250x176mm Zines
4pp Cover onto 170gsm Silk
36pp Text onto 115gsm Silk
Four colour print throughout
Trimmed, collated and wire stitched
Voices Magazine is not just a zine; it’s a movement. Born in the UK, this hardcore music magazine is a pulsating platform that features interviews with bands like No Relief, Shooting Daggers, and Detriment. With a writer/marketer and graphic designer at its helm, Voices Magazine is on a mission to amplify the hardcore scene and get its custom size zine printing into as many hands as possible.
Alex Sheppard is the editor and driving force behind Voices Magazine. With a knack for marketing and a passion for hardcore music, Alex has successfully released the 4th edition of Voices Magazine. The magazine was featured at Outbreak Fest and even made a charitable contribution to Brook Farm Animal Sanctuary.
In the electrifying world of UK hardcore music, Alex and his dynamic duo from Voices Magazine passionately crafted an interview-rich zine, highlighting luminaries such as No Relief, Shooting Daggers, Detriment, Seeyouspacecowboy, and Burning Water promo. The fusion of a writer/marketer and a graphic designer transformed their vision into an impeccable masterpiece. As they enthusiastically sought to metamorphose their digital work into tangible art, they reached out for custom size booklet printing.
Enter Ex Why Zed and their customer service. Responding with the zeal of a true print enthusiast, they greeted Alex with an energy that mirrored the excitement of a fervent fanzine creator. They proudly wore the badge of “specialist zine printers”, having been the birthplace of numerous creative publications. As pioneers in “custom booklet printing” and “music zine printing”, Ex Why Zed was not just a print company; they were storytellers and dream enablers. They offered Alex a treasure trove of resources, inviting him to plunge into their fanzine printing portfolio and their beloved Definitive Zine Printing video guide. It was as if they whispered to every zinester asking, “where can I print a stapled zine?” – “Here. With us.” Our ink-loving production team will spring into action.
Ex Why Zed didn’t just provide a quote; they offered a promise, a commitment to transform Voices Magazine’s PDF digital dreams into palpable realities, ensuring that the heartbeats of the featured bands pulsed in every printed page.
Through this dynamic interaction, it was evident that Ex Why Zed didn’t just print; they breathed life into the aspirations of zinesters, ensuring that their artistic reverberations echoed in the hands of every reader.
When picking up Voices Magazine you are immediately struck by how surprisingly thin and user friendly the front cover is. Both the cover and inside pages are printed onto silk. The silk paper type finish all the way through gives it a cohesive appearance.
Voices epitomises custom size zine printing which is neat, easy to pick up and easy to read.
The author’s style is woven intricately through each page, embodying a blend of modernism and raw emotion. It’s the style of a maestro who knows when to break the rules. The narrative drive of the subject matter works in concert with this signature style, making for an immersive reader experience.
The choice of a custom size (250x176mm) isn’t just a design quirk—it’s a stroke of genius. This size serves as a canvas that captures the essence of the subject matter, offering ample space for visual drama without overwhelming the reader.
Typography on the cover is nothing short of a typographic ballet—graceful, impactful, and harmonious. Each letterform is meticulously crafted, serving as a window into the substance of the zine. The headings of each section, and some of the quotes have been pulled out using the turquoise font. Very nicely done.
The full colour print throughout the zine isn’t just eye candy—it’s visual storytelling. The palette is curated to evoke specific emotions and to underline the zine’s overarching theme. Each hue plays its part in this chromatic symphony.
The landscape orientation complements the zine’s subject matter, adding another layer of interpretive depth. It commands attention, urging the reader to turn each page with anticipation.
With this page count, wire-stitched binding is not just functional; it’s an aesthetic choice that enhances the zine’s tactile experience. The pages open flat, thanks to the staple binding, making it a joy to flip through. For this number of pages, saddle stitching the zine covers on to the inside pages produces the best results. File set-up is very straight forward too with no need for a separate file, we just need one print quality PDF in reading order. Perfect binding, a square spine with glued inside pages, would also be a suitable option for a zine with 40 pages or more, providing a more polished looking and durable Zine.
If you’re aspiring to create a publication that both captivates and educates, take a leaf out of Ex Why Zed’s book—literally. Start with a compelling subject and a well-thought-out size. Prioritise typography, colour, and layout as key elements of your visual narrative. And don’t underestimate the power of binding—it can make or break your reader’s engagement. To ensure your design is print-ready, remember to include the crucial 3mm bleed, as mentioned in our comprehensive set-up pages.
Ex Why Zed didn’t just print a zine; they crafted an experience. With a 4pp cover onto 170gsm silk and a 36pp text onto 115gsm silk, the tactile experience complements the visual spectacle. The final product is trimmed, collated, and wire-stitched, ensuring a professional finish that stands as a testament to Ex Why Zed’s unparalleled expertise in print publications.
If this analysis got your creative juices flowing, imagine what a deep dive into Ex Why Zed’s design hub could do for your next project. Stay ahead of the curve. Get inspired. Print extraordinarily.
Inspired by Voices Magazine? It’s time to make your voice heard. Trust Ex Why Zed with your next creative project and let’s amplify the hardcore scene together. Also, don’t forget to check out Alex Sheppard’s other work and keep the hardcore spirit alive!
Jump over to the Ex Why Zed Print Journey for stacks of inspiration on zines both stapled and perfect bound. Enjoy insight into setting up artwork files in Adobe Indesign and then exporting in PDF format ready for booklet and book printing.
Source Material: LinkedIn, Big Cartel
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