Zine: Modern-day Sisyphus

“Modern-day Sisyphus” is a mini zine about 21st century tasks that never go away.

The zine is inspired by Sisyphus, a figure from Greek mythology who is tasked with rolling a boulder up a mountain, only for the boulder to roll back down every time he reached near the top.

Copies are available on Etsy.

A hand is holding a purple zine titled, Modern-day Sisyphus: 21st century tasks that never go away.

Page 1 has a summary of the story of Sisyphus.

Page 2 lists chores that are repetitive: washing dishes, doing laundry, dusting, and vacuuming. At the bottom of page 2, there’s an illustration of a man rolling a boulder up a hill.

A summary of the Greek myth of Sisyphus is presented alongside a drawing of his struggle with the boulder, with a comparison to mundane tasks like washing dishes and vacuuming.

Pages 3 and 4 list tasks that are repetitive: making the bed, replying to emails, mowing the lawn, taking out trash, and paying bills. At the bottom of the pages, there’s an illustration of a man rolling a boulder up a hill.

A silhouette of Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a hill is depicted alongside a list of repetitive tasks like making the bed and paying bills.

Pages 5 and 6 list positive things that are repetitive: listening to favorite songs, making a cup of coffee, saying good night to loved ones, cooking favorite meals, celebrating holidays, and spending time on hobbies. At the bottom of the pages, there’s an illustration of a man rolling a boulder up a hill.

A silhouetted figure pushes a boulder uphill against a purple background, accompanied by text about repeating enjoyable activities.

Here’s the back cover:

The back cover of the zine features a thank you message, Instagram information, and a QR code from Mythical Type.

Zine: Song lyrics I mishear

“Song lyrics I mishear” is a mini zine that lists lyrics where I hear the wrong words. Each page is about one song and includes the actual lyrics along with what I hear instead.

I wanted the interior pages to be a mix of typed text (the actual song lyrics) and handwritten notes (the words I hear). This way, the pages look like they’re annotated.

Copies are available on Etsy.

A hand is holding a mini zine titled Song lyrics I mishear. Misheard lyrics from All Star by Smash Mouth and Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads. Misheard lyrics from Somewhere Only We Know by Keane and At Least It Was Here by The 88, featuring handwritten thoughts on their lyrics. Misheard lyrics from Move Along by The All-American Rejects and I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles. The back cover of the zine.

Zine: Things we wouldn’t have to worry about if we didn’t depend on cars

I’ve been particularly annoyed lately about how much we depend on cars, so I made a little zine about it. I’m not saying we should eliminate cars completely. I want better public transportation so everyone has more and better options for getting around.

A hand holds a mini zine called Things we wouldn't have to worry about if we didn't depend on cars. The text is printed in black on a white background. Above and below the text, there's a black and white map of Chicago streets. A printed page features text about traffic congestion in Chicago and other cities, detailing car-related concerns. A paper with a printed list of driving-related tasks and challenges. Text that discusses the benefits of reducing car dependency and enhancing public transportation infrastructure.

Zine: Playground games in the 1990s

“Playground games in the 1990s” is a pros and cons list of recess activities that were popular in elementary school. (At least in central Pennsylvania, in the 1990s.)

Each page includes small illustrations relating to playground activities. I drew on Whitelines paper so I could draw with a regular pen and then photograph the paper to use the drawings digitally.

A hand holds a pink zine titled Playground games in the 1990s with a sketch of a playground structure. A pink zine lists pros and cons for four children's games: Kickball, Four Square, Kick Back, and Red Rover. A pink zine humorously lists pros and cons for playground activities: Swings, The Floor is Lava, Double Dutch, and Circle Dodgeball. A pink zine lists pros and cons of games like Horse, Tag, and Knockout. A collection of zines titled Playground Games in the 1990s.

Zine: Movies I never want to see again

“Movies I never want to see again” is about movies I watched one time and do not want to watch again. This doesn’t mean they’re bad movies! But something about them makes me feel like once is enough.

I drafted this zine by hand and then I made it in Canva. The popcorn bucket on the front cover is modified from Terrance Barksdale’s photo on Pexels.

A person is holding a red zine, titled Movies I never want to see again, with a small illustration of a spilled popcorn bucket. A person holds a red zine featuring brief commentary on the movie District 9. A red zine with commentary on the movies Annihilation and Jupiter Ascending. A red zine with commentary on the movies 2001: A Space Odyssey and TRON. Five copies of the zine Movies I never want to see again, fanned out on a yellow background.

Zine: Everyday Time Travel

“Everyday Time Travel” is about ordinary moments that feel like time moves differently than normal.

A hand is holding a small zine titled Everyday Time Travel with a decorative geometric pattern.

Out of the zines I’ve made so far, this one probably came together the fastest, from the initial idea to the finished zine.

I made the backgrounds with scrapbook paper, and I added some details with fineliner pens. Then I wrote the text on white paper, tore out pieces, and glued them over the scrapbook paper. I like how all the colors and patterns came together.

Here are the interior pages:

A vintage-style page spread with orange paper, a retro telephone, and a message about time slowing down on Friday afternoons or when on hold. A zine spread with a poetic quote about quiet moments with snowflake patterns and yellow and blue backgrounds. A textured purple background with musical notes. Handwritten text describes how time and memory interact with music, emphasizing the effects of playing songs on repeat and singing verses out of order.

And the back cover:

A hand is holding a the back cover of a zine with a thank you message.

Zine: Questions to ask yourself, part 3

“Questions to ask yourself: Part 3” is a hand-drawn mini zine with thoughtful questions and illustrations.

A mini zine titled Questions to ask yourself: Part 3. The subtitle says, Moods change with context. The zine is printed on white paper with black text. A page spread with handwritten text that says, Which do you enjoy more--starting or finishing? The drawing on the left page is a ball of scribbles. The drawing on the right page is neat rows of squares. A page spread with handwritten text that says Which do you find more difficult--jumping in or letting go? An illustration on the left page shows two wavy lines that then intersect into a double-helix on the right page. Near the right edge of the page, the lines separate.

This is part 3 in a series.

Three mini zines titled Questions to ask yourself Parts 1, 2, and 3 are arranged against a bright green background.

Zine: How to teleport safely

“How to teleport safely” is a handy (fictional) guide for how to use teleportation devices safely and avoid…incidents.

A hand holds a small zine titled How to teleport safely — a practical guide, featuring a striped border. A hand is holding an open zine. The pages have drawing of a tree and a volcano with advice on aiming and not landing inside the volcano. A hand is holding an open zine. Handwritten text includes advice about keeping devices charged and carrying manageable luggage. The pages include simple illustrations of a battery and a suitcase. A hand holds an open zine with two pages: the left side encourages embracing the void, while the right advises not to panic, both featuring illustrations and text about travelers' experiences.

Zine: Text Message Moods

"Text Message Moods" illustrates what text message conversations look like, depending on people's moods. You may recognize these patterns.

Copies of this zine are available in my Etsy shop.

Zine: Questions to ask yourself, part 2

More questions with no real answers. This is part 2, with a different style of questions.