Name: Aijung Kim
Location: Richmond, VA
Art: aijungkim.com
Shop: sprouthead.etsy.com
How about a brief introduction?
Hello! I am an artist and avid printmaker who likes to write and illustrate poems & stories. My next goal is to write and illustrate a children’s book, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
How did you get involved with zine making?
A few years back I was involved in a Comix Club group where we drew, talked, and shared our mutual love of comics. Zines were a natural extension of that for me, a way to combine words and art into little books that were not as time-consuming to draw as comics – all those comic book panels take forever!
Tell us what’s your goal when it comes to zine making?
I like to try to make each zine better than the last in some way. I always learn something new about illustrating, designing, and writing for zines. I also like each zine to have its own character that makes it a bit different from the rest.
Any favorite artists that inspired you to make your zine?
The first zines I ever purchased (I didn’t even know what zines were back then) were by Mark Todd, who wrote and illustrated funny stories about his friends and family. Then a few years back I read Invincible Summer by Nicole Georges. I love the little illustrated books by Daria Tessler, zines by the La-La Theory, and comics by Corinne Mucha. Edward Gorey has always been a big inspiration as well.
What’s the one tip you’d like to share with people who are interested in making their own zines?
First off, just start something! It’s scary at first, but you will learn a lot from your first zine. Content is important – what do you want to say and how will you say it? After the first zine, start to think about presentation – how to make your zine beautiful and unique in its own way. The art, writing, and book format should inform each other so that your book stands as a unified whole – something that represents you and what you want to communicate to the world. Good luck and have fun!
