Zine - by Jes (growing distro)

This summer I visited the Zine Camp at Worm in Rotterdam. I met many interesting people and bought several nice zines. I will review some of them as a preparation for (possibly) making my own zine.

Jes (growing distro)
Three very personal zines from Berlin.

Two zines from the "growth" series. Small (A6) format in color. Professionally hand made, with different paper qualities. They combine personal and intimate details with notes about travel, nature and the care of plants. Authentic texts about overcoming personal crises and finding confidence.

... Last year I fell in love and it felt like the world became brighter and more exciting than before. It seemed like every leaf that fell before me must have been a symbol of this awakening inside me ... I decided while away that I needed to stay in touch with earth and nature and began researching the types of seeds I could plant on my shady windowsill ...

And the zines contain  the random, noisy photographs of nature that I like very much. And it's combined with a text reminiscent of Beethoven's Pastoral symphony:

... I've left the city and am enjoying a short visit to Brandenburg in order to leave my routine and find something new ... how great it feels to be outside of the city ... I am so appreciative of the space I have found to return to myself. I am thankful of the barking dogs outside my room ... I'm thankful for the trees and garden my room looks onto. I'm thankful for the large wooden desk that is clear of my own clutter, to-do lists, empty glasses, and notes reminding me that i'm not doing what I want to be doing in this life ...

And finally there's this guide to using sex toys. In the classic cut, paste and copy style. Still intimate and personal, but in a different key. I admire the courage to connect your own identity with such explicit content. The concept arouses curiosity (pun intended) and the punk look-and-feel gives it a nice underground touch.

... cleaning toys: keep them fresh and handy for the next time you play with them ... non-battery operated toys, silicone and glass, can be boiled in water or put in a dishwasher ...

Lessons learned
Personally I prefer the neat binding and graphic design of the "growth" zines over the "fuck" zine. Also their small format is more sympathetic. The photographs and background patterns add a lot of value. I could never write so openly about my feelings and still feel authentic. In these zines it is totally natural and appropriate. But I could write about places and seasons and their effect on me.

Sources:
http://growingdistro.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1584900601727512/
http://zinecamp2015.hotglue.me/