Pronounced like magazine, but without the “maga”. Zines are non-commercial, self-published works that are a combination of images and text. Although Zines are often distributed in print format, there are a growing number of digital Zines. Zines are created to address a variety of topics such as art, science, humor, fiction, and even psychology. Zines are also structured in a variety of creative ways such as narratives, comics, infographics, collages. The purpose of the Zine is to allow independent and creative expression of ideas.
Once you have created your zine, if you are interested in having your zine distributed, consider working with a zine distributor (distro) to circulate your creation.
Use free online and digital resources, such as Canva, to create your own zine. Digital zines can exist exclusively online, or they can be printed for small scale distribution using a printer or by working with a zine publisher. Follow these steps to start using Canva to create your digital zine.
Canva's user interface is intuitive and easy to learn. They also offer quick tutorials within their website to show you some tips and pointers on how to make the most of their free resources. There are some content items that are only available for premium subscription users. However, you may import all of your own content for designing your zine.
Print zines can be a combination of digital and craft materials. The main element of print zines is that they are often made by hand. Print zines are sometimes digitized after they are created to allow for reprinting and digital distribution. A simple way to start creating your print zine is to fold a pamphlet. Follow the steps in the infographic to get started.
Want further details and inspiration to create your print zine? Check out these two video tutorials created at MDC featuring local paper artist Nicole Combeau. Both videos depict a unique method of folding paper and a demonstration of a zine being made.
Mini-Booklet Style Zine (4 min)
Accordion Style Fold Out Zine (3 min)
Miami Dade College’s Digital Commons is a repository used to showcase student and faculty research, scholarship, and creative works. Submit your Zine to be archived within the Digital Commons.
You can also email a digitized copy of your zine to be featured on this Libguide.
Email: twalker4@mdc.edu
Include your name, the title of your Zine and the creative commons license for your zine. A creative commons license helps you to retain full control over how your work is distributed and attributed.
