

Specifically, we ask for:
1. 1-3 poems/ essays/ flash fiction (less than 500 words, English or Filipino)

2. 1-3 artworks in black/ white (in JPEG format)

3. 1-3 sound pieces in MP3 or Wav format

4. Critical essays about the small press/ underground publishing/ the culture of fanzines (also under 500 words)

5. Reviews of any issue of Paper Monster Press (and we’ve done 6 so far)
a. Pyrotechnic Poetry 1
b. Pyrotechnic Poetry 2
c. S/trip-hop
d. Dream(pop)
e. Queer Punk
f. SANDIGmaan

6. A theme for 1 print year
Ex. LOST IN TRANSLATION year
a. Issue 1: Atlantis (about forgetting/ resurfacing/ the abyss/ depths/ drowning/ swan diving)
b. Issue 2: Free Tibet (about culture clash/ Buddhism/ heights/ climbing/ pure dizziness of clouds)
c. Issue 3: Time-space Warp (about timezones/ cultural differences/ time and space/ reincarnation/ and the endless echoes we can never reach)
d. Issue 4: Labyrinths (canals/ road bridges/ the strange and devious routes we take to fantasy/ intoxication/ escape)

THE FINE PRINT
1. Send all submissions to papermonsterpress@yahoo.com with the heading: ATTN: ASUANG SUBMISSION
2. The deadline for submissions is on May 31, 2012.
3. Payment is one contributor copy and that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from seeing your name in print. ;)
VIVA SMALL PRESS!

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