While thinking about how my zine should be produced I found it useful to along side my blog keep a sort of note book/diary to jot down ideas that I could later come back to, I will include images of certain useful page.
So what did I need to consider?
- Size
- Binding
- Shape
- Paper type
Shape
Standard book shapes?
I think this shape of book really works for a zine, it isnt trying to be a photobook it isnt trying to be a personal diary it just showing you the content in a shape that suits images. Each page can fit an image perfectly whether that be a single page portrait or a landscape double page spread. I have worked out that if the book is made with the same dimensions as an actual image instead of just A5 that images will fit perfectly.
This shape of book to me is what a zine should be, it's easy to carry, read and produce.
Standard book shapes?
I think this shape of book really works for a zine, it isnt trying to be a photobook it isnt trying to be a personal diary it just showing you the content in a shape that suits images. Each page can fit an image perfectly whether that be a single page portrait or a landscape double page spread. I have worked out that if the book is made with the same dimensions as an actual image instead of just A5 that images will fit perfectly.
This shape of book to me is what a zine should be, it's easy to carry, read and produce.
Rectangle?
Depending on what sort of images you are shooting a rectangular book can be the perfect choice. For example if you are shooting landscapes or the majority of your images are landscape a rectangular book is perfect as it allows for large landscape image on either both pages or crossing over into a double page spread. They also work well if the book will include text as the long rectangular pages fit text well. Although if you are shooting anything other than this for example reportage, portraiture or something that will involve a selection of portrait and landscape images the wide pages will not work as well.
Square?
Square books are an interesting idea in some respects the work, they can be small with and easy to carry around, they can also create an intimate atmosphere perfect for a diary related story or delicate subject matter.
The downside to books like this that they are square and images are not, which mean you either have to crop everything or shrink it down to make it fit. I suppose you could make the book larger but I think square books work best when they are small and intimate like an instruction manual (not that instruction manuals are intimate) if you going to make it bigger you may aswell make it a normal shaped book.
I decide to go with the standard book shape.
Size
Once I had chosen the shape I wanted to work with, the next step was the size.
At first I was thinking about 'A' most specifically A5, but it was pointed out to me that this was really a cop out and that the 'A' sizes were not really used outside of offices. I then began looking at Crown Octavio and other leaf sizes like that but the whole thing seemed more complicated that it was worth so I moved on. I then began to think of way that the zine could look a bit different to the rest so I thought about comic books and the slender style they are produced in, I was toying with this ideas when someone pointed something out to me "Why not just make it the same size as the image". I'd been so busy trying to think of different way to make the image fit that I hadn't thought about it logically.
I started looking at images sizes and decided that making the book 5X7 would work perfectly, it made the images fit with no crop, the book would be small enough to be portable not not too small and would be a standard book size. Perfect.
I then decide that I wanted the book to have a sort of sleeve, where the front cover would fold into the book itself (all the workings out can be seem on the pages below). I loved how this looked but it kept falling off so instead I made this the front cover and stapled it throught the whole book.
Binding
Before be had to bind are books we had a short tutorial in which we were taught how to do a saddle stitch and japanese stab binding. I liked the idea of japanese stab binding but knew instantly it was not right for the work I was going to produce but saddle stitch was, it worked perfectly in a normal shaped book and held each page together perfectly.
I was set on using this but when it can to putting my book together I hit a snag. I found that the binding made the book look quite messy as the holes weren't as neat as I would have liked them to be and the cover was very hard to stick down properly as you have to use double sided tape.
So I changed my mind and decide to use staples, I know it's not the most creative looking thing in the world but in my eyes it's the most professional looking.
I know I haven't mentioned the other type of binding e.g. elastic bang etc. but I just didn't think it would work for this project, it's a really cool idea and I did look into it but when it came down to it it wasn't a contender. It works better for large arty books that will be handled with care instead of zines that maybe won't be.
Saddle stich?
Japanesse stab binding?
Staple?
Other (Elastic band, single piece of string, strand of fabric)?
Paper Type
Choosing a paper type was quite a difficult decision. I have never really been a fan of shiny paper even with prints from places like books I have always preferred places that will print on a matt paper so obviously shiny/glossy was out the window. I was quite tempted by semi-matt for the cover as it gives it that professional gleam with the matt finish but at the end of the day I decide to go for a matt finish as I think it works better with the bold black and white.
For the pages on the inside i had a similar dilemma, at first I couldn't decide between semi-matt and matt, then while I was testing for size I realised that just using printer paper looked good. It gave the book the grungy, gritty feel that I was aiming for and once again sticks with the zine ethos. (and makes it cheaper, meaning I can make more copies and give them away. Like you should with a zine)
Shiny?
Semi-matt?
Matt?
Normal paper/printer paper?
Newspaper?
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