DIY feminist zines since 2001
I enjoy working on several creative projects all at once (can you tell?). There’s so much I want to do and make and I enjoy alternating between different artistic disciplines: a bit of writing, a bit of sewing, a bit of drawing, a bit of music… the more the merrier. Because I rarely set strict deadlines and I do them mainly for fun, these creative projects rarely overwhelm me – instead, it’s what keeps me going.
Here are the creative projects that I’m currently working on:
As you can see in the image above I’ve used my creative powers to design a little visionboard or dream collage to send my wishes for this Spring and Summer out into the world…
I’d love to see small outdoors activities like picnics, creative workshops, small concerts, jams, games, small craft fairs, herbal walks, drawing, and reading groups this Spring and Summer. Outdoors activities centred around zines, crafts, drawing, queer-feminism, activism, DIY culture, witchcraft, punk, comics… wouldn’t that be cool? Anyone want to collaborate to make (some of) them a reality in Ghent? Mail me! I’m not a big organiser but I can help with small events like this.
Let’s make the most of the sunnier weather while also taking into account that indoors spaces are still not safe for people who are at risk during the ongoing pandemic. Assuming that everything is ok now and that anyone can attend indoors activities is ableist and ageist. That’s why outdoors activities are important as well. (Also, please keep wearing your mask indoors even if your government says it isn’t necessary anymore). ❤
PS. April 20th was national “playing-outside” day in Belgium! Let’s extend that to the whole summer! 🙂
Because today is the 2nd anniversary of the start of the covid-19 lockdown in Belgium, I wanted to create and share a poster to raise awareness about the (ongoing) importance of wearing face masks during the (ongoing) pandemic.
You can download it here in pdf: Why I love masks
Why masks and other measures are still important:
You know how suddenly lots of people turned to baking bread during lockdown? Or other things they had never done before, either because they never made/had time for it or because they needed a new hobby to fill their time at home. Well, I also had a bit more time on my hands since lockdown started so I tried to take up embroidery as a new craft. I’m still a beginner, trying to find my own style and way of expressing myself in this medium. Over the summer I decided to embroider some “slogans” related to my zine series Confined, as part of the pre-order for the new issues, which I enjoyed doing a lot. I’m selling the embroidered artworks I made in my webshop. Take a look at all of them here:
From sketchbook to printed zine in 11 steps!
Two new issues of my diary comic zine Confined were just released (more info here) and I wanted to explain my process of making them so you might feel inspired to make your own zine!
Continue reading “From sketchbook to printed zine: the making-of Confined #3 and #4”
As you may already know, I just released two new issues of my zine Confined.
Here are some sneak peeks of the inside pages of Confined #3 and #4: (spoiler alert!)
And one image I wanted to highlight because it’s so relevant right now:
Thanks to everyone who has supported the pre-order! If you haven’t received your copies of the zines yet, they will reach you very soon!
More info about the new Confined issues here.
Confined #3 and #4 are out now!
Two new issues of my lockdown diary comic zine have just rolled out of the printers! With lots of pages full of lockdown stories and reflections, this quaranzine meets comic meets perzine will entertain you during the ongoing pandemic and beyond.
Both issues can be ordered from my Bandcamp webshop (or if you prefer, directly from me).
CONFINED #3
Daily life in the pandemic from August 2020 till February 2021
CONFINED #4
Daily life in the pandemic from March 2021 till July 2021
Both zines: A5 size, 32 pages including cover, printed on recycled paper with the cover pages on coloured paper, and hand-tied with red cotton yarn
Quaranzine bundles
If you want to read my entire lockdown comic zine series, I recommend you don’t just get Confined #1-4 but Scissors & Chainsaws #2 as well which fills the gap between Confined #2 and #3.
You can also buy all the zines I made/published between March 2020 and September 2021 as a special “quaranzine bundle” that’s available in my webshop.
All Confined zine and merch orders on Bandcamp receive a digital download of Lost Luna’s “Shadow Play” EP.
Find the zines and the merch (see photos below) in my Bandcamp webshop. More info about the merch and special test prints in this blogpost.
The pre-order for the new issues of Confined launched today! Scroll down for all the zines and DIY merch that’s available…
Confined is the title of the ongoing zine series of my lockdown diary comics in which I document my daily life and reflections during the covid-19 pandemic. They are a mix of a quaranzine, perzine, and comic zine. I started drawing the first issue in April 2020 and am releasing two new issues on September 14th. Today I’m launching the pre-order of issues #3 and #4 of Confined. These two the diary comic zines continue telling the story from August 2020 until July 2021. Issue #3 has some collages as well and #4 contains interviews with two amazing creative friends: Shei of God Save the Queer and Clémentine of MandApunk and Judith Judah.
The Confined series is one of the biggest zine projects I’ve ever done. If you count all the pages of the zines of this series that I’ve made so far together, it can become one big comic BOOK! I’ve never drawn that many comics / comic pages in such a short time but I feel an urgency to document everything that’s happening at the moment. This also means that this zine series is not done yet and there will be at least one more (5th) issue that I’m already working on, and maybe more.
The pre-order helps me to print the two new issues of Confined and to re-print the first issues. To fund this big project I’ve also created some extra surprises: one-of-a-kind hand-made pieces of embroidery and a zine-themed button set, and you can even acquire a test print of Confined #3 and #4 (for the real collectors among you)!
So… how can you get ahold of the zines and merch?
HOW TO PRE-ORDER:
You can pre-order in my Bandcamp webshop. When you order any Confined zines or merch on Bandcamp you will receive a download of my Lost Luna EP “Shadow Play” as well! The home-recording process of this EP is mentioned in the zines.
(You can also mail me if you prefer to order from me directly – each issue separately costs 3 euros + postage. This will not include the Lost Luna EP.)
The release date for the zines and merch is planned for September 14th!
BANDCAMP OPTIONS:
Quaranzine Bundle:
Bundle of all the zines I made and released since March 2020 until August 2021. This bundle contains the diary comic zine series Confined (#1-4, each zine A5 size, between 44 and 32 pages), the second issue of the diary comic zine Scissors & Chainsaws (36 pages A5 size) the perzine Same Heartbeats #18 (a 24-hour issue of my feminist perzine, 32 pages A6 size), Do it Yourself Care #3 (mini-zine about self-care during winter holidays and family gatherings), Witches’ Brew #1 (mini-zine about herbs), and all three issues of Lost Luna Zine (mini-zines that accompany the “Shadow Play” EP). Plenty of reading fun! This bundle also includes a digital download of the Lost Luna EP “Shadow Play” to which I refer in the new issues of Confined.
More info about each zine at: https://echopublishing.wordpress.com/zines/
The two new Confined zines only:
This bundle contains Confined #3 + 4, the newest issues of my lockdown diary comic zine series. This bundle also includes a digital download of the Lost Luna EP “Shadow Play”.
Each zine: A5, hand-tied, 32 pages on recycled paper with cover on coloured paper
More info about each zine at: https://echopublishing.wordpress.com/zines/
Test print of the two new Confined issues:
Test print of Confined #3 and #4 (only 1 available!)
I did three test prints of both issues of Confined, one for myself, one for a dear friend, and one for… you? This test print contains some things that were changed in the official release (from typos to a slightly embarrassing mistake) so it’s really unique! You could also get the test print AND the official print and play spot the difference. 🙂
Each zine: A5, 32 pages
More info about my zines at: https://echopublishing.wordpress.com/zines/
Embroidery:
I’ve made a few unique hand-sewn pieces of embroidery inspired by themes that appear in my Confined zines such as zine culture, self-care, the pandemic, and Chainsaw Bunny.
Available designs:
(I may be adding more soon)
They are hand-embroidered and one of a kind! This embroidered art can hopefully offer some comfort and beauty in these difficult times.
Materials used: cotton fabric, cotton embroidery thread, polyester sewing thread (and felt in some designs)
Zine-themed button set:
Button set that includes buttons/badges with the following designs:
❤
All pre-orders support me in getting the zines printed so they are greately appreciated! Thank you!
Pre-order for the new Confined zines (and some DIY merch) starts tomorrow!! Keep an eye on my Bandcamp shop and this blog!
To get you curious about the upcoming issues #3 and #4 of Confined, my lockdown diary comic zine, I’ve collected some excerpts, photographed directly from the sketchbook in which I’ve drawn them. The sketchbook was a gift of Alison and Herb a few years ago (thank you!) and I’ve used it entirely to make the two new issues of Confined, as well as for a few illustrations.
I’m currently proofreading the test copies I made of the Confined zines… This is such a big project. I don’t think I’ve ever done another zine (series) that required as much time, effort, work, and dedication as this one. But I think it will be worth it!
NEWS: The pre-order for Confined #3 and #4 will be launched on September 3rd in my Bandcamp webshop! I will announce it on this blog (and social media) and you can subscribe if you want to receive the news via email.
Here are some sneak peeks from the sketchbook/zines:
Continue reading “Pieces and pages from my Confined zines sketchbook”
Echo Zines 