Getting Started!
You can make a physical zine out of anything as long as you have a writing utensil and something to write on. Here are some other materials you might want to use to get started!
- Paper (Construction paper, origami paper, lined paper, printer paper, post-it notes)
- Pens, pencils, markers, colored pencils, crayons, and/or paint
- Magazines, newspapers, stickers
- Scissors, glue, tape
- Stapler (Or get fancy by using string/thread and a sewing needle, awl, or bone folder)
- Any other cool items you may have lying around but never came up with a use for!
And if you want to make multiple copies, make sure to find a photocopier or scanner (there are a few at the library)!
Online Zine-Making
Don’t want to work with physical materials? There's many digital resources you can create with!
Free
Consider using a free online program such as Canva, Electric Zine Maker, or Flipsnack! If your zine is a team effort or a folio zine, you may prefer Canva. Canva's software both supports multiple pages/sizes and multiple users working on a design at a time.
For text based documents, you can try software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Check out this handy tutorial on how to format the page in Word.
Paid Software
For more complex design work, programs like Adobe InDesign or Adobe Photoshop may be beneficial. For example, InDesign allows users to automatically have text flow between pre-set text boxes on pages. For those with access to InDesign, check out this and this tutorial on making zines in InDesign. For InDesign basics, check out our Libguide.
Fold Templates
Zines can use a variety of different folds. The most common are 8-page zines (left) and folio zines (right). Learn about all sorts of folds below!
Mini/ Toy/ 8-Page Zines
Folio Zines
Feeling more adventurous? Try these folds below