Crafting stories
My manga zine process
First print in 2017 | Second print in 2019 | Total 200 copies
The Magical Tales a self-published manga and illustration, hand-binding zine.
It was my first attempt to make a zine that combines manga and illustrations. It was also my first time using the risograph printing and experiencing hand-binding a book.
Before, creating a black-and-white manga book ended when I finished the digital files and delivered them to the printing company, and the printing house would complete the book, leaving me with a limited understanding of the production process.
Working with risography printing and handcrafting a book was a new challenge. After publishing this zine, I received feedback and questions about the creation process, which inspired me to document my experience and share it with other manga creators.
What is a zine?
Wikipedia says
A zine is a small-circulation self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images. Zines are the product of either a single person or of a very small group, and are popularly photocopied into physical prints for circulation.
Amber says
To me, zine is a verb: the act of making a book with your hands. There are no limitations on form or content. A zine can be about your worldview, interests, emotional expressions…Anything can be a zine.
Concept & Planning
Content
First, I needed to determine what would go into this zine. I included three formats: manga, illustrations, and written explanations to provide a diverse reading experience and make the most of limited space.
Layout
I structured a three-page short manga story and one illustration page as a chapter. The illustrated pages served as "commas" between stories, offering readers natural breaks.
The rest of the pages were designed with this principle: character introductions at the beginning, small illustrations scattered through the middle, and an afterword with hand-drawn sketches at the end.
From sketch on paper to the final manga.
Each chapter consists of three pages of manga followed by a page of illustration.
New expression
Before, I always draw manga in a vertical format. Switching to a horizontal layout challenged me to rethink both storytelling techniques and the arrangement of objects.
However, this exploration brought a fresh perspective that set this zine apart from others in the Taiwanese market.
Explorations
Risography
When making this zine, I took on the challenge to use risograph, a printing technique I had long wanted to try. As a beginner with Risograph, I spent a lot of time exploring the color options, paper types, and their combinations.
Color & Paper
After completing the digital files, I frequently checked printing results across my home and the printing house. While simulations in painting software were helpful, it was challenging to imagine the colors on various paper types. Some colors' actual effects could only be understood through test prints.
Choosing colors and paper was both delightful and challenging because the number of possibilities was overwhelming. With different paper types, color options, and color overlay combinations, I had up to 120 variations!
I also discovered other technical nuances: Riso inks have relatively low opacity, making light colors less visible on dark paper, and thin lines don't print clearly.
Left - simulation in digital software; Right - test print
Binding the book
Cut, Fold, Stitch: A Handmade Book Workshop
Since the printing house didn't provide binding services, I took on the entire bookmaking process myself. Completing this book required three steps:
Cut the printed A3 sheets down to A4 size
Fold each A4 sheet in half to create A5 pages, arrange them in order by page number, then add the cover
Set up the sewing machine with two different colored threads for top and bottom, then stitch along the top edge
My desk turned into a production line
I also tested different thread colors to match the cover design.
Result
I made the first 50 copies in 2017. Receiving requests from interested readers, I produced a second edition of 150 copies in 2019. All 200 copies have now been sold out.
