Hello out there,
As you can imagine, things have slowed down at the TZL since we’ve been closed due to the pandemic and are adjusting to our lives now. We’re still catching up on zine library planning and emails, and in the meantime, we are hoping to post a bit more on here.
In this post, I’m sharing a few digital “how-to” zines for anyone interested in making zines or webcomics, looking for some templates and tips, or just some background info.
Intro to Zines is a zine we made for Maker Festival at the Toronto Reference Library in 2018. It includes a few zine templates and tips, a simple hand-sewn binding guide, and an intro to the history of zines. You can read it and download a copy over here.
How to Zine is another zine the TZL brought to distribute at Maker Festival, with words and drawings by Jordan Reg. Aelick. It includes information on zine making such as useful items, inspiration, and other tips and tricks. You can read it over here. We also have another post coming up with a more detailed throwback to Maker Festival!
We Make Zines online resources from the Zines 101 guide:
How to Make This Very Zine is a zine you can assemble about making zines by Anne Elizabeth Moore : https://wemakezines.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/makezine.pdf
An 8 page blank mini zine template you can fill in: https://wemakezines.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Zine-template.pdf
Template for smaller single sheet zine with 16 pages: https://wemakezines.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/microminizine.pdf
Thepublicstudio.ca’s An Introduction to Zines: A zine on how to make a zine, including zine styles, genres, formats, design, typography, making a zine, and inspiration: https://wemakezines.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/DIY-No2-Zines-2.pdf
“The Ins and Outs of Webcomics” by Jey Pawlik is a comic zine which guides readers through the ins and outs of creating webcomics, including tips on tools, panels, dialogue, posting and promotion, printing, as well as other resources! The full pdf is available as a free download here: https://www.canadacomicsol.org/2020/03/30/the-ins-an-outs-of-webcomics-by-jey-pawlik-pdf-download/
Other resources:
QZAP (Queer Zine Archive Project) zine-making resources: https://www.qzap.org/v9/index.php/links/25-zine-making-resources
Get in touch with the TZL on social media or by email if you have suggestions for other resources we could share on here.
Hope you are all able to stay safe.