About a year ago I found myself on Google, typing in: “How to make a zine” Looking back it was the first step I needed to take to make a zine, and as creative procrastination goes, pretending that I needed to know exactly how to make a zine before I could start making a zine. That was in my case. This easy 5-step DIY guide to making a zine will help you create your first zine from a single piece of paper.
The truth is that almost any small print run, self-made, self-published book, or booklet can be called a zine (pronounced “zeen”). This particular type of zine is my favourite type of zine for three reasons:
- The barrier to entry is so low it’s almost flat on the ground. The materials you need to make this type of zine are a piece of paper and any type of drawing instrument
- It’s an 8-page zine that is made from a single piece of paper. A couple of simple folds and a single cut (or tear) and you have a zine.
- You can simply make copies with a copier machine or by printing them at home. It is by far one of the most cost-effective ways to make a zine.
How To Make A Zine
I’ve already mentioned that the piece of paper is probably going to be the most difficult zine-making material you will need to acquire. The possibilities are almost endless and so are the materials you can use to make your zine. Here are some of the most popular materials used to make a zine.
Materials for making a zine
- Old books and zines
- Coloured pencils (or crayons)
- Rubber stamps
- Washi tape
- Stickers
- Old magazines
- Paint chips
- Security envelope linings
- String or yarn
- Glue stick
- Thermal printer (this is one that I use quite often when making my zines)
Instructions to make your zine
Step 1: First, fold your paper in half. Then fold it into quarters, and one more time to make it into eighths.
Step 2: Open the paper, which is now folded in half. Cut halfway across from the middle fold. When you open the paper, there will be a slit in the middle.
Step 3: Fold the paper along the crease with the slit. Hold the paper at both ends, then push those ends towards each other. The sections will fold and make an eight-page booklet.
Step 4: Now it’s your turn to add things to your blank booklet and make a zine! You can decide what to put in it. You can plan out your content or just go with the flow. You can use basic things or add extra stuff. If you only want to write and not use pictures, that’s fine too.
Step 5: That’s all! You can keep it for yourself, give the original as a unique gift, or make copies to share with friends. No matter what, you’ve created your very first zine!
How to Make a Zine Video
For those with short attention spans, or that don’t like reading, I made a video specifically for you. It’s a YouTube short that is just 59 seconds long and will break down the process of folding and making your zine.
My Zine Subscription
Check out my zine subscription on Patreon. The first 50 subscribers will get access to all my zines. You can grab the whole back catalogue and a new zine every month for just $3.