I don’t think of myself as being particularly creative, nor do I see myself as being adept (or even adequate) at craftwork. That being the case, I initially thought the binding process would be daunting. After watching the tutorial, however, and seeing just how simple it was, I was confident that I could get it done proficiently. During the process of actually working with the materials, I was a bit nervous at first. I kept thinking I might measure improperly, or cut the thread too short, or even rip the paper. But once I actually started physically doing the binding, I found it surprisingly enjoyable to be working with my hands and I actually felt calm during the process. I don’t recall making anything by hand during adulthood, but the binding process reminded me of a time in elementary school when I was tasked with creating load bearing structures using only cardboard and glue. I remember that I quite enjoyed working with my hands then, too.
By engaging with the materials, I believe one becomes aware of just how much books are taken for granted. Physically creating the book is an intimate thing, which gives one a greater appreciation of the art of bookmaking. Conversely, when interacting with mass produced books, there is no real sense of intimacy, it feels more like a thing than a creation.
I believe people are driven to make Zines because they feel much more personal than other forms. Physical, tactile interaction with the form makes Zines feel almost like an extension of the author/creator themselves.
In my opinion, an in-person tutorial has advantages over the Youtube tutorial. For example, when the object is right in front of you, you can interact with it in three dimensions and get a sense of what it’s actually supposed to feel like. That being said, I believe Joanna’s tutorial was still very effective because it conveyed the simplicity of the process, showed the process in the entirety, and reassured the viewer continuously.
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Hi,
Working with the materials and following the instructions from Johanna’s video was actually very enjoyable for me too. It’s kind of like sewing clothes but with papers. So far, this has been my favorite blog Lol.
Hey,
I relate to what you said about the only other real-time of being creative with a hands-on project being in elementary school. I think that made this assignment a bit daunting because of the lack of practice. But, admittedly, the tutorials did lessen some of this feeling. And creating the zine did increase my appreciation for books and the creation of books.
Dan,
I like your point that working with one’s hands can create a sense of calm — perhaps the focus of the activity moves us away from multitasking in a way that is satifying?
The question of intimacy keeps popping up. It’s interesting to think about how ownership and value can be so closely tied to the embodied experience of holding/handling a book. Is this true for all media, do you think? Or is it particular to books?