Learning printing

Hi everyone, I’m keen to learn everything about fine art photography printing and creating a fanzine from scratch. Could anyone recommend an online course or book? I’d really appreciate your help.

Thanks a lot for your time and effort.
Luigi

Hi @Luigi Galasso - welcome aboard! That's an interesting question, and also a very big area. Can you clarify a little what you have in mind? Are you looking to do your own prints (possibly inkjet)? Or would you be contracting out the printing work to an external party? You speak of a zine; this will require some kind of way to keep physical sheets together - gluing, binding, stapling etc. Do you have something in mind in this direction as well? And/or would that also be delegated to an external party? Is your question aimed more at things like color profiling etc., and/or does it also extend to establishing a reachout to an audience?

In short, there are many directions this relates to; please clarify what areas of interest you want to explore.

First of all, thanks for replying. I’ll try at once. Yes, I’m looking to create my own prints for photography. This means I need to learn how to set up the printer prepare images for printing and calibrate the monitor and printer. In addition, I want to learn how to craft a fanzine. This involves some kind of way to keep physical sheets together like gluing, binding or stapling. I was hoping to get a book, a proper manual for that, maybe 2 different as topics. thanks again

I am not sure this is the right place to find out about learning to make a zine. Many members here probably don't even know what that is, much less having made one. I would suggest looking for a local art school, maybe an online workshop.

Luigi Galasso said:

This means I need to learn how to set up the printer prepare images for printing and calibrate the monitor and printer. In addition, I want to learn how to craft a fanzine. This involves some kind of way to keep physical sheets together like gluing, binding or stapling.

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Some of this is what Graphic Arts majors learn. That's actually what I started with in college but only stuck with for a couple months before I moved on to other things, so I can't be much help.

This might help: https://guides.library.cmu.edu/zineworkshop

Luigi Galasso said:

First of all, thanks for replying. I’ll try at once. Yes, I’m looking to create my own prints for photography. This means I need to learn how to set up the printer prepare images for printing and calibrate the monitor and printer. In addition, I want to learn how to craft a fanzine. This involves some kind of way to keep physical sheets together like gluing, binding or stapling. I was hoping to get a book, a proper manual for that, maybe 2 different as topics. thanks again

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Okay, thanks. For the color management part, there are many, many tutorials. In general, the texts on cambridgeincolour.com are of high quality; see e.g. here: https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/color-management-printing.htm
As to the binding part - I'm not sure. I've done a little bookbinding, but that's a laborious process and not too suited for a zine, which you'd typically circulate in larger numbers. Frankly, if I were to be pressed to publish a zine, I'd reach out to a commercial print shop to get the job done. This would also shift the question about color management to essentially being able to acquire and use the color profiles provided by the print shop. These can usually be downloaded from their website.

koraks said:

I'd reach out to a commercial print shop to get the job done.

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Zines came out of the punk rock scene, and are generally hand-made using readily-available technology. Of course, the field may have changed as more sophisticated players come on board as with many art forms. There are many zine fairs around the country where artists have booths, selling their wares to collectors. It is a niche market. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zine

Luigi Galasso said:

Hi everyone, I’m keen to learn everything about fine art photography printing and creating a fanzine from scratch. Could anyone recommend an online course or book? I’d really appreciate your help.

Thanks a lot for your time and effort.
Luigi

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Lookup Sea Lemon on YouTube.
She has been making instructional videos for years.

I can not help you with a "printer" other than suggest use your own paper stock instead of "traditional photo papers". This will give you more options.

Plus one on the Sea Lemon videos. I’ve made ten different handmade books using her instructions. They have all been on double sided cotton paper. The other supplies were either from Lineco or a local Blick Art store. It’s not that easy especially since the paper is thick making binding a chore. I make the covers with book cover linen glued to board. I don’t have any special equipment just some clamps from Home Depot. The materials add up especially the paper. Each time I made one I said I wouldn’t do it again but I had enough paper to do another one. All said they came out very nice and provided a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when I finished.
Since what I made was so costly they are one of a kind and remain personal.
Even making multiple catalogues with one of services like Shutterfly can add up depending on size, number of pages and quality selected.

Pieter12 said:

Zines came out of the punk rock scene, and are generally hand-made using readily-available technology. Of course, the field may have changed as more sophisticated players come on board as with many art forms. There are many zine fairs around the country where artists have booths, selling their wares to collectors. It is a niche market. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zine

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Long (i.e. centuries) before 'punk', what are now sometimes called zines were referred to as a chapbooks. Chapbooks were/are inexpensively produced (and thus cheap to buy) short booklets produced outside the traditional world of book publishing and book selling. They were often sold by street vendors.

These days, some make a distinction between a zine (as multi-authored) and a chapbook (as single authored). Which, to my mind is a very tenuous difference; a distinction without a difference?.

The key attributes are low-cost, often self produced/published and distributed informally (i.e. one does not need book publishers/distributors/stores).

As far as printing of photo-based chapbooks goes, I use any number of different papers meant for printmaking/art in general (i.e. not meant for inkjet printing) and accept that photos will not be as crisp as those on paper specifically coated for inkjet printing. I will, on occasion, use Hahnemuhle Matt Fiber Duo, paper when I decide I need higher quality in the photos but it adds to the expense. They key to papers for this application is good opacity and relatively lightweight (as one need to fold the pages and the block gets too thick quickly. Although I usually use inkjet printers, I have on occasion printed with a color laser printer.

Covers for chapbook/zines can be as simple as using the first and last pages of the text block for the covers... i.e. no 'real' cover at all. However, most of the time I use inexpensive colored card stock for the cover. These are most often left un-printed, but sometimes I will paste on a title printed on light colored paper onto the card stock.

Binding a chapbook/zine can be as simple as stapling the pages together which works fine for small books where a typical office stapler reaches the fold. Larger books require a long reach stapler or a saddle stapler neither of which are particularly expensive. A bit more work than stapling is the pamphlet stitch where the pages are sewn together with a thread (I use both traditional bookbinding waxed linen and also many other things including inexpensive embroidery 'floss'). If you search on YouTube for 'pamphlet stitch' you will find many instructional videos; it is easy to learn. I use the basic three-hole stitch for small books but prefer the five-hole version for most of the books I make.

Lastly, if you want to avoid the 'complication' of need double-sided printing and are willing to limit your book to eight pages there is a clever way to cut and fold a single sheet of paper into a book block. Search for 'single sheet booklet' in YouTube or your favorite search engine.

Have fun, make a few mistakes, the learning curve is not steep and, did I say this already, have fun!!!!

jeffreyg said:

Plus one on the Sea Lemon videos. I’ve made ten different handmade books using her instructions. They have all been on double sided cotton paper. The other supplies were either from Lineco or a local Blick Art store. It’s not that easy especially since the paper is thick making binding a chore. I make the covers with book cover linen glued to board. I don’t have any special equipment just some clamps from Home Depot. The materials add up especially the paper. Each time I made one I said I wouldn’t do it again but I had enough paper to do another one. All said they came out very nice and provided a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when I finished.
Since what I made was so costly they are one of a kind and remain personal.
Even making multiple catalogues with one of services like Shutterfly can add up depending on size, number of pages and quality selected.

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Yes, Sea Lemon videos and many others are a wonderful way to learn bookbinding and I agree with rest of your reply. I make the 'one of' handmade books as you describe regularly. The process is very satisfying and the result dear.

However, what you describe is not zine making. Zine/chap books are, pretty much by definition, inexpensive and easier to produce than what you describe.

I often make chapbooks in editions of six or twelve with the whole process taking only part of an afternoon. These I give away to friends with great abandon and satisfaction. Something I do not do with the more complex and formal one-of-a-kind books you describe.

I even make mini-books folded from a single letter-sized sheet of paper printed on one side and folded up into an eight-page book. These are bound into a cover made from a small piece of inexpensive card stock with two staples. I can make a couple of dozen very quickly and keep them around to give folks at random who ask about my photography or to use as described below.

I've been practicing guerilla photo distribution for several years now. I leave photos (in the form of these mini-books, or as business card-sized prints or as bookmarks) in public places for folks to find at random. None of these objects have any identifying information on them. It is simply about getting my photos out 'there' and hopefully adding a little joy to the world.

Less conventional methods and materials are also used in zine making, like spiral or ring binders, ribbons instead of thread, etc.

I don't even know what a Zine is, but the only way to learn about printing is to spend many years of practice.

cliveh said:

I don't even know what a Zine is, but the only way to learn about printing is to spend many years of practice.

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Maybe you should, because expertise in printing is not a prerequisite.

A zine (/ziːn/ ⓘ ZEEN; short for magazine or fanzine) is a magazine that is a "noncommercial often homemade or online publication usually devoted to specialized and often unconventional subject matter". Zines are the product of either a single person or of a very small group, and are popularly photocopied into physical prints for circulation. A fanzine(blend of fan and magazine) is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleasure of others who share their interest.

A print portfolio could be a better option if you are just starting. Have a look at Ben Horne's work:

Willem Verbeeck has several videos on Youtube on his zine production. His publications are really high-end products and calling them zines is a bit of a stretch, though.

cliveh said:

I don't even know what a Zine is, but the only way to learn about printing is to spend many years of practice.

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I think the whole idea of a zine (or 'chap book' - I like that one @fgorga) is that it's accessible and doesn't come with the entry barriers and gatekeeping associated with regular printing. Also, 'years of practice' have to start somewhere, and they don't have to be endured in dark isolation in a basement before the results is allowed to see the light of day.

Pieter12 said:

Zines came out of the punk rock scene, and are generally hand-made using readily-available technology. Of course, the field may have changed as more sophisticated players come on board as with many art forms.

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I think there's a middle ground between hand-made and sophisticated players, and that's what I was referring to. Things like the ring binders you also mentioned, or for somewhat more voluminous works, perfectbind and other glued solutions. Stapling is also an option. The reason I suggested reaching out to a print shop is that they generally have a good overview of what's feasible/accessible and they'll have the equipment to do ring binds, heavy-duty staplers etc.
I like your idea of a ribbon.

@jeffreyg I've made a few (very few) handmade books. It's loads of fun and the result is truly unique. But it's not a zine. The labor-intensity and (generally) attention to detail as well as the unique nature of the result IMO makes it in many ways the polar opposite of a zine.

@Luigi Galasso as you can see, our views on what's possible cover a very broad scope, ranging from hand-bound unique books to slick portfolios and ring-bound (perhaps even photo-copied/'stenciled') small-edition works. You could help us point you in the right direction by showing or describing the kind of result you have in mind; perhaps there's already an example out there that inspires you?

yeah sea lemon is good. im glad she's better, she was unwell for a while there.

things evolve. the book making arts are a living art form like photography.
the "zine" today is not what it was in the 1970s, or 80s, it can be, but sometimes its something else.
Im sure the OP has an idea what he wants, he justwants to know how to get there.

the books mentioned in-thread sound fantastic, its a lot of fun making something singular.

WOW WAO! I have to thank you all. Your replies for this thread were of exceptional quality. You have inspired me a lot. What I have in mind i'll try to explain in simple words. Then, in the future, I will upload here the outcome with my zines.

My idea is just to collect my shots in a small book and try to use my photography to design small books/zines to tell visual stories. Simple as that.
Again, thanks All of you!

Luigi Galasso said:

WOW WAO! I have to thank you all. Your replies for this thread were of exceptional quality. You have inspired me a lot. What I have in mind i'll try to explain in simple words. Then, in the future, I will upload here the outcome with my zines.

My idea is just to collect my shots in a small book and try to use my photography to design small books/zines to tell visual stories. Simple as that.
Again, thanks All of you!

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