Very interesting and a great first effort Ronald. Affinity looks like an amazing publishing tool and I thought it was interesting how you used Ko-fi for distribution. As a pdf, you are still one step removed from print. Have you printed it out yourself? What did you think of it in print? What physical dimensions did you make it?
I noticed Affinity seems to suggest magazine style layouts with lots of overlays, bleeds and non-rectangular frames, whereas a typical zine might stick to simpler layouts that don't spread images across the fold but present images full frame and in standard sizes. To that extent, I prefer the presentation style of Substack with its limited design elements. What can initially feel restrictive, ends up being liberating because there are so few ways to present content. Those limitations result in an emphasis of content over page design.
I've just invested in a printer, an Epson ET-8550, and look forward to printing more of my images so I can hold them in my hands. I agree with you and Gill that there is something special about this, which eludes digital output. The cost of Affinity seems like a no brainer, but maybe it is overkill for a zine. I know you are just getting started, but how much of a rabbit hole have you found delving into printing zines this way is?
John, thanks for your insights and questions. So far I think I'm just staring down the rabbit hole ;-)
To be honest I haven't actually printed it. It's on the list but just haven't round to do it. I designed it on A5-format so I could simply print it on A4 paper and fold it (I just have to make sure to select the correct print format so it prints the pages correctly for folding).
To learn Affinity Publisher I simply tried different design elements; I mean it all looks amazing and cool but in the end you have to dial it down (just like photo editing really). Eventually I do think I will go back to more straight forward designs, but I guess it also depends on the contents / photographs I want to show. I do like the software though, I think it can be used for pretty much anything zine/ebook/magazine/photobook related. But sure there is other software out there that can do the same (possibly even quicker or easier). Whatever works for you.
Great to see you print yourself. It's not something I do, occasionally I order prints through Saal Digital, which works for me at the moment.
Anyway, I'll report back when I'm in the rabbit hole ;-) Cheers!
I haven't printed in years. I could never afford the printing cartridges, so rarely printed anything. Printers don't like to sit around not being used either, so that was another challenge. But this particular ecotank printer doesn't use chips so the cost of inks drops considerably and isn't too concerned if you leave it for a few week between uses. So far the results have been encouraging. I'm going to try printing on standard watercolour paper to drop my costs even further. All very experimental. A different rabbit hole.
Sounds like my situation with Affinity Publisher. I use Photo, and when they updated to v2 the deal for the whole suite across all platforms was too good to pass up. So I’ve never used it for anything substantial. But I’m also planning to start making zines so I guess I’m already set for that!
Good idea to turn your post into zones, not only for archival reasons. I'm also preparing some sections from Darkrooms for special zones.
Thanks Marcel! Curious to see what you've got planned :)
O wow. I now see my autocorrect changed zines into zones, haha. You get the drift.
Damn autocorrect. But yeah I got it ;-)
Very interesting and a great first effort Ronald. Affinity looks like an amazing publishing tool and I thought it was interesting how you used Ko-fi for distribution. As a pdf, you are still one step removed from print. Have you printed it out yourself? What did you think of it in print? What physical dimensions did you make it?
I noticed Affinity seems to suggest magazine style layouts with lots of overlays, bleeds and non-rectangular frames, whereas a typical zine might stick to simpler layouts that don't spread images across the fold but present images full frame and in standard sizes. To that extent, I prefer the presentation style of Substack with its limited design elements. What can initially feel restrictive, ends up being liberating because there are so few ways to present content. Those limitations result in an emphasis of content over page design.
I've just invested in a printer, an Epson ET-8550, and look forward to printing more of my images so I can hold them in my hands. I agree with you and Gill that there is something special about this, which eludes digital output. The cost of Affinity seems like a no brainer, but maybe it is overkill for a zine. I know you are just getting started, but how much of a rabbit hole have you found delving into printing zines this way is?
John, thanks for your insights and questions. So far I think I'm just staring down the rabbit hole ;-)
To be honest I haven't actually printed it. It's on the list but just haven't round to do it. I designed it on A5-format so I could simply print it on A4 paper and fold it (I just have to make sure to select the correct print format so it prints the pages correctly for folding).
To learn Affinity Publisher I simply tried different design elements; I mean it all looks amazing and cool but in the end you have to dial it down (just like photo editing really). Eventually I do think I will go back to more straight forward designs, but I guess it also depends on the contents / photographs I want to show. I do like the software though, I think it can be used for pretty much anything zine/ebook/magazine/photobook related. But sure there is other software out there that can do the same (possibly even quicker or easier). Whatever works for you.
Great to see you print yourself. It's not something I do, occasionally I order prints through Saal Digital, which works for me at the moment.
Anyway, I'll report back when I'm in the rabbit hole ;-) Cheers!
I haven't printed in years. I could never afford the printing cartridges, so rarely printed anything. Printers don't like to sit around not being used either, so that was another challenge. But this particular ecotank printer doesn't use chips so the cost of inks drops considerably and isn't too concerned if you leave it for a few week between uses. So far the results have been encouraging. I'm going to try printing on standard watercolour paper to drop my costs even further. All very experimental. A different rabbit hole.
Still a very cool rabbit hole. Best of luck 👍
Sounds like my situation with Affinity Publisher. I use Photo, and when they updated to v2 the deal for the whole suite across all platforms was too good to pass up. So I’ve never used it for anything substantial. But I’m also planning to start making zines so I guess I’m already set for that!