Zine-O-Matic Idea Generator
I made a little DIY vending machine a few weeks back that dispenses ideas for making zines. I had it on my table at a recent zine fair and I didn’t really mind if I sold any zines as long as people played with this, which they did 😂 I encouraged people to take the card they got with them and to let me know if they end up making the zine.
When I’m at zine fairs people often say that they’d like to make a zine but they don’t know what to make one about. I just wanted to make a little interactive thing that invited people to think about all of the weird, interesting, unique things that they could put in a zine, just to get them started. I liked that it feels a bit like receiving a fortune.
There are about 150 idea cards (too many ideas, not enough time to make them). I just printed and cut them at home. I tried to keep the ideas as easily actionable and non-specific for the average person as possible. And I also left out blank cards at the fair in case anyone wanted to add their own idea suggestions (which they did!). Let me know if you have any zine ideas you’d like to share and I’ll add them to a card.
The machine is made from a box that used to store markers, and I covered it with pink paper and collage. Topper sign is just scrap cardboard I drew on and it sits in a polymer clay couch I made last minute before the last fair. The internal mechanism is made from cardboard, magnets, a piece of dowel and the ends of some balloons I cut off (because I didn’t have rubber bands). Kits to make similar types of card vending machines out of cardboard exist online to buy or there’s a Youtube video that might help if you’re keen to construct one from scratch if you search for ‘DIY Card Vending Machine’.
I’ve been making little videos occasionally on my Instagram dispensing individual cards. I kind of want to make all of the zines now?? Also maybe other card vending machines for different creative ideas. And I’m considering making a zine that has all of the zine ideas I’ve brainstormed in it.
Anyway, thanks for looking/reading.