Notice for Tutors

This page is part of the main blog, to which I have posted regularly through out my 2.1 unit work. For the edited Visual Summary, please refer to the relevant page in the tabs above.

Please be aware that I have edited the summary down, and if you would like to see parts of my process in more detail, then please navigate through the posts in the 'Blog Archive' at the right of this page. The titles of the posts are more or less self explanatory, and are in chronological order from earliest to latest posts.

Many Thanks!

Abi

2.1: Final Zine

Here are some pictures of my final zine output. I am really pleased with the results and the overall aesthetic and mixture of mediums in the piece. There is definite room for improvement in terms of various type mistakes and perhaps the front covers (or covers in general) are too "busy", but I wanted to use RSC leaflet materials as it works as an element the zine is about, and also because the paper used by the RSC has this distinct smell, which just brings something more to the zine that I wanted :-)

 

2.1: My Final Zine Direction

I used the typology of RSC programme covers that I collected in my first workshop, to inspire the subject area of my zine design. The programme covers are visually rich and therefore still were interesting to work with, despite being a difficultly large collection from flat, digital images.

I wanted to angle the theme of the zine towards my parents, being personal towards my parents as it is their collection in the first place. I conducted another “interview” with them and discussed which programmes held most memories for them and talked about their experiences based on this, building up a list of some quaint small stories. I wanted to display these stories in the zine in a chronological way so that it makes up a type of narrated timeline. This makes the zine a Fan Zine, and is something that the RSC wouldn’t produce themselves and because of that, should have more interest for external readers. The title is “The RSC and Me, … well, my parents actually.” This hopefully sets the tone of the zine, being slightly humorous, and not taking it self too seriously.

 

The methods of printing I wish to use will be based on what I know I can easily achieve with also some speed but still achieving interesting aesthetics. I wish to mostly use photocopying to reproduce the quantity of zines needed. For points of colour, I found that printing over the photocopy of the programme cover images provided for interesting visuals. The effect is not precise, but I quite like it that way as it is different every time and kind of looks like a drop shadow. I also played around with perhaps using stencilling and coloured paper, but I think this might over complicate the process.

For the front cover, I plan to use segments of original RSC leaflets and flyers, as the paper used is very distinct and has a very distinct smell. I am not trying to replicate what the RSC already uses, rather just trying to install an existing physical (and smelly) part of what the zine is actually about! I will also try to print the image of Shakespeare on the front using a simple form of lino-print or surface printing, which will add texture and variety.

Hopefully the zine achieves its goal to be an informative catalogue of my parent’s interests, put in a very personal way.

2.1: Looking at Existing Examples

Mark Pawson's Work
We looked at various examples of zines which Mark Pawson, our tutor, has produced and successfully sold himself. It was good to see the variation in sizes and quality in each example, as well as the simplicity of some designs and content that was still effective. For example, his zine made completely from envelopes of letters he was sent.

  

  

  

Last Year's Work
Like Mark's zines, it was good to see the variety in production techniques and print methods and also the content. For example,  the stencilling in the zine on Cuban dance, including their use of screen-printing and tracing paper, and this zine called “A Hair in the Throat” that's really interesting as it seems to be simply saddle stitched with staples, and printed on an inkjet printer, mostly being about the stylistic illustrations.

  

                        

  

2.1: Production Methods

We discussed the various examples of materials and methods you could use to produce your own zine.


Paper
Newsprint
Sugar paper
Inkjet paper
Recycling paper
Newspaper
Carbon paper
Tracing paper


Basically something that's easy to print on, cut down, and consideration of the design is needed.


Printing
Screen printing
Letterpress
Silk printing
Linocut
Digital
Rizograph
Woodcut
Monocuts (Foam and Card)
Photocopy
Potato
Handcut stencils
Rubber stamps


Colour
Finger painting
Drawing
Painting
Colour printer


Binding
Saddle stitch
Thread
Tape on edge (as long as it is reasonably permanent)
Loose leaf
Ribbons
Wire
Japanese sewing
French
Staples

UNIT TWO POINT ONE - Workshop B

DIY ZINES


In this workshop, we are to look at existing examples and discuss ways of producing our own DIY Lo-Fi zines.


By the end of the workshop, we should have hand produced 15 copies of a zine we made designed, with at least three different printing methods, which will then be given out to each member of the group and also for hand in.

2.1: Editing the Category Hand-Ins

After having a tutorial, and showing the little category hand-ins I had made, it was stated that various aspects needed improving. The paper quality needed to be improved, and the front page quality improved as well. It was suggested that there should be less content and the text much simpler, keeping an eye of typographic qualities such as widow words and hyphenated words.


I tried the design again, keeping it much simpler. I used courier font and Optima font to try and give off a hand-made "book" vibe, I was trying to go for a look mimicking hand-out scripts that actors get. I also put a potato stamp of it saying "PTO" so people will know to invert the page. I thought it would aid the hand-out script look with a hand made print to make each one unique.