A zine (said “zeen”, short for magazine) is a small, self published booklet you make yourself, usually by hand and often photocopied. There are no rules, no editors and no gatekeepers. If you can fold a piece of paper and scribble on it, you can make a zine. That is exactly why zine making has quietly become one of the most welcoming creative hobbies around, especially for people who feel they are “not artistic enough” for anything else.
Zines can be about literally anything: a guide to your favourite hawker stalls, a comic about your cat, a photo diary of one rainy afternoon, poems, recipes, rants, or a collage of things you found on the floor. The whole point is that it is yours, made your way, in whatever quantity you like.
Why Zines Are Such a Good Beginner Hobby
The appeal of zine making comes down to freedom and low stakes. A single sheet of A4 paper and a pen can become a finished eight page booklet in twenty minutes. Nothing needs to be neat, polished or “good”. That lack of pressure is genuinely freeing, and it is why zines are used in schools, art therapy and community projects all over the world.
A few reasons beginners fall for it:
- It is cheap. Your first zine can cost nothing but a sheet of paper you already own.
- It is fast. You can start and finish one in a single sitting, which is rare in the craft world.
- It rewards imperfection. Wonky handwriting and rough cut edges are part of the charm, not mistakes.
- It is deeply personal. A zine is a little piece of your brain that you can hold and hand to someone.
- It plays well with other hobbies. If you already sketch, write, take photos or do drawing comics and manga, a zine is a natural way to gather that work into something shareable.
What You Need to Start Making Zines
Almost nothing, which is the beauty of it. A truly minimal kit is one sheet of paper and a pen. Beyond that, you assemble tools as you go.
Here is a sensible starter versus upgrade comparison so you can see what is worth buying later rather than now.
| Item | Bare minimum starter | Optional upgrade later |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Any A4 printer paper you have | Heavier or textured paper for covers |
| Drawing tool | One black pen or pencil | Fineliners, brush pens, a set of markers |
| Cutting | Household scissors | A craft knife and self healing cutting mat |
| Copying | Photocopy at a nearby shop | A home printer or a small riso style service |
| Binding | The no staple single sheet fold | A long reach stapler for thicker zines |
| Extras | Glue stick, old magazines for collage | Washi tape, stamps, stickers, stencils |
Do not rush to buy a kit. The single sheet, eight page “mini zine” fold needs only paper, and it teaches you the whole rhythm of making before you spend a cent.
Your First Zine: The Eight Page Fold
The classic mini zine is the perfect first project because there is no binding at all. Try this now with any A4 sheet:
- Fold the paper in half the short way, then in half again, then in half once more. You will have eight small rectangles when you unfold it.
- Open it back to a single fold (folded the long, hamburger way) and cut a slit along the centre crease, but only through the middle two panels.
- Open the sheet flat, then fold it the long way and push the ends together so the slit opens into a diamond, then flatten it into a booklet.
- You now hold a tiny eight page book with a front cover, a back cover and six inside pages.
Once you can do that fold in your sleep, the rest is content. Some easy first themes that beginners in Singapore enjoy:
- A one page each guide to eight things you love in your neighbourhood.
- Eight tiny drawings of everyday objects on your desk.
- A “how to” zine teaching one small skill you already have.
- A photo zine of a single walk, one image per page.
Keep the scope small. A finished silly zine beats a perfect one that never gets made.
Printing, Copying and Making Copies to Share
The moment a zine becomes more than a personal object is when you make copies. In Singapore you have easy options: neighbourhood print and copy shops, self service photocopiers at some libraries, or a home inkjet printer for short runs. To copy a mini zine, simply unfold your master, photocopy that single sheet double or single sided as designed, and refold each copy.
Practical tips that save frustration:
- Test one copy first. Check that nothing important sits in the fold or gets cut off at the margins.
- Mind the humidity. Our climate makes glued collage pages curl, so press finished zines flat under a heavy book overnight.
- Go grayscale to save money. Bold black and white art photocopies beautifully and costs far less than colour.
- Number your run. Writing “3 of 20” on the back makes even a photocopy feel special.
A quick honesty note on sources: if you collage from magazines or use others’ images, keep it to personal, non commercial sharing, and credit or ask permission if you ever sell your zines. Original words and drawings are always the safest path, and turning zines into real income is general information only, not business advice. If a hobby becomes a business you would register with ACRA and check tax matters with IRAS.
Cost, Space and the Realities in an HDB Flat
Zine making might be the single most HDB friendly craft there is. There is no kiln, no fumes, no power tools and no noise to trouble your neighbours. A shoebox holds your entire supply cupboard. You can work at the dining table and pack everything away before dinner.
The honest realities are gentle ones. Costs are tiny at first and only grow if you choose to: copies, better paper and a stapler add up slowly. Storage of your finished zines is the sneakiest issue, as small booklets multiply fast, so a labelled box or folder from the start keeps them from vanishing. The learning curve is more about confidence than skill: the hardest part is giving yourself permission to make something rough and share it anyway.
How to Improve and Find a Zine Community in Singapore
You improve at zines by making many of them, not by planning one perfect masterpiece. Set yourself a cheerful challenge, such as one mini zine a week for a month, and let quantity teach you.
To grow and connect locally:
- Visit zine friendly spaces. Some independent bookshops, art bookshops and libraries stock or feature local zines, so browse to see what others make.
- Look out for zine fairs and art book events. Singapore has occasional maker markets and small press gatherings where zinesters trade and sell. Search for current dates rather than trusting any fixed schedule.
- Trade, do not just sell. Swapping zines with other makers is a lovely, low pressure way into the community.
- Run a workshop or join one. Community centres, libraries and art spaces sometimes host beginner zine sessions that are perfect for a first push.
The most encouraging thing about zine making is that there is no finish line and no wrong way to do it. Fold a sheet of paper today, put one honest, imperfect thing on it, and you are already a zinester. If you enjoy the handmade, low fuss spirit of it, you might also like the quiet, expressive pleasures of nature journaling and sketching or linocut and block printing, both of which pair wonderfully with the pages of your next zine.