Post by corky on Feb 5, 2004 11:18:56 GMT -5
thot i'd share some advice on how to make a zine...for those of you who don't know what that is...it's a small, independently produced comic. so here's some things i've learned while making a zine, and teaching some workshops at the gallery.
1. subject is entirely up to you. zines tend to be more personal, so you can talk about whatever is on your mind. or you could feature a character that otherwise wouldn't be published by comic companies.
2. write out an outline for a script. often, the dialogue or narrative comes to you as you're creating, but you should have a bare-bones idea of what it is you're gonna write.
3. i often use 11x17 paper. it fits on the photocopier nicely. i fold several pieces together, to form the pages. then i can draw on each page, but it's in order. it's important to remember this; one page will have two different stories on it (back cover and front cover, for example). so i number each page (in pencil), with odds on the left, evens on the right. that way, if i tear it apart, i can still put the pages in the right order.
4. start by drawing your panels first. get them done right away, because you need to know where each scene is going to take place.
5. make sure you leave enough white space around the dialogue balloons, to make it easier to read.
6. always use a gutter...that's the space in between panels. putting the panels right against each other makes it hard to read.
7. you can photocopy your pages quite easily. just remember that you need to flip the pages around, so it can copy double-sided. i always do a test-run of about four pages, so i can figure out which way the zine page faces.
8. get a double-sized stapler to staple your pages in the middle. a regular stapler won't be able to reach, or go thru the paper. it's best (i've found) to have three staples in the middle...and the large industrial staplers work really well for that.
9. it's cheaper and faster to photocopy black and white images, than colour. but the cover needs to get attention, so invest a bit of money to make a colour cover. average prices are 5cents for black and white, 75cents for colour. you pay more to have a printer do set-up and printing.
10. always include the date, your signature, and the copyright symbol somewhere near the front of the comic. you should keep a master copy, and a photocopied zine for yourself, so that you can protect your idea from being stolen.
that's all for now...though it seems like a lot, doesn't it? i'll post more about layout, and inking, if anyone would like to read about it.
1. subject is entirely up to you. zines tend to be more personal, so you can talk about whatever is on your mind. or you could feature a character that otherwise wouldn't be published by comic companies.
2. write out an outline for a script. often, the dialogue or narrative comes to you as you're creating, but you should have a bare-bones idea of what it is you're gonna write.
3. i often use 11x17 paper. it fits on the photocopier nicely. i fold several pieces together, to form the pages. then i can draw on each page, but it's in order. it's important to remember this; one page will have two different stories on it (back cover and front cover, for example). so i number each page (in pencil), with odds on the left, evens on the right. that way, if i tear it apart, i can still put the pages in the right order.
4. start by drawing your panels first. get them done right away, because you need to know where each scene is going to take place.
5. make sure you leave enough white space around the dialogue balloons, to make it easier to read.
6. always use a gutter...that's the space in between panels. putting the panels right against each other makes it hard to read.
7. you can photocopy your pages quite easily. just remember that you need to flip the pages around, so it can copy double-sided. i always do a test-run of about four pages, so i can figure out which way the zine page faces.
8. get a double-sized stapler to staple your pages in the middle. a regular stapler won't be able to reach, or go thru the paper. it's best (i've found) to have three staples in the middle...and the large industrial staplers work really well for that.
9. it's cheaper and faster to photocopy black and white images, than colour. but the cover needs to get attention, so invest a bit of money to make a colour cover. average prices are 5cents for black and white, 75cents for colour. you pay more to have a printer do set-up and printing.
10. always include the date, your signature, and the copyright symbol somewhere near the front of the comic. you should keep a master copy, and a photocopied zine for yourself, so that you can protect your idea from being stolen.
that's all for now...though it seems like a lot, doesn't it? i'll post more about layout, and inking, if anyone would like to read about it.
