As I've been sketching ideas on how I want my zine to look like I've had some trouble getting ideas. I guess right away I wanted to make it look like a manual or rule booklet. Does anyone have any ideas where I can break away from that theme but still convey a similar message?
For my zine, I decided to go ahead with the nature zine. This weekend i did a few sketches of some simple items i ran into on my journeys. My zine has been altered and narrowed a little since it was a pretty broad idea to start with. I decided that I want to go exploring areas in and around the campus. My goal is to find some places to go that are peaceful, full of nature, and safe...a good place for students to check out for stress relief, rewinding, and feeling less crazy in a big campus that is surrounded my people, and noise. My work this weekend consisted mostly of exploring and finding these places. I have St. Paul and west bank marked, I am still yet to explore east bank in depth. When I am finished, I plan to make some map sketches and mention a little about each place. I will also include some nature sketches from along the way or at the sites.
Some sketches I've been working on, as you can see i have some various different unicorn representaions within my sketches. :D
I decided to change the topic for my zine, so instead of a shopaholic theme I've decided to do something about the ridiculous way my family takes care of dogs. The topics I want to cover are health (feeding, cooking, "natural" meds), clothing (party, sleep, holiday, and everyday attire), family events (vacations and holidays). I want it to be a guide as to how to take care of a dog, and I want to personalize it with a dedication in the beginning (or end?) and use drawings of the three chihuahuas and and maltese that are the most over privileged members of the family. I would like to try to use Stina Persson's technique of ink and watercolor enhanced by Photoshop to be the style for the illustrations, and possibly just keeping the dogs in color while the rest of each drawing in black and white.
After not being able to find ANYTHING on food phenomenons for my zine, I have changed my topic to the funny things that three year olds say... Problem is, I need to figure out how to link the different sayings into a narrative rather than pages of statements. Some examples of the funny things I have gathered (all from the mouth of my nephew) are:
"Look at my pants! They're running!" (as he ran around the room)
Mommy, how bout you sit in the car seat and I drive the car?"
"Mommy! That man had no shirt, just a belly!" (commenting on some shirtless construction workers)
"Mommy, I got an owie on my toe. I was thinking we should get some ice cream so it can feel better."
If anyone has any ideas on how to link these (and more) into a narrative I would appreciate the suggestions!
So to add a little more substance to my mixology zine, I decided to tweak the content to instead include insights into the mind of a server/waiter. Frustrations, things we enjoy, things we appreciate, humor, all to be included. I'll then add in a few drink mix instructions as supplements, rather than having them the main focus of my zine.
Just to brainstorm a little, some conversation topics for my zine:
*Brunch shifts suck. A tip for customers: don't order 4 different drinks at a time (water, coffee, orange juice, and a bloody marry).
*Always tip 20%!
*It's helpful to stack your plates/cups when you're finished with them. Also, it's always a good way to see who is in the industry.
more to come of course!
I recently decided to change from my original idea for my zine. I am now going to be doing a zine about "tattoos you'll regret when you're 50." Not sure if that will be my title but the idea will be somewhat along the lines of that. I will be doing illustrations about different tattoos I think people would regret. For example the "I love (insert boyfriend/girlfriend's name)" tattoo. I also want to do interviews with tattoo artists and local tattoo places and get their opinions on bad tattoo ideas or find out if they have had any interesting experiences with customers. I plan on using micron pen for the illustrations. I want this zine to be mostly comical....I may even insert fake tattoos as a safe alternative.
If you have any ideas of hideous tatto ideas or tattoos that someone may like now but maybe not so much later, post your comment.
I've decided to go with the zine idea of "An Outsider's Guide To Dinkytown". It's going to be rather satyrical but I don't want it to make fun of anyone really...just point out my view and perspective on the dinky neighborhood. There will be an illustrated map, "Trendspotter", "How to drink like a towner", "Warning!", and a bio section on people about town. I'd like to do all the text by hand with a micron pen. This is some of the text/labels and a photo I did in the lab of my friend Paul at Espresso Royale (one of my interviewees).
I'm having the same problem Matt is having. I need to try and come up with more of a narrative theme for my animal idea. I really want to stick with the interesting fact things, but as long as I am doing something with animals I'll be happy. I have all the backgrounds I want, as well as the facts. Below are the backgrounds I will use for an elephant and a giraffe...
If anyone has any suggestions (again) I'd love them.
Here are some of the facts I found. I don't know if I want to make it a comical zine or a more serious one... I also do not know exactly how many animals I am going to use at this moment. Somewhere around 6 - 8 I'm thinking.
Anteaters prefer termites to ants.
Giraffes have no vocal cords.
All elephants walk on tip-toe.
A hippo can run faster than a man.
Some lions mate over 50 times a day.
Camels have 3 eyelids.
There's something about my idea I don't really like anymore. It's probably because there needs to be a narrative. It's kind of frustrating. I thought I knew what I wanted to do (and by now I SHOULD know), but, the more I think and plan, the more I don't like my idea. Maybe I need better facts? I guess we will see what happens.
So I am having a little trouble right now with my zine. I am working on a family thing, but I am not sure that it is what I want to do anymore. I am struggling with how to create a narrative from my family without making it a novel. I am going to continue working it out, but I may also dabble with a few other ideas. I'll keep you all posted.
I forgot to post this earlier. Ryan Adams has a new album coming out at the end of the month. The lyrics for his single are online as an illustration. I think it may be fun to do something similar to a song I like and maybe I could use my family as characters.
Finally my internet is crazy. Sorry for the multiple posts.
I just wrote a long post that was deleted accidentally, so this probably won't be very long as I am frustrated. =/
I wanted to share that there will be an article bout zines in the next issue of "The Wake", the student magazine. My roommate is writing it, and I guess he interviewed a zine artist for it, so you should check it out.
I also wanted to share his myspace that shows a little of his zine, although I realized there aren't many pictures. I really suggest requesting a book from him; they are hand made and full with love. There are cute drawings and quirky/intelligent writings that go along with them....
www.myspace.com/thisisyellowthisisblue
Also I wanted to share a tattoo artist. Some of my friends really don't like his work, while others have found it really inspiring. I personally like it a lot, its creative and genuine. I guess when one makes an appointment with him he will basically doodle on their body according to their body type and personality.
www.yourmeatismine.com
Well...2 midterms and portfolio review sucked the life force out of me last week, so I haven't made much progress on the zine. I have decided to call it Confessions of an Older-Than-Average Student, and I plan on using a style similar to the picture below. I've used it a lot, I'm comfortable with it, and it lends itself to my zine topic.
Also, I found a blog that I really like...check out the Frida Kahlo look-alike contest (left side bar, click on Modern Art, then go to the August 12th, 2008 entry.
www.growabrain.typepad.com
I have been trying to work on my zine, its a a pirate one, and it is based in a little kids imagination, so I plan on drawing (cartoon like) scenes of him finding the items he needs to be a pirate and how he imagines them to be the real thing by placing the photo of the item in a thought bubble. I am having a hard time drawing the kid and the items the way I want them to look like, but they still work.
I am doing my zine about cupcakes. Here are the three recipes I plan on using:
These are all really good. I also plan on having facts about cupcakes, reasons you should eat cupcakes(a short comic), and why cupcakes are better than muffins. I'm very excited about sharing these :)
