Earlier this week, I wrote about Riot Grrrl Zines and their pop cultural impact in America. Now, I am going to teach you how you can make a zine at home. All you will need is a piece of paper, scissors, and something to write with.
A mini zine is folded from a single sheet of paper and has 8 total pages including the front and back cover. These little booklets take only a few minutes to fold and can be filled with virtually anything.
Step One:
Fold your paper in half hotdog style (the long way). Take care to match up the corners before creasing. The more precise the fold, the better the final product. I am also using a tool called a bone folder. This is optional, but it helps me achieve folds that are clean and crisp. Once creased, unfold your paper so it lays flat again.
Step Two:
Fold your paper in half hamburger style (the wide way) twice.
Step Three:
Unfold one time. Your paper should be back to folded in half once. Pay close attention to which side of your paper is folded and which side is open.
Step Four:
From the folded edge, cut on the horizontal crease until you reach the first intersecting vertical crease.
Step Five:
From the open side of the zine, fold one of the flaps up to meet the fold. Then flip and do the same to the other side. If you did it correctly, your paper should be folded in a 'W' shape.
Step Six:
Lay the paper flat with the fold sticking up. Grab one of the folded flaps in each hand and bring your hands together underneath. This part is the trickiest; if you don't get it on the first try, keep trying until you do. I recommend watching my video tutorial if you are stuck.
Step Seven:
At this point you will have a booklet with 8 pages. I like to number the pages before unfolding to work flat. Normally, I write the numbers really small with pencil in the lower corner of the page so I can erase later. This time I used Sharpie just for visibility.
Step Eight:
Once the booklet is ready, you can begin to add your content. Zines can be about anything and everything and you can use any art supply that you would like. For my zine, I decided to do a random collage from images that jumped out at me as I flipped through magazines.
Step Nine:
Because mini zines use a single sheet of paper, it is super easy to scan and print multiple copies. Once printed, the copies get folded the same way as the original. I like to print off 10 or so of each zine so I can hand them out to friends.
If you would like a copy of the zine from this tutorial, it is available for download from the Freebies section in my shop. All you have to do is print and fold.
Did you give this tutorial a try? If so I would love to see it! Tag @prettiestpear on Instagram or Tiktok.
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