Self-Published: Make Your Own Zine

Our August Catalog is a special one. Not only does it showcase our favorite fall styles, but it also includes interviews, styling tips, and inspiring imagery – which is why we like to call it the “Magalog.” Flipping through the pages of it made me think back to about a month ago when I was in New York, and spent the day browsing self-published works at a zine fair. Located on the top floor of a building in Koreatown, lights were low, music was playing, and authors set up their zines on covered pool tables. Each one I flipped through was unique. Some made sense, others didn’t. Some had words, and others let images tell the story. Filled with whatever the author desired, these self-published works that I spent hours flipping through left me inspired.

I often have the urge to create. It’s a hard feeling to describe, but it’s powerful, and one that I have to tend to.

I’ve gathered quite a collection of images over time – my own and imagery by others that inspire me. My job requires me to do so, and I’m left with is a folder on my computer titled, “Inspiration Tears.” When I get these creative urges, this folder is the first thing I think of. Rather then just having the pictures exist there, I like to actually put them to use. Making a Zine is a way that I can turn the digital images I normally look at on a computer screen into something that I can actually hold, flip through, and keep forever.

rachel flipping through zine

A lot of mom-and-pop bookstores have collections of self-published works that you can browse. The authors are normally local, and I like that you can get a taste at just how creative the people you share a city with are.

pulling out zine

books

That inspiration folder on my desktop was getting pretty full, so this past weekend I gathered up some of my favorites images, and self-published something of my own.

holding zine

I drew, I collaged, I painted, and I wrote. A jumble of mixed-mediums, each page is unique to itself. Call it a zine, call it a book, call it whatever…

A little piece of your imagination is binded in the pages, so it’s whatever you want it to be.

zine materials

front page

mountains sideways

people cut out on page

orange print

florida page

polaroids and note

If you’ve never made anything like this before, give it a shot. It’s so much fun to get creative with it, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. This is such a fun way to look back on memories from the summer, or from a trip you’ve taken.  Or it can be an exercise just to get some of those jumbled up thoughts out of your brain – the options are endless.

It’s all up to the author – you.

closing image

Have fun!

Shop the August Issue.

More inspiring posts from the BLDG 25 Blog. 

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9 years ago

These photos are absolutely amazing! I’ve always had the tendency to create too. Sometimes I do it inadvertently.

http://www.jeffreychung.net/blog

9 years ago

Love this! I’ve been meaning to bust out my paint and art supplies and start art journaling again. That’s what this reminds me of. I started Art Journaling in high school and it was such a great creative outlet and so cathartic, I highly recommend trying it!

– Megan
http://www.tbtblog.com

sincereju
9 years ago

awesome idea! love the Head space zine!

Sara
9 years ago

I’d love to see the one you’ve created! My boyfriend has made a few of these and I love looking through them – I especially love when they are mixed media so you never know what the next page will hold!

xoxo Sara
http://www.restlessnomads.com

9 years ago

This is a great idea. Loved reading this post!

♡ TotallyRoisín | UK Fashion & Lifestyle Blog ♡

Hillary
9 years ago

Love this !!❤️ How did you attach the pages?

9 years ago
9 years ago
9 years ago

I would totally encourage anyone who wants to get there writing out there to write zines! I used to run a feminist zine back in college as well as a zine with personal writings – both got bought by Columbia University for their permanent collection and I love that people will be able to enjoy them for years to come. Zines really helped me write when I was jaded from the internet.

http://northernrustication.blogspot.com

9 years ago

I really need to get back into journaling, all of those pages are so inspirational!

Liz
9 years ago

this is fantastic. I’ve never even heard of a zine, but this got me feeling creative and inspired. http://fleurs-de-liz.blogspot.ca

9 years ago

I love this idea.

– Christina http://www.cityloveee.blogspot.com

9 years ago

I’ve never heard of this before!
I completely absolutely relate to that feeling of needing to create. That powerful pull. That’s why I started my blog, in an attempt to become creatively fulfilled.
I’ve never heard of a Zine before, I’ll be sure to check it out. Thank you!

http://danidearest.wordpress.com/

9 years ago

I love this post and thanks so much for the inspiration. Now I can’t wait to create one and I will tell you how it is/goes as I am creating/finishing one. Thanks!
-Sarah

9 years ago

I love cutting images out of magazines, and saving Polaroids but I never knew what to do with them. Recently actually I made a zine about feminism, role models, things like that. It was really random, but I had a small accordion book kit I got from Paper Source, so I put it to use.
xostylestalker.com

9 years ago

Looks fantastic! There’s something to be said for finally getting digital images out in to real-time print :) I love making artists books. Amelia.x

8 years ago

I love pinterest, I just foud this wonderful diy. I’m gonna try it!

http://wildcity.etsy.com/

Verilynn
8 years ago

it’s really cool ! thanks for this post ✨

8 years ago

I love this post! Such an amazing idea, my pinterest is now full of your pictures!