Search results (tags) for: "comics"

This Is Not a Blog Post

2009-09-11T12:28:00-05:00

I have always been fanatical about narratives, but I hadn't really contemplated the possibilities of the book as an object until working at Special Collections in college. From 19th century miniatures to hand-printed Yolla Bolly aquatint etchings, books came to be portable sculptures, records, decor, specimens, shrines. As any fellow library-lover knows, the marginalia is often far more engaging than the original text.

In the spirit of reinventing our relationship with these ubiquitous artifacts, this post shares a few pages from Keri Smith's This Is Not a Book. With projects for personal contemplation and public experimentation, Keri's creation is meant to be vandalized with inspiration.

Keri provides some context for this unusual book with these encouraging words:

"As with all of my books, I wanted to create something that was a direct experience (as opposed to a passive one). You cannot sit and do nothing with it or it means nothing. I am interested in what is called an "open work," a work that is created by me but the final output is a result of the reader/user's experience of the world. Every person who comes to This Is Not a Book will have a different response to it. This is what I find beautiful about social mediums, seeing what other people come up with that I would never have thought of. I am also interested in pushing the imagination to a place it's never been before. Adults especially are not encouraged to use the imagination for fear of being thought of as crazy. I aim to change this the world over. The world would be a much better place if we could all dream more and challenge ourselves to be ridiculous."

How do you transform your everyday objects? Share in the comments below, and I'll pick a commenter at random to win a free copy of the book from Penguin Publishing. Or you can pick up a copy for yourself here.

Have you checked out Etsy's Books and Zines category lately?
You can find handmade publishing for style, satire, and poetry.

Breathers no. 0

By justmadbooks, $2.

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Flying to the dream tiny book

By behappynow, $15.99.

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Poetry Book

By theinkling, $6.

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Intricate Dwellings

By thejuzzard, $4.50.

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For many, Etsy serves not just as a marketplace of goods, but also as a marketplace of ideas. To find sellers working with each other producing craft-hybrids like the ones below, try searching "collaboration."

SALE Bracelet Etsy Collaboration

By TheBrokenPlate and pinkkiss, $40.

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Lifecycle - Collaborative Giclee Print

By JenMcCleary and alisonalison, $40.

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moss terrarium No. 152

By madebymavis and mudpuppy, $36.

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3 collaborative coloring books

By yaelfran and over 60 Etsy artists, $33.

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Objects that take on a life of their own rely on the elusive medium of motion. These Etsy items capture movement in time and space. Inject some flux into your home with handmade mobiles.

BW print - 'Untitled'

By zseike, $25.

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Mobile nite frond earrings

By MiniCyn, $39.

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Spoon Clock With Pendulum

By MetalMedia, $75.

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Orange Mobile - Stained Glass

By TheGlassCrafter, $115.

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The creations in the Sculpture category cannot be contained by two dimensions. These eruptions of material make me feel sorry for any bare surface in sight.

The singing lady ceramic sculpture

By peanutbutterandyelly, $15.

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The Gift, light sculpture

By illuminarysculpture, $600.

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Pencil Dress

By tompkikr, $900.

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Explosion - Wood with String Ball

By makalewakan, $380.

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How do you transform your everyday objects? Share in the comments below, and I'll pick a commenter at random to get a free copy of the book from Penguin Publishing!

More This Handmade Life Posts | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide | Art Category

Camera Obscura: Lightning Bolt's 13 Monsters

2009-07-24T17:30:00-05:00

"PAPER RAD is a Pittsburgh, PA/Northampton, MA collective that has bubbled under the elastic waistline of the world’s slacks for over a decade, tickling its privates and filling its diapers." — Load Records

The collective behind the music video 13 Monsters, Paper Rad, utilizes a low-fi style that crosses many genres and art movements. Their frenetic collage-like animations match the pace and explosive vibe of the noise band Lightning Bolt. For me it's a perfect match of intensity in sound and vision. Paper Rad's DIY aesthetic uses pure RGB colors, no scanning of images and no use of a wacom tablet for digital imaging. This work takes pop art a step further by collaging images from culture's near past and reclaiming them into a mash-up of pop nostalgia and cartoon chaos.

The band Lightning Bolt came out of the RISD / Fort Thunder art and music scene in the mid-nineties. Fort Thunder was known for the brightly colored posters that covered the walls to promote the underground music concerts they hosted.

I find Paper Rad's use of bright primary colors, frenzied cutting and playful cartoon look exhilarating. In searching for related items for this video I went looking for neon and fluorescent colors, animal masks, gnomes, cartoons, rock posters, graffiti, lightning bolts, monsters, superheroes, unicorns, skulls and analog video goodies.

Set of 5 Colorful Gnomes

By happysilence, $20.

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Skull Bandana Digital Print

By TurnerHillikerArt, $12.

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LOCA CHICA

By taylorsays, $200.

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Mega-Bytes Finger Puppets (set of three)

By TheHookery, $7.

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Macrame Owl Necklace - Golden Poppy Yellow

By macraMe, $10.

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Super Hero Doll

By MiniMonster, $19.

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RED DEVIL Happy Monster Backpack

By ArtsiBitsi, $35.

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Panda Mask

By lupin, $19.75.

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My Pet Monster Palm Puppet (Super Monster)

By TheHookery, $17.

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KolOr BReaKdOwn

By SCHiZO, $130.

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Calculator Robot Pouch

By anatomyofaskirt, $40.

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Paper Mache bike 012

By mumbreeze, $20.

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Olive the Recycled Curtain Unicorn

By handmadepretties, $25.

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CUSTOM LEGGINGS TEMPLATE

By ruffeoheartslilsnoty, $78.

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Keyboard Zipper Pouch w/Detachable Ring- Red

By TooToo, $14.

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AQUA FACE - size medium

By joshreames, $20.

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Little T.V. Brooch

By zoxi, $6.

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Jokull the Ice Deer

By amccahon, $17.

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What Etsy items would you add to this post? Leave a link in the comments!

Items Tagged "Neon" on Etsy | The Paper Rad Collective | More Camera Obscura Posts

A Comic Con Survival Kit

2009-06-05T16:18:00-05:00

Comics books geeks unite! In honor of the super fun and overwhelmingly inspiring Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MOCCA) Festival this weekend (June 6 and 7, 2009), I've put together your trusty comic con survival kit.

Brush up on your early cartooning history before you go. Find more vintage comic books.

1886 Ephemera. Victorian Era Cartoon, From apfelstrudel, $9.

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There's way too much to see, so get amped up on some caffeine the morning of.

BRAINSCAN COFFEE ETHIOPIAN, By brainscan, $7.

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You have to have an easily accessible bag for all your swag and new comic books.

Tshirt Tote Bag 'Support Indie Comics, You Dope,' By coreymarie, $15.

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Have your favorite cartoonists autograph your t-shirt, each in their own word bubble.

SpeakEasy ) Tee ((Gray)). By QuietDoing, $20.

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Comic Book wallet

Prepare your wallet! By yourscruelly, $15.

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Find some amazing and wonderfully weird comics.

Thought Nog, Issue 5 - Art Zine. By rthies, $1.

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Get inspired and start drawing your own comics.

Hardback Journal/Sketchbook That Boy Johnny. By RagnazIdnar, $18. Find more sketchbooks.

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Check out the comics below and on Etsy for some great indie finds. Happy reading!

A Dude's Perspective | Comics, Books & Zines Posts | Geek Chic Gift Guide

Books and Zines Category | Sponsored Items from Etsy Sellers

Spinstersummer's Ode to the Queer Animal Kingdom

2009-05-08T16:30:00-05:00

Nicole Georges, a.k.a. Spinstersummer, has been making zines since she was thirteen. Her ongoing autobiographical zine Invincible Summer is about bands, relationships, animals, vegan food and beehived hairdos. Nicole's Etsy shop is full of goodies, from fun zines to stuffed sock monkeys, narwhals and queer animals calendars. The animal lovers pet portraits and illustrations are not to be missed!

Freelance producer/director Cat Tyc was inspired by Etsy's Handmade Portraits series and decided to head out on her own to shoot a portrait of her pal Etsian Nicole Georges. Cat Tyc has produced and directed music videos and the short film, Umbrella. More info about Cat's work can be found on her blog and her website.

More Comic Book Posts | Books and Zines

Browse Etsy for Comic Books

Watch our Handmade Video Portraits series and subscribe to our Youtube Channel!

Free Comics Day: May 2, 2009

2009-05-02T11:20:00-05:00

I predict...Comics will rain from the sky today. You know why? It's annual Free Comics Day! Alex Cox of Rocketship, a local comic shop here in Brooklyn, says, "It's pretty much our favorite day of the year, when we can say 'thanks' to everyone in the neighborhood, with big piles of free comics!"

Stop by and support your local comic book shop, shake a cartoonist's hand, or read a comic book for the first time. Get your hands on one of the most innovative art forms around!

Watch a video we made with made with cartoonist Leslie Stein aka larrybear. Full post here.

More Comic Book Posts | Books and Zines

Browse Etsy for Comic Books

Etsy Finds: Books and Zines

2008-11-18T08:32:00-05:00

It's been perfect book-reading weather in my living room lately. Pete has built us a large and beautifully irregular bookshelf for our apartment, and all the winter quilts have been unearthed from their closets. Since watching Etsy's Handmade Portrait on Leslie Stein last week I've been on a zine and comics hunt. This Etsy Find is a sampling of what I've noticed, with some handmade journals thrown in for good measure—it is the gift-buying season, after all, and a lot of my friends are bookworms or writers, too. Enjoy!

Cafe Royal Issue Zero

One of my favorite Etsy zines! We've been paging through copies of Cafe Royal from a box set that appeared on our office conference table the other day. Each issue is a collection of art from different artists; really unique and weird and delightful. By craigatkinson, $24.

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shapeshifter - small book

Beautiful little hand bound collection of drawings, from the shop that brought us these lovely, sad-eyed Mandragora dolls. By NuitBlanche, $20.

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printed catalogue/ book of illustration

Colorfully bright collection of illustrations by hellocornelia, $8.

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Yeah, It Is

Harvey award nominated, 48 page, full color comic made out of construction paper. By larrybear, $6.

Watch our Handmade Portrait on Leslie Stein and meet the girl behind the comic!

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Through The Viewfinder New York City. No 1. (Mini photo zine and stickers.)

Collection of kateblack's photography with matching stickers! I probably sound like an 8-year-old here, but there is something downright thrilling about tiny books and matching stickers. She has more in her shop, as well as a ton of handmade sketchbooks, journals, and other clever stuff. $3.

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Journal Vintage Cover

After a hiatus, we noticed one of our old faves TYLERBENDER once again had a shop full of gorgeous hand bound journals, each made with rad recycled covers! Get yours now before everyone else remembers they have gifts to buy. $44.

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birch - a small book of drawings

One last book of tiny drawings for your budding tiny drawing library (that I hope you've begun after reading through this Find.) By justmadbooks, $2.

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primary colors box set

Another favorite around here and ideal gift set for pretty much anyone who can use a pencil. By lmoss, $55.

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A Prisoner's Tale, A Shiny Keyhole Journal

TheBlackSpotBooks makes tiny journals from new paper and old, old, old leather. Watch her Process video here; you will fall in love as fast as we have. $65.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Storque Featured Buyers | Trends | Gift Ideas

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Handmade Portraits: Leslie Stein

2008-11-14T11:30:00-05:00

YouTube | MP4 | blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(music by Prince Ruperts Drops)

Leslie Stein, aka larrybear, spends most of her time drawing comics, listening to old time radio shows and playing records. Leslie started her first comic series, called simply Leslie, back in high school. It revolved around her wacky adventures with her magical bunny and bird that helped her out in gym class and other misadventures.

After discovering underground comic book artists like Dan Clowes and P eter Bagge when she was an angsty teenager, Leslie decided comic books would be the perfect medium for her to tell her stories. Both of her comics — Eye of the Majestic Creature and her more experimental construction paper comics — are hand drawn and printed at a small printing press. Unlike mainstream super hero comics, her stories are autobiographical and don't have a typical plot. As Leslie says, "If you're looking for thrills and drama, this might not be for you, but if you're interested in seeing the world the way I see it, pick one up."

Leslie decided long ago that rather than work professionally as an illustrator, that she would hold a regular job and save her creative energy for her own work. She dedicates all of her free time to her creative pursuits and she finds inspiration everywhere. From walking down the street in Brooklyn to looking at an empty field, humanity and curiosity light the way to new adventures and new tales to tell.

Leslie won a Xeric Grant to print her work "Yeah, It Is!" and was nominated for Best New Talent in 2004 by the Harvey Awards. Keep you eye on this one!

Watch more Handmade Video Portraits on Etsy's blog!

Books and Zines Category | Book Worms and Writers Gift Guide

Zines Posts | Comics Posts | larrybear's Shop

Top 10 Gifts for Bookworms: Books, Zines & Comics from Sarah Nicholls of the Center for Book Arts

2008-11-10T16:54:00-05:00

In our increasingly digital lives, handmade books remind us to appreciate the tactile beauty of an interesting binding or the unique linework of the artist, or if it's a blank journal, that we have such a thing as handwriting (whether messy or neat)! Books, zines, and comics make great holiday gifts, and so we invited Sarah Nicholls, of the Center for Book Arts, to contribute her Top 10 List.

Do not underestimate the book. Books have been the traditional container for the knowledge and ideas of a culture for centuries. The more the book speeds towards obsolescence, the more options there are for people interested in making them. The Center for Book Arts in New York presents a rotating series of exhibitions of contemporary art related to the book, in the middle of a working hand bindery and letterpress printshop. Running the studio programs here at the Center grounds me in both the history and the future of the book, and lets me work with an amazing range of artists, writers, craftspeople, and performers, all of whom want to make books.

You can find your own cross-section of the wide world of bookmaking at Etsy: one-of-a- kind journals, artist's books, zines, comics, and more. Here are some of my favorites:

1. The Statistical Analysis of Things that Happen but Don't Matter

A reassuring zine by funiscool, $4. Find zines on Etsy.

2. Art Bureau 16

A collaborative zine by artbureau and various artists, it includes signed gocco prints, cartoons, stickers and other goodies, $16. Find comics on Etsy.

3. For Rent, Handmade Boardgame

A collector's item and amazing work of fun, functional art by veronicapress, $600. Find more books inspired by games.

4. Vivisection & Taxes Small Sketchbook with Recycled Ephemera

Notebook or sketchbook with salvaged science cover by kateblack, $36. Find more coptic bound books. Find more journals.

5. Kerbloom Letterpress Zine

Pittsburgh craftsmanship by artnoose, $3. Find more letterpress books.

6. Reader's Diary

For the bookish friends in your life, a way to keep track of what they're reading, by greenchairpress, $10. Find more diaries.

7. Mum's Closet

Limited edition book featuring the author goosedownpress' mum and her 1970s outfits. Perfect as a gift for a stylish sister. $75. Find more autobio books or nonfiction books.

8. Pale Berries Pocket Fairy tale #4

Embroidered one of a kind book, $37. Find more books made with fabric.

9. Mama and Child Handmade Book

Baby album with sustainably harvested wood cover by SleepingForest, $175. Find more items with a secret Belgian binding or albums.

10. Library Book

Handbound, blank sketch book/journal by rookery, $35. Find more books with tabs.

Contemporary bookmakers come in an infinite variety of flavors, and have an almost limitless number of options available to them. Binders create contemporary adaptations of historical book structures; experiment with materials both traditional and non: leather, felt, handmade paper, rubber, wood, etc.; recycle the insides and outsides of books, and create tactile book sculptures. Artists, writers, and zinemakers can reach an audience in a portable accessible format with the book, combine digital design with hand-bound elements, play with time and pace in a comic, and expand their community by starting a press. Books whisper in the ear of a captive audience of one.

Be sure to check out the Center for Book Arts' website. Thank you Sarah!

Watch this video about theblackspotbooks' handbound books.

Etsy Labs is offering a bookbinding class on December 17, 2008. If you're in the New York area and would like to attend, buy your slot here.

Books & Zines Category | More Posts about Books | Bookworms & Writers Gift Guide

Etsy Finds: Mini-Comics!

2008-08-30T10:00:00-05:00

Sean Flannagan, aka sean11, is a new hire to the Etsy product team. Welcome, Sean!

I've had a love affair with independent comics since grade school, when my mother took away my prized collection of Robert Crumb books and consequently made weird comic art even more desirable. These days I enjoy hunting for the next comics genius on Etsy. cartooncarolyn of Curls Studio has some great mini-comics for sale, including this one about something a lot of us wish we had: a Printable Brain.

Need a daily fix of Etsy Finds? Sign up for the Etsy Finds e-mail! Conveniently delivered to your inbox on the daily!

Get'er Done: an Interview with Cartoonist Jessica Abel

2008-06-04T18:28:00-05:00

Jessica Abel is having a busy week. With a newborn baby on her hip, she is reviewing submissions to the guest-edited Best American Comics series. She's been doing interviews and press for her new book coming out — one of the few textbooks for teaching comics, entitled Drawing Words & Writing Pictures (see also Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics and Will Eisner's Comics and Sequential Art). Jessica co-authored the book with her husband Matt Madden (they both teach at the School of Visual Arts). Her popular graphic novel, La Perdida, was just released in paperback and Life Sucks, a comic book about teen vampires, just came out through First Second. On top of that, she's also gearing up for MOCCA, a New York indie comic book convention, where she'll be selling prints, originals, and her books in person. Oh, and she's in the midst of selling her next book project to publishers.

And while this week may seem especially busy, I have a feeling this is pretty much her pace of life. Jessica is living the dream of many would-be fulltime cartoonists. She's figured out a way to make a living from her art while also supplementing it with related editing and teaching (I think she's got a project in the works adapting comics to movies, too...).

I had the chance to speak with Jessica via phone and ask her to share some advice for emerging artists. While she was speaking specifically about cartoonists, her words might shed light on the experiences of all types of up-and-coming artists.

Jessica got started making minicomics in the '90s in Chicago and was working day jobs for the first 10 years. For her, the minicomics served as a way to show her work to editors, like a portfolio. At a Chicago comic book convention, she gave Art Babe to the editors of Fantagraphics, and while she didn't get a book deal immediately, she learned something from the process. True, it's really hard to make money from minicomics, but there's a value to self-publishing: with a whole lot of diligence, you can get the word out about your work.

Jessica insists that there's a lot of interest in comics and graphic novels right now and that the industry is desperately looking for talent. In his book Reading Comics, comics reader and critiquer Douglas Wolk declared our life and times right now the Golden Age of the Graphic Novel. Indeed, talk to any cartoonist right now about their chosen medium and they will undoubtedly get all excited about the unexplored territory of the art form. Cartoonists see comics as an unfurling realm of new possibilities — and yet, because it is such a labor intensive and specialized practice — there just aren't that many people making excellent, challenging work. So now is the time to develop a good piece of work, and then consistently send it out with each new issue. Even if you don't hear back — and you probably won't for the most part, Jessica stressed — you need to keep sending your work out. "Think of it as laying the groundwork," she put it. "If the work is good, you'll get noticed."

So is it all about getting a book deal? Not necessarily. But a lot of artists struggle to create art on their own time when working a day job. Jessica worked a day job for 10 years and when it got to the point where she really wanted to take it to the next level, she decided to move from Chicago to the much more affordable land of Mexico for a couple years to focus solely on her art. Ok, what else can you do if you can't move to Mexico? Unfortunately, selling the originals of your comics isn't really a viable option. In Jessica's opinion, the market for that type of work is undervalued. Many cartoonists do freelance work for hire as illustrators and some find success in selling prints and originals of that type of work. And these do even better as you start to make a name for yourself. Jessica pointed out that there's money to be made selling beautiful and unique work and comics at events like MOCCA, "especially if it's handmade in a really nice way, silkscreened covers and well-made." Of course, it sounds weird to be talking about art and money, but the goal here is to be able to support yourself as an artist and to get your work seen.

The web has also increased the number of venues where emerging cartoonists can show and sell their work. Jessica told me she's seen podcasts reviewing comics popping up all over the place, in addition to forums like The Beat, Drawn!, and the Comics Reporter (amongst many others — please leave your suggestions in the comments). Many established cartoonists sell through the Beguiling, and we're seeing more cartoonists set up shops on Etsy (either for their comics or for original drawings and prints). People are consistently publishing webcomics and blogging about their processes and inspirations, creating a direct dialogue with their readers. Even if there are drawbacks to that (Blogging?! That's time taken away from laboriously handlettering! Or what about the Marvel fan turned troll who loves to tell you how much he hates your take on the superhero genre?), having a web presence does increase your chances of getting noticed. You also put yourself in front of an expectant audience — and thus on daily deadlines that might otherwise be will-o'-the-wisps for the self-publishing artist.

There's tons to think about when you're on the cusp of dedicating your life to your art. But the main point of Jessica's interview, to my mind, is discipline. Even if you're a wily, creative genius, you need to be dedicated to your art and make an effort to get it seen...I know that makes it sound like, well... work. As Jessica puts it, "We didn't get into this because it's easy to be an artist. It's a tough life. But if the work is good, you just have to be diligent."

Further Resources:

Jessica Abel's website
Matt Madden's website
Her DIY resources for learning how to make comics
Best American Comics series
La Perdida
Life Sucks
MOCCA
The Beguiling
The Beat
Drawn!
the Comics Reporter
Reading Comics
Comics and Sequential Art
Understanding Comics

Comics in the Air: MOCCA & Drawn!

2008-06-03T10:53:00-05:00

Comicbook nerds unite!

Come on down and support the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. MOCCA, one the US's best indie comics expos, takes place in NYC this coming weekend, June 7 - 8, 2008. Here's the poster with Tara McPherson's artwork:

In other cartooning news, Chet Phillips' (aka chetart) Tiki series was featured on Drawn! This Canadian blog is one of the most popular cartooning blogs on the internet. Congrats Chet!

Are you a cartoonist selling your work on Etsy? Let me hear you in the comments below! I've got a soft spot for comics, because my brother Nick is a cartoonist. I strong-armed him into making this Etsy comic:

Watch out. Never know who I'm going to strong arm next!

Etsy Finds: Dads Like Zines

2008-05-28T10:13:00-05:00

My first Father's Day is upon me (!) and I don't feel much like a real dad yet even though I have been reading the instructions. I think I passed the first test though (phew) last week when I was forced to distract Sido from the pain in her belly associated with digestion and, ahem, the end product of digestion. How did I do this? I acted like a monkey. I made those shrieky monkey sounds, scratched my armpits, pretended to pick bugs out of Sido's hair and jumped on the table for 15 full minutes. She went bananas.

So, for my first run at Dad's Day, I think I deserve to get back to weird comic loving Pete and lounge around with my sweatpants on backwards. I'd like to start with cereal, coffee and Space Junk Issue 2 by ANDREWNEYER. This art book/ zine/ comic is 64 three-color wicked screenprinted pages, comes shrink-wrapped AND in a HANDMADE CEREAL BOX! Totally sweet.

Need a daily fix of Etsy Finds? Sign up for the Etsy Finds e-mail! Conveniently delivered to your inbox on the daily!

More posts about zines right here!

Father's Day Showcase | Gift Guide for Him | Father's Day Gift Guide | A Dude's Perspective

Zine Scene

2008-05-23T13:52:00-05:00

Psst. Hey. What's a zine?

Glad you asked! There are several answers, but the simplest one is: Just about anything you can imagine. Mymy recently posted an introduction to the wonderful world of zines.

Self-published magazines, books, and journals have existed in some form or other for a long time. Since the invention of the printing press, writers and political agitators have printed pamphlets to spread their message. In the early part of the 20th century fanzines written by dedicated science fiction readers came along. During the following few decades, poets like Allen Ginsberg and Anais Nin published their own writing — and their friends' as well — in journals they designed, laid out, and mimeographed or letterpress-printed themselves. Zines as we know them today owe a big debt of gratitude to the no-holds-barred, cut-and-paste publications riot grrrls made during the '90s.

These days the zine scene is worldwide, and despite the rise of digital culture — or maybe because of it — print zines are flourishing. Zinesters are a crafty bunch of writers and artists who love to write as much as they love the feel of something made by hand. It only makes sense that they've found a home on Etsy: Team Zine.

Make Your Own Zine
The beauty of zines is that you can write about — or draw or take pictures of — any subject under the sun. Here are just a few topics we've read about in zines:

food and cooking
gender and sexuality
personal writing
how-to guides
body image
poetry and fiction
all kinds of craftiness
book reviews and film studies
comics and photography
honestly, you name it!

The format and look of zines is just as varied. Some are made of a single sheet of paper, creatively folded; others are more than 100 pages long. You can type up your text and print it out, use a nifty yard-sale typewriter, or write it out by hand. Probably the most common zine construction is cutting and pasting up your text and images by hand, then photocopying, folding, and stapling them into a booklet.

Many zinesters get creative with their printing and binding techniques. Anything that holds the pages together will do: yarn, duct tape, those plastic twist ties that come with a loaf of bread. Longtime zinester brainscan (brainscan.etsy.com) binds some of her zines with dental floss! Artnoose (artnoose.etsy.com) has been producing her zine Ker-Bloom! entirely by letterpress every two months for the last 11 years.

Share Your Zine
Another thing that sets zines apart from ordinary books is the fact that their creators distribute their work themselves. Since the worldwide zine community is friendly, open-minded and energetic, this is a fun part of the process.

Online you can post to a zine-themed message board to announce the publication of your new issue. In person there are zine fests and indie book fairs where you can set up shop at a table and peddle (or trade) your wares. Many independent bookstores, comic book stores, boutiques, and galleries carry zines, too, and more and more public libraries are establishing zine collections. If you've ever thought of making a zine, the time is now!

One last thought: promote your project with small flyers, patches, or buttons. We've yet to meet a zinester who doesn't like a good button.

Further Resources:
Photocopied Heart, a friendly online zine community.

Grrrlzines.net: Tons of interviews with grrrl zinesters around the world.

Broken Pencil: Canada's biggest zines resource and indie culture magazine.

Underground Press: Zine World reviews zines by the dozen.

Read Mymy's post about zines here.

Zines!

2008-05-20T17:27:00-05:00

Did you know there is a large zine community on Etsy? It's true! You don't have to go to a zine fest to get some awesome zines!

For those of you who might not be familiar with zines let me fill you in a bit. The word "zine" (pronounced "zeen") is abbreviated from "fanzine," short for "fan magazine." Zines started back in the day, like waaaay back in the day. Some people consider Benjamin Franklin a zinester! But more commonly zines are known for their Sci-Fi fandom origins.

Today there are tons of zines about tons of subjects and you can find oodles right here on Etsy. The best way to find out what a zines are all about is to jump into the world of underground publishing and start reading!

Further Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zine
http://zinewiki.com
http://flickr.com/groups/zinesters
http://www.zinebook.com

There's even a Team Zine on Etsy!

Etsy Finds: Joehavasy

2007-12-14T04:10:00-05:00

Etsy seller Joehavasy has managed to capture the distilled essence of awesomeness in his ZomBEE print. To be fair, there are few things I like as much as zombies, but the wordplay pun, vibrant colors, and mildly disturbing nature just seal the deal. The best thing about Joehavasy's work is that no matter what the topic I always manage to at least crack a smile if not burst out laughing. Yes indeed folks, the ZomBEE has it all!

Etsy Comics: The Arms Race

2007-10-30T05:29:00-05:00

A new comic, courtesy of our very own RevolvingDork.

Originally posted on his website.

Etsy Comics: Mr. Toast

2007-10-24T09:53:00-05:00

Comic artist and illustrator Dan Goodsell lives in a charming world of adventurous and talkative food. His comics abound with characters like Mr. Toast [his main dude], Shaky Bacon, the Ice Cream Monster and Candy Corn Witch. His whimsical view of the world results in cute and comical illustrations that we at Etsy love!

The Storque recently interviewed Dan about toast and comics.

How long have you been making comics?
I have been doing my webcomic since 2004. I self published some of them in 2005, and another book, Parade, in 2007

Describe Mr. Toast in ten words or less. Or a haiku.
"He's everyboy's friend. He's Mr. Toast!"

What are your favorite kind of comics?
I love all sorts of comics. I have collected comics since I was a kid and I am a big fan of newspaper comics like Mutts, Peanuts and Krazy Kat.

If you could be one fictional character, living or dead, comics, book, movie or television related, which would you be and why?
I would like to be Sherman and from the Sherman & Peabody cartoon which was part of the Rocky and Bullwinkle show. I would love to have a genius dog and travel back in time to important events.

Visit Dan's Etsy shop, MrToastStore, or his website, www.mistertoast.com, for more info!

Etsy Comics: Discodancer

2007-10-05T10:19:00-05:00

Jesper Sønderaas aka YESPR is a Danish artist and designer located in Copenhagen, Denmark. After working many years with advertising in Scandinavia and London he is now working freelance with art and concepts. The cartoon strip I and I is a product of this. He has had 2 solo exhibitions in Denmark. You can see more at www.yespr.dk and www.yespr.etsy.com.

Etsy Finds: Happy Town

2007-09-24T08:25:00-05:00

I love comic books. I love comic books and I'm a grown man. It's kinda embarrassing to love them so much. I know when I bashfully hurry home from the comic book store with that brown paper bag in hand, people who pass by probably think it's either comics or porn, and I'm not sure which is more embarrassing to be into at 27 years old (well, I have an IDEA). It shouldn't have to be that way. I shouldn't have to be ashamed to LIKE something! I should trot to the comic book shop tomorrow, doffing my cap to passers-by and declaring “Lovely day to be hunched over musty stacks of comics, don't you think?” I should do that...

Thankfully, justmadbooks makes awesome comics that are not only highly original, creative, and beautifully illustrated, but that come delivered to my house! Get started with Happy Town Number One, my Etsy Find of the day.

Featured Buyer: Lavender Diamond

2007-09-19T06:13:00-05:00

If you're not already a fan of Lavender Diamond, prepare to become one. We at The Storque are totally in like with LD's sweet harmonies, cute fashion, handmade merch and eco-focus. (Did you see our previous article on them?) Thus, they were an obvious choice for our Featured Buyer series. Without further ado, here is Lavender Diamond drummer/cartoonist Ron Rege with his Etsy's picks!

The industrial revolution may have happened a long time ago, but it seems like in the last couple of generations in particular that people have stopped making or fixing any of the the things that they own. When I was a child, I remember people fixing their shoes & clothes on a regular basis. That's too much trouble for most people in today's economy, where everything is so quickly outdated and disposable. So, to see the concept of buying handmade goods being championed by the "underground" is an interesting thing. It's important! I was a punk as a youth and bought my clothes at thrift stores. I've never stopped. Why would I? There's way more than enough clothes in the world already! Stop manufacturing! Buy handmade things! Eat local food! Ride a bike! Etc!

... I'm writing this from a nightclub, and I just asked my bandmate Steve how I could say such a thing, when I am a cartoonist who makes books, and a musician who has plastic records put out. Steve says that "If you spread beautiful things - it'll make people want to preserve beauty on all levels. It's never destructive to spread beauty!"
'Nuff said!

Well, first of all - here is a Lavender Diamond pendulum! Perfect for helping to make those big band decisions! We bought one just like this on our last tour, but I dropped it on the floor when we got home, and it broke! Spooky!

Second of all - I have never seen "fairy doors" for sale before - I've read of them in stories - but here they are for real! This totally looks like something that we might sell at our merch table. Amazing! There's also some pirate themed ones for boys out there... Yay!

OK - this is so cool. Now, even your fruit can dress up in an amazing colorful knit outfit! With this special costume, my pears could be safe (and fashionable!) on tour. We're always carrying around fruit that gets beat up in the bottom of our bags. This would solve our problems - and look good, too!

Seeing that I am a cartoonist & musician - I decided to dig deep into the zine & musical instrument sections of Etsy to see what I could find.... Here is a perfectly tiny little book of drawings.

These diary zines also look nice. The world is always in need of more nicely made diary zines and comics!

Kate Bingaman-Burt draws pictures of the things she buys, and makes a zine out of it. Her concept is so very simple, yet quite powerful in it's singular message concerning consumption & our capitalist economy. I'm hoping there will be a thick "365 days of consumption" collection in bookstores some day. I think that every art school freshman should be assigned this project! Drawing everything that you buy is such great drawing practice - and it could be a great tool to help young people think about what they buy, and why. I don't mean to steal your idea, Kate - but I think that there could be hundreds of people making zines like this! It's a wonderful, simple concept - and I think it could be used as a great tool for learning!

Not that many years ago, the whole idea of modifying, and "circuit bending" cheap electronics was a fairly obscure practice carried out by a handful of experimental musicians. But the practice is becoming more widespread - and I couldn't be happier! The idea of re-working, and re-cycling discarded and outdated electronics is super futuristic! Isn't this exactly what we imagined people would be doing in the year 2007? The idea also fits so nicely into the DIY, recycling, anti-manufacturing lifestyle. Notice the old SCSI printer cable thingee this guy used. I've heard they're super useful for circuit bending - which is great - cuz there must be zillions of them on their way to the landfills!

Now these are a bit more specific, but homemade nonetheless. How great that I could buy this! Much better than a trip to guitar center, or using some onscreen software!

Perhaps I'm naive - but every time I'm at a noise show, I've imagined how much fun kids would have playing with this stuff. Now, I know that a handheld optical theremin can't really compete with the Wii or whatever... but am I wrong?

And...Bingo! Here it is! This guy made a homemade noisemaker for kids! Yay! Hooray!

If you'd rather keep it acoustic w/ the kids - here's a tiny lyre for your toddler...

...Or this looks nice, too.

Hi Fructose Magazine is Sweet!

2007-09-18T11:50:00-05:00

When I was eight years old, whenever I could scrape a few dollars together, I would walk to the neighborhood convenience store and gorge myself on bubble gum, pixie sticks and as many issues of Tales From the Crypt, The Witching Hour and Archie comics as I could afford. My anticipation was so great that I would sit on the filthy stoop in front of the store, face and hands sticky from bubblegum, and devour every page, twice. I thought that particular mix of nausea, fear, delight and envy (why couldn’t I draw as well as Dan DeCarlo?) had been lost to my childhood. That is, until I saw my first issue of Hi Fructose.

The cover of the first issue features a colorful designer monster toy (by magazine co-founder Attaboy) unabashedly sitting in a plate of some scrumptious chocolate layer cake, of which he has plainly already enjoyed his share. The issue is subtitled “The Toysploitation Issue” (hee!) and it doesn’t disappoint!

In general, the publication explores the high-brow spectrum of low-brow or “pop surrealist” art with particular attention to designer toys. There is plenty of mouthwateringly gorgeous artwork and minimal advertising. Articles include interviews with pop surrealism heroes and exposés of reclaimed cultural debris (for example, Little Miss No Name). If that weren’t enough, a pattern and instructions are included so that you can make your own toy.

Hi Fructose provides an utterly satisfying foray into the beautiful, bizarre, fantastical and sometimes perverse minds of some today’s most fascinating underground artists. If you’re still not convinced, their blog has plenty of illustrations and provides a good feel for what the magazine is about.

Etsy Comics: I'm Just a Caveman Crafter

2007-09-03T20:00:00-05:00

I grew up in and around Providence, RI. Father. Cartoonist. Tall person. Very proud brother of Etsy Person Vanessa Bertozzi! I do a regular series for Nickelodeon Magazine and just had my first graphic novel "The Salon" published. Please visit my website: NickBertozzi.com

The Whimsical World of Lavender Diamond

2007-08-31T20:00:00-05:00

Lavender Diamond's music has been described by Matador Records as "pull[ing] together elements of folk, pop, country, performance art, children's music, and protest anthems to make one of the most original musical statements we've heard in years." The key to Lavender Diamond's appeal can be found in its simple, pretty harmonies and front-woman Becky Stark's earnest, loveable stage presence. However, The Storque was interested in talking with the band about more than just the music: Lavender Diamond is actually a very handmade, multi-media endeavor.

The project started with Becky collaborating on a series of musical plays with her friend Xander Marro. Marro is now involved in the Dirt Palace, a feminist art collective in Providence, RI. At the time of their collaboration, Providence was thriving on an underground culture of creativity. Many creative projects emanated from Fort Thunder, a former textile mill building used by RISD students and other modern day beatniks for studio space, squatting, and as an informal show venue. Lightning Bolt, another band to emerge from the scene, also played loosely with various media forms: collaborations flowed across music, elaborately costumed performances and screenprinted music packaging. The Providence scene remains a vital center of art and creativity that continues to influence artists to this day.

Becky and Xander's collaboration consisted of handmade sets and costumes, hand-developed films, and silkscreened CD-cases sewn up with silver thread.

"Lavender Diamond" was the name of a part-bird-part-woman emissary that sang to humans about peace. After Becky moved to Los Angeles, she started playing with Elvis Perkins, but when she had the idea to do a "country pop record, kinda like Linda Rondstadt," the project morphed. In 2004, the lineup of Lavender Diamond became a quartet with Becky, Steve Gregoropoulos, Jeffrey Rosenberg (who has since left the band), and Ron Rege, Jr. In addition to playing the drums, Ron brings his totally unique illustration talents to the Lavender Diamond mix. His work adorns the "Imagine Our Love" album, as well as posters, hand-drawn t-shirts, and other doodads. Ron has been creating and self-publishing comics for years. Becky learned to screenprint while making the album covers with Marro, and continues to sew patches and make buttons with lavender crystals.

The band has since been signed by Matador Records and has toured with the Decemberists. Despite hitting at least a lil bit of the big time, the band continues to make handmade merch and spread their earnest message of peace and love. After all, the band came together agreeing to "focus our intention on making music in a way that would be uplifting to people." Ron told us that he is fascinated by the fact that many Lavender Diamond fans are older people or little kids, and says the band is looking for alternative times and venues in which to perform for their "not-so-traditional" audience. In a recent interview in Performer magazine, Becky said that she would even like the band to perform at nursing homes. As Becky told us, "It's been a very funny, long road."

We had the chance to interview the band backstage at the 2007 Siren Festival, an outdoor music festival held at Brooklyn's legendary Coney Island.

See Video Part 1:

See Video Part 2:

See Video Part 3:

More information:

See our Flickr photos
Lavender Diamond's website
Matador's Lavender Diamond site
Lavender Diamond is on Wikipedia!
The Siren Music Festival
The Dirt Palace
Fort Thunder wrestling match

What's Going On

2006-12-31T19:00:00-05:00

We're all working full tilt right now. Chris, Haim and Simon are sifting through the code, diagnosing problems and remedying them. Jared's in Singapore and Seoul presenting Etsy at a couple conferences and working from his hotel room. Jay is collating bug reports and working on the HTML for some new features. Emily, Adrian and Erin are working on support. Matt's working on marketing and printing Street Team supplies. I'm working on revised screen designs based on your feedback and trying to keep everyone on the same page.

That being said, here are some ways you can help us out:
    Add your feedback and bug reports to the external Wiki site.
    Help us refine the categories & subcategories by contributing here (on the Wiki).
    Watch an animation about Etsy made by some folks here in Brooklyn.