by Jackie M. Blanc
Since their inception, zines have been an important—and fun—way to communicate and spread information. Emerging in the 1930s among sci-fi fans, zines have been around for almost a century. The term “zine,” first used in 1946, comes from the word “fanzine,” a combination of “fan” and “magazine,” that was first used in 1942. In 1944, the first Xerox machine was produced, which made the copying of zines much easier. The ability to mass produce zines made them accessible to larger groups of people, and their popularity soared. Today, in addition to the Xerox machine, multiple printmaking processes are also used to create zines.

Both prints and zines are affordable and accessible by design. Zine and print culture are anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist, with most zine creators (called “zinesters”) prioritizing passion over profit. The point of zines wasn’t to make money, but to spread information and connection throughout a certain community. Similarly, printmaking was used to share art with larger communities, as the ability to reproduce art made it more accessible to the public. Zines are often associated with counterculture movements, including feminist, LGBTQIA+, and civil rights movements. Because zines are do-it-yourself, self-published, and self-circulated, zinesters didn’t need permission to publish whatever they want, thus there’s little-to-no censorship in zines. A multitude of printmaking techniques zinesters and printmakers use allow for a wide range of artistic expression. Zygote PROOF Fellow, R.A. Washington, says learning printmaking “opened up the ways I combine all the mediums” and gave him the opportunity to use multiple techniques in one piece.

Zygote’s tradition of prioritizing access for all artists makes it a popular spot for many who work across mediums. This not only keeps the art of printmaking alive, but fosters community between artists. Washington says his fellowship at Zygote has put him “in community with other printmakers and people who love paper.” As more zinesters discover printmaking, Zygote provides them with support through workshops and open studio hours, where makers experiment with elements of various print processes in their zine making.

While much of today’s communication takes place over the Internet, zines are still thriving, both in print and online. Most local libraries and bookstores carry zines on a plethora of topics, giving voice to artists and creatives from diverse communities. Are you ready to find your zine voice? Learn how and meet other zinesters at one of Zygote’s upcoming workshops!

ZYGOTE PRESS
1410 East 30th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
zygotepress.org
216.621.2900