Uari's Blog @januariblues - Tumblr Blog

The 1990s

Like in the 1970s the zines of the 1990s thematically as well as in the ways they were distributed (through independent bookstores and record stores, as well as through gigs). They were an important part of alternative and counterculture movements due to the uncomplicated way of spreading information outside of mainstream channels. Many zines in the 90s were associated with the riot grrrl movement, which was a big feminist punk movement from the time.

The 1970s

Zines have been around since the 1930s, however, they became popular in the 1970s – particularly within subcultures such as the punk community. This makes sense as the 1970s was a decade of notable change across the globe, with the US government attempting to regain the peoples trust after Watergate and the Vietnam war whilst struggling with civil rights, women’s rights, and environmental issues. Meanwhile Europe was undergoing political upheaval and economic growth with many countries experiencing social unrest, whilst leftist political movements, such as communism ad socialism, were on the rise. Alongside this, conflict and instability spread across the Middle East – with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, the formation of militant groups, and the start of the Arab Israeli conflict.

Perhaps due to this, many zines during this decade explored issues such as environmentalism and other social justice issues and were associated with punk rock and DIY culture. They helped people share ideas and opinions outside of mainstream channels and provided a sense of community for like-minded individuals. Common themes within these zines included environmentalism, animal rights, anti-authoritarianism, anti-capitalism, music, art, politics, and other social justice.

Zines Research

Zines, or Fanzines, are a form of magazine which deviate from the ideas of mainstream media. They are usually made by individuals and are helpful when gaining insight into personal ideologies and perspectives. Though they can be used to share stories from the individual behind the zine, they often cover political and social issues such as feminism, gender equality, LGBT+ rights, racism, environmentalism, sustainability, animal rights, consumer culture/overconsumption, and civil rights. They have been used across different decades and communities such as the punk community and the riot grrrl movement of the 1990s. This is helpful for the project as it gives conventions of the genre and allows for the project to fit these conventions.

Peer Feedback

Project Proposal

https://mbro-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/m2000000_middlesbro_ac_uk/EUAAhUTDh2lMmnoFqsbX__wBTfYHdnsdE_GEpuRNOIKMYw?e=Ff54aV

Location Recce

https://mbro-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/m2000000_middlesbro_ac_uk/EZFp40N4fjpJrv116LKioPEBK5BmMkI-HdrWDVGKv6S1vg?e=momzb1

Production Log - entry 5

Finally, the image needed a title to fit the genre's conventions, due to being a front cover. To do this the text tool was used with the lora front at size 350. The text was lilac with a satin finish and a violet outline. Originally, the title was going to be central – however after experimentation with the placement it was decided that the title being in the bottom corner was more aesthetically pleasing.

After this was done the image had to be exported. It was exported as a jpeg, quality 7, in rgb.

The final exported image has been inserted below.

Production Log- Entry 4

Now that the photograph has been edited in terms of colour, the next step was to outline the unedited portions of the image. To do this the eyedropper tool was used to select the most prominent colour of each area, and then the brush tool, set to size 13, was used to outline the area. Once each area was outlined, the paint bucket tool was used to fill the area with the prominent colour – then the brush tool was used to fill in any gaps in the area. This process was repeated for every area of the image until all the unedited area was illustrated.

The results have been inserted below.

Production Log - Entry 3

The colour balance tool in Photoshop was used to change the RGB and CMY levels. This tool has three sliders which affect the colour levels; one which has red to cyan, one which has green to magenta, and one which has blue to yellow. For this image, there were prominent levels of red due to the previous editing, which was originally accentuated in this stage. The red level was moved to 100% to create this very vibrant colour throughout the whole image.

The result for this step has been inserted below.

However, when looking at this image it was clear that the original intrigue created by the gamma levels was counteracted by this elevated level of red now present. To remedy this, the slider was moved to cyan. After experimenting with the levels of cyan in the image, it was decided that the ideal setting for this image would be – 27.

The results for this have been inserted below.

Now that the best red/cyan level had been selected, it was time to experiment with the other colours. This is due to the need to accentuate the grunge-like appearance of the image to fit the conventions of the genre. In the end the levels decided on were –4 for green/magenta and 6 for blue/yellow.

The results have been inserted below.

Production Log - Entry 2

Previously the image had a normal exposure, however, to honour the predecessor the image needed to be slightly underexposed - which is a straightforward adjustment to make in postproduction, with tools such as photoshop. The exposure tool is found under image, adjustment, and then exposure. The tool has three different sliders: exposure, gamma, and offset. These sliders can be used together to create different effects.

For this image, a mix of all 3 tools was used to create a slightly grungy effect, inspired by the riot grrrl zines of the 90s. The gamma tool was moved to the end of the right-hand side to create a cool toned, red glow. The offset tool was used to add some grain to the image. The exposure slider was moved far left to underexpose the image and counterbalance the brightness the gamma and offset tools create.

The result has been inserted below.

Production Log - Entry 1

The photograph for the front cover of the zine was taken using an iPhone 13 pro, this was done in order to make the product seem more DIY in order to honour the origins of 'zines'. The camera settings for this photograph were an ISO of 125, an aperture of f2.8, and a shutter speed of 1/33 s. It was taken using portrait mode to blur the background with the natural light setting. The photo itself happened to glitch which is due to the autofocus of the camera as it has blurred all but a portion of the subject's face. However, this happens to have created a unique and appealing effect of shadows around the box created of the subject's facial features - which with editing could create an aesthetically pleasing image.

There is, however, a reflection in the subject's glasses of the room and of the photographer (myself) which could, in turn, become an issue for any viewer as it would create a lack of immersion. Though this can be edited during postproduction.

The photo has been inserted below.

Production Log

Taking the photo

Changing levels

Editing the colouring

Drawing the background

Exporting the image

Alpha Testing

The Subject (hereby referred to as S) said they found the range in colour of the first image aesthetically pleasing, this is good as it suggests the image is enjoyed by the target audience. However, S believes that the colours could have been more evenly dispersed for a more cohesive photograph.

For the second image, S stated that the grid format of the second image was interesting and provides retinal pleasure, due to the deviation from the conventions of photography and the expectations of linear images. In contrast to this, S found the range of colour in the image to be mildly off-putting due to the fact that the green dominates the image and therefore doesn't allow for appreciation of the red tones and bright white spaces.

For the third image S stated that they found the added grain of the image creates a grungy atmosphere which they said would entice them to view the image and associated content. Although, S disliked the shadow created by the image as it has led to an area with a lack of grain. They also said the image framing is off as the top of the bottle has been cut off.

For the fourth and final image, S stated that the high saturation and contrast of the image adds to the grungy atmosphere of the previous image. They also said that the red colouring of the image was interesting and enjoyable to view. However, they disliked the slight offset of the image, as it causes asymmetry and imbalance.

Overall, S believed that the final image would be the best choice for a zine cover due to the atmosphere and aesthetics of it.

Survey Results

Q1) 50% = A lover, 50% = Unsure

Q2) 100% = No

Q3) 50% = A Story, 50% = No Rules

Q4) 50% = Society, 50% = Unsure

Q5) 50% = Recently, 50% = Unsure

Q6) 50% = Good (Tells a story) , 50% = Bad (Boring)

Q7) 50% = Spoken, 50% = Unsure

Contributor Release Form

https://mbro-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/m2000000_middlesbro_ac_uk/EasC6vtH4tVOvtNyjRV4D70ByAHdKC53Qlio8QEM_ZoyzQ?e=OxJFds

Urban Poetry Survey Link