Beyond Recovery, Issue 2

 


Beyond Recovery, Issue 2
Hope, Positivity and Creativity in Mental Health
Artists' Collective funded by the Wirral West Community Fund

Publishing Info:
24 x pages
A5 colour printed
saddle-stitched

Description:
"Beyond Recovery is an independent community mental health creative project that started in late 2011. We are a small group of people who have been gathering ‘expert by experience’ mental health art pieces and literature in the Merseyside area of England. We want to pass on the wisdom gleaned by people recovering from mental distress about staying well to other people, as well as pointing out local, national and international organisations people can turn to for help and information.

We have printed two booklets featuring articles and artwork from service users in Merseyside on recovery in mental health. They also featured a guide to local mental health services. We distributed the booklets throughout Merseyside’s shops, bars, cafes and health centers – keep your eyes peeled!

We produced our first booklet in early 2016 and distributed the 2000 copies as widely as possible in the local area to a variety of organisations, cafes, barbers, libraries and to national mental health organisations via email. For issue 2 we held creative sessions at The West Kirby Drop-In during 2016 to obtain some of the material after gaining funding from The Wirral West Community Fund. For further details you can contact us via beyondrecovery2012@gmail.com, social media or this blog." (Text from Project Website)


Future Fantasteek! #13 Wanna Buy A Feejee Mermaid?



Future Fantasteek! #13 Wanna Buy A Feejee Mermaid?
Jac Batey

Publishing Info:
Softback Zine printed in colour on cream and white papers.
A5 size with 20 printed pages, saddle-stitched.
Pink card cover with ‘googly-eyes’.
Brighton, July 2012, edition size of 40.
Guest Artists: Margaret Huber / Gregory Levitt

Description:
Visual diary zine, images taken from daily doodles and sketchbook thoughts. A mixture of drawings, photos and collages. A satirical look at Britishness and life in the 'totally normal island'.
"Lucky No.13 - How Super! So, the olympics are ready to GO GO GO, and the Euro is ready to DIVE DIVE DIVE. Care homes are 'failing the vunerable' and the Welfare State is causing trouble AGAIN. Same 'ol, same 'ol" (from author's website)
Future Fantasteek! (ISSN 2399-3022) brings together a trichotomy of investigation; art-zines and independent publishing; artist as social commentator and drawing as a means of immediate visual communication. The series explores obdurate boundaries between journalism and authorial illustration using satire to reflect notions of ‘Britishness’. The series can be read as a sequence, from just prior to the ‘credit crunch’ through to the ‘age of austerity’. The series is independently published as a limited edition art-zine, with two issues per year.


Tapestry (Billedvev)



Tapestry (Billedvev)
Lee Shearman

Publishing Info:
16-page A6-sized zine
Four colour Risograph printed on 140gsm recycled paper
Hand-cut 4mm rounded corners
Pamphlet stitched with sunflower-coloured molnlycke spun sunflower-coloured polyester thread
Portsmouth, UK, 2023

Description:
This zine is a homage to the rich history of the Jacquard loom, drawing inspiration from the user manuals that were once essential guides to its complex operation. It weaves together the technical terms, processes, and iconography of the loom with collaged mechanisms, diagrams, and illustrations to create abstract pages of textures and language.
"This zine continues my exploration of early forms of computing and codification, some of which paved the way for the intricate woven patterns of tapestry, brocade, and damask. Just as the Jacquard attachment allowed looms to produce these stunning fabrics, so too did the development of punched cards and other forms of code allow for the creation of visual and audio sequences and patterns." (Lee Sherman)
Link to author's website: https://www.leeshearman.com/

The Future: A One Day Zine

 


The Future: A One Day Zine
Luke Johnson aka. Lulu Johnson

Publishing Info:
A6 black and white photocopier
Side-stapled, Portsmouth, UK, 2023

Description:
Black and white pages of created collages from craft paper, magazines and maps. Drawing in graphic pen, paint and ink.
"I made The Future for our group Social Awareness project as an experimental Zine so that I could test out some materials, typography, and page layouts. I made The Future from start to finish in one day as I wanted to challenge myself to see what I was capable of making in a short time frame. It's early in the project so our group doesn't have a Social Awareness theme yet, so I went for a loose theme of the future as by using creative outputs to tackle social awareness issues, we are inevitability trying to change the future for the better. I brought the zine to our tutorial and gave each of the group a copy for their sketchbooks, hopefully it will help us create a successful collaborative zine for this project." 
(Lulu Johnson)

Freedm



Freedm
Abel Macias 

Publishing Info:
24-page A6 zine printed on heavy cartridge paper.
Saddle-stitched.
Place of publication unspecified, 2007

Description: Promotional zine proposing a creative collective that exists in a virtual house in London, UK. The zine celebrates creativity through arts and music in global locations such as Brooklyn, San Francisco, Tokyo and London. The creative collection was called Freedm (no longer active) and the illustrator on this zine is Brooklyn-based artist Abel Macias,

Shit Happens


Shit Happens
Big Angrie

Publishing Info:
A5 x black, white and red laser printed.
20 pages, saddled-stiched 
Portsmouth, UK (2022)

Description:
Drawings and cartoons about the small annoyances of life. The author kept a visual diary of daily irritations and selected elements that could be illustrated. 
"Journalling is a great way to express your feelings in a productive way. Writing and illustrating this zine helped me express my anger, and also reminded me that because shit happens, that doesn't mean life is shit." (from back page of zine)


Captive Mind, (A)


A Captive Mind
Darren Vergara

Publishing Info:
A5 laser printed on white 90gsm paper
Card cover
Saddle-stitched
Portsmouth (2022)

Description:
Series of digital collages using the author's own staged photographs to create a sequence of unsettling images that explore the effects of social media. Exploring Fake vs reality 

Lowlife #1: Brighton

 


Lowlife #1: Brighton
Christabel Muir

Publishing Info:
A5 laser print on 90gsm white paper
8 x pages
Single section, sewn with red thread
Brighton UK (2023)

Description:
Illustrations of punk-based characters set in Brighton UK. The photographs capture the raw and chaotic nature of the punk community, depicting the rebellious spirit that characterizes the subculture. The digital illustrations add a surreal quality to the zine, introducing a range of characters that highlight aspects of punk fashion and culture.

Author’s Instagram: @christabelsart

Many More Cats I Have Known / Nekorama vol.3 / Mini Purrzine (set of three)



Many More Cats I Have Known (2018) / Nekorama vol.3 (2020) / Mini Purrzines (2022)
Satori Kurosawa

Publishing Info:
Cat bundle consisting of five zines.
Place of publication is not specified
Details within the descriptions

Descriptions:

Many More Cats I Have Known is an A6 sized, color photo zine that features over 50 cats known to the author. This zine is a sequel to the "Cats I Have Known" and comprises 76 pages of snapshots and personal comments about cats that the author encountered while out and about. The zine is in the style of a perzine, which means that it contains personal stories and experiences of the author with cats.

Nekorama vol.3 is a 20-page A5 black and white zine that was released in 2020. This zine features a large collection of cats that have appeared in books/manga, cat comics, a peep hole, cat idioms, and quizzes. The zine is printed on heavy white cartridge paper, Inside, you will find a range of content that is both informative and fun. The zine features several pages dedicated to famous cats from books and manga, providing a glimpse into the rich and varied world of feline literature.

Mini Purrzine (set of three):
Tugboat aka TamTam / Rumbelow aka Rummy / The Day the Angels Came to my House.

The three mini foldy zines showcase the author's own cats. The zines are in the form of photo comics and drawings and were exhibited in a Cat Art exhibition in Mumbai, India in 2020. Each zine provides a glimpse into the daily lives of the author's cats and their unique personalities. All proceeds from the sale of these zines go to the Celia Hammond Animal Trust, which is where the author's cats originally came from.

Link to author's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/tubbingrummy/

Concrete Dilemma, (A)



Concrete Dilemma, (A)

Amber Hanson

Publishing Info:
7cm x 10cm (depth 2.5cm) plastic box
Contents are 32 laminated cards
London, 2022

Description:
The pack contains 32 cards, each measuring the size of a business card. The cards are made of laminated paper with photographic collages of South East London landscapes. The fragments are abstract and photocopied to create a unique aesthetic. The transparent plastic container is also the size of a business card, making it easy to carry around.
The South East London Photographic Collage Cards can be used as a creative tool for inspiration, brainstorming, or as a game. The cards can be shuffled and rearranged to create new landscapes, providing endless possibilities for artistic expression.

Halland


Halland
Conor Clements

Publishing Info:
Portsmouth, UK 2022
A5 saddle stitched
32 pages laser printed in colour.

Description:
This zine was created as the Major Project for Conor's MA illustration. The research was into creativity, play and education. The zine encourages the reader to be playful in order to inspire creativity, aimed at a younger audience the methods included are cheap and easily accessible using old cardboard, poster paints, scissors and glue. The zine encourages tactile creativity and the pleasure of making tangible artworks - for fun.

Instagram: 

Debrutalising Brutalism



Debrutalising Brutalism
Mel Gale

Publishing Info:
Hereford, UK 2022
A5 saddle stitched 
12 pages laser printed in colour.

Description:
This zine is a series of illustrations that explores the idea of reinterpreting iconic brutalist buildings in a playful and light-hearted manner. The illustrations depict well-known structures such as the Unite d'habitation in Marseille and the Roihuvuori water tower in Helsinki as fairground rides, utilizing limited colours and a humorous tone to de-brutalise these architectural icons. This work serves as a commentary on the often divisive nature of brutalism, while also highlighting the potential for architectural forms to be reinterpreted in new and unexpected ways

Instagram: 

Introducing ZINO LOCI a shared imaginary location that seeks to bring visual and creative voices together annually on shared themes.


 Zineopolis is excited to welcome a new collaborative zine project between students at the University of Portsmouth, UK and Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. The project will be run collectively by Jac batey, Nicolas Verstappen,  and Jonathan Scott.

The first issue of this collaborative zine will be themed around GUILT and SHAME
We are looking forward to seeing how these complex emotions are visualised through narrative, comics, sequential illustration and artistic expression.

More updates to follow!




Broken Pencil: The magazine of zine culture and the independent arts. issue 97


Broken Pencil Issue 97 (Horror Issue)
The magazine of zine culture and the independent arts

Publishing Info:
Ontario, Canada 2022
A4 printed indie magazine
68 x pages

Description:
Welcome to Broken Pencil! Since 1995, we have been a mega-zine dedicated exclusively to exploring independent creative action. Published four times a year, each issue of Broken Pencil features reviews of hundreds of zines and small press books, plus comics, excerpts from the best of the underground press, interviews, original fiction and commentary on all aspects of the indie arts. From the hilarious to the perverse, Broken Pencil challenges conformity and demands attention. (From website)Issue 97 is a horror issue to celebrate Halloween and all things ghoulish. With features about art, future, zines and the best haunted bookshops. (from Magazine website, Oct 2022)
This is the horror issue to align with Halloween, all things ghoulish, zine reviews, literature, art, and haunted bookshops.

Link to Magazine’s Website: https://brokenpencil.com/



Cage Before Beauty

Cage Before Beauty
This Place Gives Me The Creeps

Publishing Info:
Portsmouth, UK 2022
A7 black and white laser print on Day-Glo card
Single sheet foldy 

Description:
A series of ‘tart cards’ from the author’s collection. 



Yip Adventures


 


























Yip Adventures
Michael Dynock

Publishing Info:
Portsmouth, UK 2022
A5 colour laser print
20 x pages

Description:
An illustrative narrative sequence that is set on a mystical island. Son of a gnome, Yip (a mer-teen) is helping his father by taking their catch of fish to market. He experiences bullying and then loses confidence in himself. The narrative visualizes his fear as he battles against it.

Link to artist's Instagram: @dymk.illustration

Bunny & Bat


Bunny & Bat
Jody Arthur

Publishing Info:
Tacoma, WA, USA 2022
Printed at Letter Box Studio
7cm x 10.5cm portrait
Single folded sheet
Letterpress on pink card, edition of 58

Description:
Small single sheet folded zine of bunnies and bats. Letterpress (vandercook press) zine including typography and cut out shapes.
Jody Arthur is a book artist, printmaker and writer currently residing in Hawaii. Her transitory life inspires her work, which is concerned with travel and migratory patterns.

Link to artist's website: https://www.jodyarthur.com/

Heroically Found




Heroically Found
Manifest Zine No.9
Jen Payne

Publishing Info:
Branford, CT, USA 2022
13cm x 17.5cm portrait
24 Pages, colour laser print
Three Chairs Publishing Co.

Description:
This zine is part of the Exchange Project including five artists. The challenge was to create something to promote 'curiosity and precarity, to ignite the spark of possibility and to introduce new ways of seeing things.'
Found images, photos, poems, drawings and writings explore the mindfulness, creativity and storytelling.



Catalyst (Self Made Hero Graphic Anthology Programme)


Catalyst - Self Made Hero Graphic Anthology Programme
Edited by Ayoola Solarin / Cover art by Sajan Rai / Designed by Txabi Jones

Publishing Info:
London, 2022
Paperback with flaps, 112 pp
19cm x 25 cm

Description:
Stories by Asia Alfasi, Charlotte Bailey, Jason Chuang, Dominique Duong, Catherine Anyango Grünewald, Shuning Ji, Pris Lemons, Sonia Leong, Calico N.M., Tyrell Osborne and Woodrow Phoenix.
Collecting stories from a range of artists of colour across the UK, this comics anthology unites their voices under a single theme: 'catalyst'. In one story, the accidental witnessing of a horrific scene turns a regular day into a nightmare; in another, the truth of what it really took to put a man on the moon is revealed. From tales of misplaced memories to battles with the id, Catalyst offers a look at the consequences of big and small acts alike. Showcasing a mix of established and emerging artists, this collection imagines the myriad ways in which a chain of events might end in either euphoria or catastrophe. Sometimes both. (excerpt from publisher's website)

Link to Publisher's Website and artist's socials:  https://www.selfmadehero.com/books/catalyst

Mashu (The): An Observers Guidebook


The Mashu: An Observers Guidebook
Matt Farmer

Publishing Info:
Portsmouth, UK 2022
A5 print-on-demand, perfect bound

Description:
This was the outcome of Matt's MA Illustration project, to create a humorous book, The Mashu: An Observers Guidebook.
This book provides information and observations about a species of small creatures called the Mashu who like to explore and play, presenting the fictional creatures as if they were a real part of the world, with the aim of reminding adults to take time to have fun and look after their mental health which is particularly important during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
It is an A5 book with text alongside field sketches of the Mashu and photos of them in their natural habitats. These were created by photographing sculpted models which were then manipulated in Adobe Photoshop.
Matt Farmer is a freelance illustrator based in Portsmouth, UK. His work endeavours to bring playfulness and imagination back into adult life.



Handout, issues 1-6



Handout, Issues 1-6
Editor Joel Chaffee

Publishing Info:
Charity Case Publishing, Issues 1-6 (2008-2013)
Brooklyn, NY, USA and New York, USA
A4 black and white on various lined paper stock
Saddle-stitched separate sheets between 10 -20 pages for each issue.
Edition of 100

Description:
Zine covers topics such as fiction, essays, short humour, visual art, interviews, and poetry. Mostly by Brooklyn-based artists.


My Favourite Chunky Pencils For Dark Line Work

 If you enjoy all things stationery then you are one of our people.
Here's a look at some beautiful chunky pencils for getting a gorgeous dark line in your drawings.


Madrid


Madrid
Ahava Evie Fridel

Publishing Info:
London, 2017
A5 colour 
8 x pages

Description:
Short narrative about two young women who visit Madrid. The narrative suggests that the protagonist is revisiting a familiar place from childhood. There is an undercurrent of grief throughout the story with the protagonist revisiting places that were once shared with another. The illustrations are expressive pencil drawings and the use of colour and black and white to emphasise 'now' and 'then' is beautifully handled. A story about grief, memories and emotions with touches of humour.

Dog and The Cat (The)


Dog and The Cat (The)
Dominique Duong

Publishing Info:
London, undated c.2021
A5 full colour printing
32 x pages

Description:
Lovely illustrations with a narrative that builds slowly about the growing connection between two women.
"A short queer fantasy romance comic I self-published, based on the myth of the Cat and the Chinese Zodiac. A slowburn romance story of a betrayal, the rebuilding of trust and delicious food." (author's website)

Link to Instagram:   @domduongart

I Really Don't Know Where I'm Going...




I Really Don't Know Where I'm Going...
@recovery_doodles

Publishing Info:
London (?), undated c.2021
A5 black and white with colour cover
34 x pages

Description:
Selection of captioned doodles all about the author's mental health. The back of the zine has this quote ' Tales from my neurodiverse soul; told through pictures. The drawings visualise emotions such as fear and hopelessness including a dog,
cake and a tortoise.

Link to Instagram:   @recovery_doodles