The power of books Part 1: Ex 7 Visualising, editing and critiquing

During this exercise I visually explored things that make up and a5 pamphlet/book/fanzine and I did this using a smaller a6 booklet as a prototype. I found working in portrait mode convenient for most pages, but the front page was a bit small for the title I was going for. I still managed to make it work but I feel a wider page or working in landscape maybe let me use more space. As for the design being just the title and the rectangle for a picture at the bottom, I referred back to Teal Trigg’s chapter ​Definitions and early days ​(pages 6–43) from her book ​Fanzines: A do-it-yourself revolution​ (2010). Where some of the front covers only included what I have and small handwriting just under the title or somewhere on the page. For example

My cover idea was using my previous 'Bookworm' ideas and using it for a title and then warping the text to fit with the worm

As for the inside content I spread a design over two pages and then quickly ran out of more ideas to include. The idea of the book is for people who enjoy books and reading so relevant and interactive was the aim. I think the strongest part of the book was to have book reviews maybe not only from me but readers too. Comic book strip would give an artist an opportunity to collab each issue and maybe some quirky jokes or facts to keep it fun. 

The back page is a worm that you can cut out I think having this feature could maybe persuade people to continue buying because they want to collect whatever is the next cut out, a new design each month.

 A possible problem could be that with the content spreading across two pages I’ll have to figure out printing methods and whether it would have to be done separately or as one whole image for the two pages. As for a narrative it has no storyline it set out more like a magazine surrounding the same book theme. I made a mini comic strip for one page which was inspired by newspapers I’ve read in the past with those funny cartoons in. Book reviews is something else in this book and I think theyre probably the most important of the pages because people who enjoy books will appreciate them, recommending books would be what the community of this fanzine would thrive off. especially if the readers send in their own reviews and it gets put in one of the issues. 

 Keeping the text simple and the titles bold, i think I would have to keep a personalised touch to the book using a mixture of handwriting as well as digital test.

 

CRTIQUE MYSELF

 The format offered me to a structured booklet with the same size throughout and space to add a title, words, and images on the pages. My ideas developed as I started thinking about the phrase and previous exercises. The content just fell into place using an interactive approach and not relying on just text. However, the phrase bookworm I had no other ideas for the other pages or at least enough to fill a whole page. Jokes or facts page? readers thoughts? website or links to an online community. The ideas I think are good addition are the comic strip, collaboration could work with them as well as the cut-out worm at the back. If every issue had a different cut out it could be like a collectable so more people would maybe more inclined to but another.

 I think my understanding of creative book design is a bit better in the sense of how a book takes a lot of work, the ideas and planning, page format, printing, digital involvement, size, production, and marketing ect...Making the mock ups has been a helpful part of this because now I make sure i develop my ideas as much as possible, experimenting with prototypes and designs, numbering and making pages and having a structure.

 PRODUCTION

 

How will I reproduce my content? 

By reaching out to local or UK based production companies

 an example of Zine producers:

https://youloveprint.co.uk/zines/

https://mixam.co.uk/zines

Sort of paper?

 There is a few to choose from on those websites. Ideally recycled paper would be the best but It also isn’t as cheap as the uncoated paper. I think I’d like uncoated the best cause I don’t like the look of the gloss or silky paper. If I were to make these myself, I’d get paper that was a bit thicker the regular printer paper just so there more support of the pages. 

 Binding? most likely Id use staples as they’re easy and provide enough support.

The colours I'd keep limited and mostly greyscale just because I like the more vintage look of the rough paper with the black and white content.

 

 How to Make a Fanzine. (n.d.). How to Make a Fanzine. [online] Available at: https://howtomakeafanzine.carrd.co/#questions [Accessed 25 Jan. 2024].

How to Make a Fanzine. (n.d.). How to Make a Fanzine. [online] Available at: https://howtomakeafanzine.carrd.co/#questions [Accessed 25 Jan. 2024].

‌

This website contains tips and more or less a guide to creating a fanzine which I referred to through this exercise.