Stories to Share via the Medium of Zines
Azine, short for ‘magazine,’ is an informal and often non-commercial publication born out of a passion for a specific interest. I recall creating handwritten zines in the late ‘70s before the term became widely known. Zines, characterized by modest production and independent publishing, provide a creative platform for expressing viewpoints, sharing imaginative works, and connecting with like-minded individuals. Typically, zines have a distribution of fewer than 500 copies, emphasizing a do-it-yourself (DIY) philosophy and community involvement. The advent of photocopiers and, subsequently, the ease of home printing gave birth to many zinesters. India too has a thriving zine culture. Having recently created several zines, all printed at home, I invite you to explore this expressive medium. The possibilities are virtually limitless right from the kind of content, paper selection, and the way you fold the sheet to getting the entire printing outsourced or the option of printing at home.
Consider involving children in the process to foster creativity at home. To start, search online for zine ideas (or #zine and #minizine on Instagram) and discover the joy of creating and sharing your unique perspectives. On a side note, watch the movie “Moxie” on Netflix, where a 16-yearold starts a zine.
Here, I share a glimpse of my recent zines to inspire you in this artistic endeavour. My starting point was an A4 (210x297 mm) size sheet folded thrice to get an A7 (74x105 mm) size sheet. My earlier zines were in A5 and A6 sizes.