To Have and to Hold

In DIY culture I see different artistic disciplines coming together for one aim. That aim is the tangible zine. The goal is not to produce material that ends up being binary code that you can’t feel. We want to hold the completed project. DIY culture is definitely a tactile experience. It’s communal and intimate. Writing, photography, and graphic design coalesce to create a distinctive experience from zine to zine. I feel a sense of direction, a pull, that the creators want me to go into. It’s both very conscious and subconscious in DIY culture.

I have always enjoyed holding a piece of art in my hands. Whether that’s a magazine, book, CD, photograph, or graphic novel doesn’t matter. It’s the ability to interact with an object physically that’s quickly becoming harder to find. Our society is moving farther away from those experiences and its great to see that zines still remain true to thier original form. I hope they always will.

Freedom!!

I enjoy having the absolute freedom in DIY culture to express myself. That’s a powerful motivator in creating a zine. Having the ability to say exactly what I want to say and to show the audience what I want them to see is a powerful concept. It almost has the same spirit as creating a film. Certainly they are different in most respects but the execution is seemingly familiar. The ability to create these projects without big budgets, timetables, and requiring someone else’s permission is very important. So, if I have an idea, I can execute it quickly without having to solely depend on others to move a project forward.

The Passion

There are no shortcuts in DIY culture. One may not have the resources of a major publisher but that doesn’t correlate to a weakness of an individual’s work. Perhaps, the opposite is true. I admire the resourcefulness of zine makers. I believe that financial confines or the lack of physical resources, motivates a person to becomes more imaginative, to dig deeper to find different techniques for the results they’re seeking. There’s no shortage of passion within the culture but rather an emphasis of it. 

          When trying to execute an idea in DIY culture one really has to go through a process of trial and error. You have a vision–now, find a way to implement the concept into the final product. It’s a part of DIY culture that give a creator a lot of freedom to try different paths with varying results. Wrestling with ideas, layouts, materials, etc. is challenging; but when the outcome is fulfilled, it’s very rewarding.

DIY Materials

During my time in special collections I was introduced to different types of zines that interested me for many reasons. But what I found most remarkable, physically, was the material that they were built with. Mostly, it was the different types of paper the zines were built on that defined my experience. The zines had differing paper quality and thickness that was immediately observable. Sometimes, paper wasn’t used at all within a zine. For example, I remember seeing an x-ray film used as a cover for a zine. An X-ray film with an image is not easy to come by so it takes some effort to procure such a material. It was wonderful to hold a piece of medical technology used for another purpose than intended.

After seeing, hearing, and touching the different types of paper/material used for zines, I’ve come to appreciate the dedication and sense of artistry these creators have. I’ve never given much consideration to how words and the paper they’re written on blend together to form a meaning or sense of direction.  So, I’ve become aware of, and fascinated by, the potential for the materials used in DIY culture.

The shape of the paper used in certain zines was also very interesting to see. The overall size of the material used created a sense of space and intimacy with the surrounding text, which was another aspect of paper layout that I find compelling. Also, the sound of some the paper was unusual at times. Some writers used material to change the auditory experience by using wax paper, or envelopes, that created an interesting sound. The use of sound even created a sense of softness to the interaction between reader and zine. So, sound added another layer of complexity to the experience of zine creation that I found appealing.

Gascan

These black Oakley sunglasses have a dark grey “O” on each stem. The “O” doesn’t contrast with the black frame.  The black lenses are fading but are scratch free.  The frames are a hard yet durable plastic. These glasses are 7 years old. I paid $100 for them. This particular design is the “Gascan” and it’s made in America.

It’s hard to see on a sunny day and these are my favorite sunglasses. Mostly, because they still fit my head nicely. As the years go by the shape of my face has changed and these glasses have kept pace. They have continued to widen with me. An all black frame matches my brown skin-tone nicely. The lenses are smudged and haven’t had a proper cleaning in 4 days. It’s nice to be fashionable when running from the police.

Broomy

This broom has three pieces: the handle, brace, and brush. The handle is the longest section and has a semi-gloss grey paint scheme. The handle is 1 inch in diameter, 45 inches long, and is clean. At the top of the handle there is a lime-green cap with a few ridges and a hole through the end. This cap covers the hollow tube that is the handle. Near the top of the handle there is a dent. This dent is where a dustpan should not go. But one has been forced on. Surprisingly, the handle is not scratched or in otherwise bad condition. It looks new save for the dent near the top.

The brace is lime green, 2.5 inches at one end, 3.0 inches at the other, and widens to make space for the brush bristles. To reduce the mass of the brace there are two semicircle holes cut through. The brace has a 15-degree angle distally. This angle helps aid in sweeping. At the end of the brace the bristles have been punched into the plastic. The bristles are shorter on one end than the other. The bristles fan out and are vey tensile yet still have enough strength to facilitate sweeping. The end of the broom is dirty. There are specs of dust on the brace while there are clumps of dust, hair, and string attached to the end.

           Due to the fact that some bristles are longer than others, there is more weight on that side of the broom. When gripping the broom the heavier side tends to fall to the floor. So the broom has to be repositioned so the shorter end is near the body while the longer side’s away. The purpose for the different lengths helps when sweeping. The design reduces the amount of effort one has to use while sweeping. When the broom is used the kitchen floor becomes clean.

Noemi's Hairbrush

The teal hairbrush is 9 inches long, is 1.75 inches wide at the top, 1.25 inches at the handle, weighs 2.5 ounces, and has a rectangular design.  At the top, there are black plastic bristles with round bulbs at the tips to prevent my wife from injury.

Between the top of the brush and the handle there is a chrome ribbon that separates the two sections. The handle has a black rubber handle. There is a hole punched through the bottom handle.

At the top are the remains of hundreds of dead hairs that the brush has pulled loose. The hairs are tangled together and sprout from the edges of the brush. The mass of hair trapped between the bristles is very thick. This makes the brush look black at the top instead of teal. Interestingly, some of the bristles are bent which creates dysfunction to the rows of bristles.

Everyday, she brushes black hair and everyday the brush pulls her hair out. Old hair comes out and makes way for new hair. She brushes her hair from the crown of her head towards her shoulders. Sometimes, she will tilt her head in the direction she is pulling from. This is done for efficiency. Her neck muscles would use more energy to hold her head perfectly straight. When she’s done, the brush is always placed in the supinated position with its back against the sink’s surface. It’s always available.

Nasty Nate

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After lunch I like to smoke a cigarette. It just makes everything taste so much better. I only have four left to last me till I get home. And where did I put my lighter? Man, I’ve forgotten it before and than I have to ask Nate for his. He creeps me out something fierce. I think he likes me. Ah, here it is, front pocket! Here he comes again.

Simple Detail

He presses his thumb against the flint wheel and with a twist the wick ignites. He needs a smoke! It just gets so bad that it becomes his drug. While tilting his head back he inhaled heavily and squints his eyes. He lets the thick vapor stay in his lungs a while, the plumes filling his spongy organs with tar. Peace at last.

Serialty Image One.

At 12:23 PM Jake stepped outside of his workplace for a smoke break. Once outside he took out his pack of Red Apple cigarettes. He looked inside the package. There were only four left. Slowly, he tapped the package softly. He pulled out the cigarette and put it into his between his lips. He then felt his front pant’s pockets for his zippo.  After finding the zippo in his right front pocket he flicked the lighter on and proceeded to light the cigarette. He held the smoke within his lungs for a few seconds and then exhaled a white plume of smoke. Later, Nate joined Jake for a smoke. It was now 12:28 PM.

Can I get a witness?

what do i do now?
is this thing on?
hello...