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NOV: A Mix & Match Zine #2 - Rainy Day

Launch gallery slideshow

Group:Zines, mail art & other cool stuff
Swap Coordinator:TangleCrafts (contact)
Swap categories: Miscellaneous  Zines  Handmade 
Number of people in swap:16
Location:International
Type:Type 3: Package or craft
Rating requirement:4.90
Last day to signup/drop:October 24, 2010
Date items must be sent by:November 15, 2010
Number of swap partners:4
Description:

A Mix & Match Zine #2: Rainy Day
Hot on the heels of Mix & Match Zine #1 (Serendipity) comes a second round, which I'm sure will be just as much fun! For those who didn't take part last time, this is how it works:

You will create 2 double-sided zine pages for each of your partners. Because you have 4 partners, you will receive 8 zine pages back (16pp) by the end of the swap, which you can then bind together to make a 20pp zine (including your own pages) to keep for yourself. Because partners are assigned at random, each person will end up with a slightly or completely different combination of pages from every one else, including a random mix of styles, images, projects, opinions - whatever your partners happen to have included in their pages.

The theme for this round is Rainy Day, inspired by the onset of autumn and my memories of 'rainy day activity books' from when I was a child. Did you have those, too? Full of puzzles, projects & activities designed to keep restless kids occupied when the weather prohibited playing outside... You can interpret the rainy day theme however you like, whether you have a rain-soaked story to tell, or artwork depicting rainy weather, or even activities to occupy overgrown kids (us!). Get creative with the theme and share your ideas!

Swap requirements

  • 4 partners = 2 double-sided pages each sent to 4 partners, and 8 different double-sided pages received (2 each from 4 partners)
  • In addition to your 4 partners, you will also send a copy of your pages to me ( @TangleCrafts ) for inclusion in a complete group Rainy Day Zine. This can be sent by post or email, and set up as a private swap, if you like. I will send you a copy of the finished zine in return. See below for more details.
  • Create 2 double-sided quarter-size/A6* zine pages. (It would be easiest to copy your pages for each partner, but if you want to do something different or add personalised artwork for each partner, that's up to you.)
  • Pages should relate to the theme of 'Rainy Day', any interpretation. Just images, just text, or a combination of both is fine.
  • Individual pages may be printed from your pc, photocopied original work, or individually hand-finished – sender's choice. It must, however, be your own unique work, not cut-and-pasted from another zine, book, blog etc.
  • It is up to you whether you make each page complete in itself, if you create 2 'double-page spreads', or if you create one 'feature' that encompasses all 4 pages.
  • Leave a margin of approx. 1cm along the side of your pages, so there is enough room for your partner to bind her finished zine together.
  • Add your name and/or user name somewhere on each of your pages, so that you will always be credited for your work (for example, if the pages are reproduced in a future group zine swap).
  • Use opaque paper or thin cardstock for your pages, so that your work is photocopiable without the reverse showing through. If you only have thinner paper, or want to use it for aesthetic reasons, make 4 single-sided pages, instead of 2 double-sided pages.

Because the standard paper sizes are different in different countries, this means your collated zine will probably have uneven edges. I kinda like that, but if you especially want a uniform finish, simply scan/photocopy the pages you receive and trim them to a uniform size.

The obvious bit
Rating requirement for this swap is fixed at 4.9 (as per group membership) but I will also check individual profiles before assigning partners. Any overdue swaps, persistent late-sending, recent/unexplained low ratings etc will be taken into consideration, so please contact me before sign-up date, if there is any issue you feel may count against you but can be adequately explained.

A Mix & Match Rainy Day Super-Zine
One of the requirements of this swap is to send copies of your zine pages to the host (me) in addition to your swap partners. I will be collating the pages from all participants to create a super-zine, featuring all of the mix-and match pages, and everybody who sends me copies of their pages (by email or post) will receive a copy of the super-zine in return from me.

Why? Because it's fun! And the super-zine will be offered as a prize in a future group forum game, to help entice other group members to join future Mix & Match swaps. :)

Answers to some questions that were raised re. M&M #1:

  • "Could you please give me actual inch measurements for the pages?"
    "4" x 6" would be a rough approximation of the right size. Just divide a letter-size or A4 sheet of paper into quarters, and that'll be close enough. :-) 4.25x5.5 is the exact measurement for a quarter (letter-)size zine page. A quarter of A4 is approx. 4.1" x 5.8"."

  • "For this swap I will take a 'letter' size (that's US american for A4) sheet of thin cardstock and cut it into fourths. Then I will decorate the front and back of two of those fourths according to the theme 'serendipity.' Then I will make 4 double-sided copies (do the copies need to be on cardstock?) for my partners. Alternatively, I could cut two 'letter' size sheets of cardstock into fourths and decorate all eight pieces front and back, then send two to each of my partners."
    "If you send 2 double-sided fourths (to each partner), they should be printed on/made of thick paper or thin cardstock.
    If you send 4 single-sided fourths (to each partner) the thickness of the paper is not so important.
    There's a possibility the pages you send will be photocopied at a later date, so the idea is just to prevent the print/images on the reverse side showing through. (So if you send single-sided pages that isn't an issue!)"

  • "These are color copies, yes? Also is original photography welcome?"
    "If you have worked in colour, yes, please copy in colour; but if you've worked in black & white, I guess it doesn't matter! As far as original photography goes: make your zine pages "using whatever medium, style etc you like" - so yes, photography is welcome. :)"

  • Some helpful tips from @pengrafyx :
    "In the past I've made copy-friendly 1/4-size zine pages by making 2 pages side by side on a half page, then folding them back to back after copying. The two outside edges are then on the binding side, and the folded edge is in the middle where you turn the page. The advantage is that if you want to copy them, you take out the binding and unfold them flat onto the copier, and the text doesn't show through when copying because there's nothing on the back of the page. It also eliminates all the hassle of trying to line up the edges, etc. since once they're copied, you trim them to half page size and fold and they match perfectly. Another advantage is that you can design your four pages on a single letter-size sheet (2 on the top half, 2 on the bottom half), and then make single-sided copies, which is way easier than trying to line up stuff back to back with 2-sided copies. After copying, you cut the page in half (top half + bottom half), fold the halves to quarter-size and you're done. :)"

Discussion

HollyHox 09/10/2010 #

I so badly want to do this but I have never made a zine before and am a little overwhelmed and worried I will not make it right! =s

TangleCrafts 09/12/2010 #

That's the beauty of the swap! You don't actually need to make a whole zine, just a few loose pages. I'm going to send you an extra mini-zine or two when I send your fairy tale tag, just to show you how open it really is. It's difficult to go wrong with a zine because there just aren't any rules about what you can & can't include, or how you present it!

user3894 10/18/2010 #

Trying to brave up to join in hehe! Never made a zine either, but been watching videos on youtube. I think I can do this :)

Bucket 10/21/2010 #

I did #1 for this serendipity - and it was my first ever zine! Super fun! Pengrafyx's tip (at the bottom of the swap description) is great - it made the creation of the zine easy to visualize as it's all on one page, and even easier to copy for the same reason!

papercaper 10/24/2010 #

I'm scared too (!) because the details seem daunting, but I know that if I don't join I won't find personal zine joy and fulfilment and that's what I've been trying to develop recently. So tired of being just a relatively inactive purchaser of zines. I hope this becomes easier to do once I start than right now trying to visually picture a quarter-A4 page cut into bits'n' bobs. :)

papercaper 10/24/2010 #

P.S. I mean, an A4 sheet cut into quarPter-sized bits 'n' bobs.

papercaper 10/24/2010 #

(-P)

TangleCrafts 10/25/2010 #

Good luck everyone!

(Wow, this is going to be a monster Mix & Match zine!)

TangleCrafts 10/25/2010 #

I have just emailed all participants who are not already sending to me the info re. sending your Mix & Match pages to me, so that I can make up the Rainy Day Super-Zine (see swap description).

If for any reason you don't receive that email, please send me a PM, and I will send you the info by PM, instead. Forgive me for being lazy - it was just easier to cut & paste the string of email addresses rather than PM everybody one by one!

TangleCrafts 12/14/2011 #

I have posted a thread in the group forum with links to an e-zine made from all the Mix & Match pages that were sent to me - I'm really sorry, it was just too mich for a print zine. The PDF files are still pretty huge... Anyway, stop by & take a look! :)

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