COP3 - zine research

In order to inform my design decisions, I have decided to look at a range of zines that you would probably put towards the high end scale due to their overall finished visuals, print quality and images used. By looking at existing zines, I can inform my visual understanding, as well as gaining inspiration from contemporary publications in terms of format and production.

La Chambre Graphique

What particularly caught my eye about this publication is the way that it is packaged and distributed. Although such a simple touch, the use of string as a way of holding the thing together is really eye catching and shows time, effort and consideration. A postage label has also been stamped onto the front packaging, giving it a particular aesthetic. The use of white space can often be seen within zines, and it has been used particularly well here to draw the reader's eye towards the image. No type has been included within the actual publication, which is common within contemporary photography zines. 

Minimalsonic

The use of greyscale alongside one single colour is extremely eye catching. There is also an extremely nice balance between text and image, once again showing how white space can be used to the author's advantage. Small quotes have been used within this publication, which is something I want to experiment with in an attempt to make the work more personal, offering a sense of a real human voice being used to express and voice opinion. 

ColorBeast

This zine shows how illustration can be used to engage the reader and tell a story. There is no definition of a zine that says type must be included. Zines can be used simply to showcase work, creating conversation through image. 

Jake Pardoe

This zine caught my eye as it's content is made up entirely of quotes. It is interesting to see how type has been used on top of image, as well as found objects, which give it that particular aesthetic you often see within zines. Again, the use of white type on top of a block of colour has really stood out to me, creating an effective mix. 

Melvin Tan

This zine is a prime example of how subject matter can be based on just about anything. It follows original punk zine aesthetics, mixed with modern day contemporary imagery. The type has also been altered using a scanner, showing how technology can be used alongside original production methods. The content of the zine is greyscale, whilst the cover has been printed onto a vivid red. This is something I want to experiment with in order to give my work a bit more character. 

Laura Knoops

This zine is a bit more detailed, and shows how small publications can now fit into the category of a zine. There is a lot of content within this zine, but it still follows similar aesthetics and self publishing methods.