Left: Instruction sheet giving instructions and specifications for the Journal Zine Swap in March 2011 at the MCBA Visual Journal Collective. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
Whether you want to swap one of your zines for a copy of my Snow Piles zine, or want to organize your wn journal zine swap, I thought you would find these instructions helpful.
This project was devised to be simple and inexpensive—the cost of 30 double-sided photocopies and eight small pages of content—in the hopes of convincing a large group of people to participate.
Note: the MCBA VJC Journal Zine Swap was closed to sign up before the end of 2010 so participants would know how many copies to make. Please do not request to participate in this journal zine swap. Non-swap participants are welcome at the March 21, 2011 meeting to see the results of the swap; to participate in the case making (to encase something of their own with their own cardstock—measurement guidelines to be released in the meeting notes before the meeting—see the info page for MCBA VJC in the Pages list in the left-hand column of this blog for details); and to participate in the exchange of additional collaborative project information.
Restrictions such as black and white photocopying and no use of inclusions ensured that the costs would remain low, that the piece work would be at a minimum (folding, sewing, trimming, and nothing else), and that the zines would all fit into a simple case (which is to be created by each participant on the night of the swap. (It is because of that case that the zines need to be the same size and not have bulky inclusions.)
Hand coloring was permitted as an optional way for people who "must have color" to interject some into their project if desired. It means a larger time commitment but that is their choice.
Limits, rather than hampering creativity, are a great way to find new ways to express ideas. I am particularly fond of ink work, hence my creation of this project. I love that it is easily printed either by traditional or new mechanical means. I also like the way creating black and white artwork challenges you to think about value and line and a host of aspects often lost in the push for color.
In creating your own zine swap with friends you might decide to create different limits—a different structure, size, or printing method. The use of color and dimensional inclusions might be the perfect thing to get your group involved. Fabric artists might make zines of fabric with stitches and buttons and who knows what else.
If you aren't trying to fit all your zines in a simple container, then having the zines all the same size becomes a moot point to be abandoned in favor of abandoning yourself to other joys.
For November the MCBA VJC has a "Journal Bits Exchange" scheduled. All participating artists will create an edition (numbered to match the final sign-up total of participants) of a zine, print, card—anything, including a charm for jewelry perhaps—you get the idea, it will be open. The restriction is that it will need to fit in the container used for the project, so it will need to be less than 6 x 9 x 3 inches (or there abouts depending on the final box size) and less than 1/4 inch thick at any point. (A commercially available box of the type sold at stationery stores—white, flat before folding into use—will be decorated in some way to make it a special container for this project's editions.)
I encourage you to create a project for a group of your own. It is great to be able to share your own work with other artists, and it is exceedingly joyous to have a simple way of collecting work from those artists.
If you would like to read more about the MCBA VJC's Journal Zine Swap please look at the following posts:
Making a Single-Sheet, Eight-page Journal Zine: Fold, Punch, Sew, and Trim (This post includes a short video tutorial on these procedures.)
For a report on the March 2011 Journal Zine Swap Meeting at MCBA please click here.
If you would like to make a simple paper case with a flap to hold your zines please see
Making a Case for Your Journal Zine Swap Collection
How to Get a Copy of Snow Piles—A Journal Zine Swap with You
I have printed about 40 extra copies of my journal zine. I would love to trade with interested parties. If you would like to trade one of your journal zines for one of mine please do the following:
1. Create your own journal zine following the instructions the Collective used (so that it will be the same size, etc.) You will find these instructions listed in the handout which is the image at the top of this post.
The instructions are important not just for size and structure, but also method of production. The project was designed to be simple and low cost (the cost of 30 double sided 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of copier paper for the original group).
2. Send me an email at rozjournalrat.com to tell me you have a zine to swap and to make sure that one of my zines is still available. (Your zine must be made to the Journal Zine Swap project specifications given in the handout which is the image that starts this post.)
3. When you get my email confirmation that a copy of Snow Piles is still available you can send me your zine at the address I provide. As soon as I receive your zine I'll pop the one I saved for you in the mail to your return address. (Please write legibily!!!)
4. Please do not send a zine without verifying availability of one of my zines. Also do not send a zine without following the project specifications. Zines in either of these catagories will not be returned, and won't be part of the swap. (I can't think of another way to keep the organization of this to a minimum.)
Please do not write and ask if there are any Snow Piles left if you have not yet finished your zine.
Your intentions may be good about finishing a zine, but I don't want to have to turn down people who have a zine completed because I'm saving copies for someone who is thinking about making a zine. If you request a zine swap and I don't see your zine in two weeks, and someone else requests one, you'll be bumped from the list. I don't see any other simple way to organize this without frequent emails back and forth. I can't keep track of that.
I look forward to making a new collection of journal zines with your help.
And I would love to hear from you if you hold a zine swap of your own with a group to which you belong!
