Zines: the art of self publication

Zine (n) /zi:n/
A small self-published magazine which is often handmade, and made up of original work. Copies are usually made with a photocopier, and it generally has a small scale distribution. 

One of David Merritt's efforts: recycled book cover, typed up prayers... staple it altogether!

Last weekend I was down at Tangleball where they were running a zine workshop- a kinda hands on, make your own zine affair.  I wasn't sure what to expect before I got there but it was heaps of fun.  We were warmly welcomed by Tessa who also showed us how easy  it was to make the base of a wee zine booklet.  Easy as an A4 piece of paper.  A few folds, a cut down one of the creases then open and fold it in on itself.  Easy.

A solid base. Now we just had to find content to fill that bad boy. Magazines, newspapers, drawings, rubber alphabet stamps, pens, scissors, glue sticks... Heaps of stationary! There was also books and encyclopedias to cut up but I dunno, I just feel quite uneasy about cutting up books.  I feel the same about writing in them, it's just not right. Anyways, I somehow found myself cutting up an encyclopedia (Aa- As).  It was a real old copy that someone had dismissed onto the streets, and Tessa thought she would save it, but not really because there I was cutting it up.  Now I wouldn't normally but she convinced me it was okay, and I was getting involved so...  Yea, it still didn't feel right.  I only cut out a wee section though- a wee piece of South East Asia.  I thought I would make a zine about my travels to Auckland city but I didn't find too much relevant material so I'm stilling workinonit like Dilla.

*more
So there I was walking down K Road.  I love K Road, so many different characters. Anyways, on Thursday evening I bumped into David Merritt with his boxes of zine making gear- rubber alphabet stamps, ink pad, stapler, and a box full of recycled book covers.  He had a small collection of zines laid out on the bench next to him, and he was putting together more.  I didn't make it to the zinefest but I had read about it, and him. He was the man who sits on K Road selling zines, and there he was. What a guy. I had to stop for a chat. 

David Merritt

What a character!  He was great chat. A quick witted, but also very humble man.  

He was like, okay so what are you: a graphic designer, copywriter or a writer?   I was like, I write things. Yeah, you're a geek I can tell! Why do you think that, I asked, is it because I'm wearing glasses?? No. Is it because I'm Asian?? Haha, no. See you've got it wrong, for me a geek is anyone who is passionate about something.  Yea, you're totally right, I agreed.  He goes on, it's just a lot of the time it's seen as a bad thing, or it's computer related but I can tell that you 're passionate. That you're a geek.  Take one of these, go on, take the one down at the other end, GEEK PRAYERS, yea, that's it. Take it, it's yours, now get out of here.

I was kinda overwhelmed by the gift.  We had only been chatting for like 10 minutes but I was very pleased with it.  It looks like he had stapled his collection of Geek Prayers together, and then sewn in a small thread binding.  My first zine!  Hopefully next time I meet him I'll have one to trade with him.

I know, I know: you love what I'm doing, keep it up... Don't make your friend wait any longer... Get out of here. I'm going for a hot chocolate. 

Legend.