The Learning Zone

Last March 13 and 14, the OCAD U Zine Fair took place at the lobby of 100 McCaul Street. This year, the event had its 11th anniversary.

The Learning Zone -as part of the OCAD University Library- has been an active space for the promotion and growth of a unique publication known as zines. The OCAD Zine Library houses and provides access to over 2500 zines and the collection is developing every year. By organizing the Zine Fair, the OCAD offers another initiative to inspire students.

11 years have passed since the first edition of the Zine Fair but the goals have remained the same. It is definitely a great opportunity to not just celebrate the creation of zines, but also to recognize and acknowledge the multiple aesthetic versions of these alternative publications. Different subjects and concepts were presented in the zines exhibited, from comics, art, fashion and politics, to sex, sexuality, and queer zines, among others.

Surrounded by music and stimulating energy the public engaged with creators/vendors. They asked questions and chatted about some techniques and formats of zines. One of the highlights of the event during all these years has been the opportunity of “Make a button”. Of course, this time it was not an exception and art lovers, creators, and the public, in general, were enchanted with the process and steps of creating their own buttons. Last but not least, it has been a tradition to create a poster in order to promote and provide an identity to the event, and this year it was designed by fourth-year student Natalie Mark.

Here, find the vendors and participants of the Zine Fair in its 11th edition:

Rebecca Suzanne Michie https://www.instagram.com/nausicaa.art/; Old Growth Press www.oldgrowthpress.ca; Rachel McCormick https://www.instagram.com/ayoitsrachelo/; Myshka instagram.com/mishsmam; Elise Conlin www.eliseconlin.com; The Blues https://akpaillustration.com/; Salisa Jat salisajat.format.com; Alyssa Pisciotto www.instagram.com/that_glitter_chick; Dalbert B. Vilarino www.dalbertbv.com; Project 40 Collective www.p40collective.ca; Clairandean www.instagram.com/clairandean; Gwendolyn McLuhan https://www.instagram.com/grendelline/; Kelly K www.okaykellyk.com; Kimberly Edgar www.kimberlyedgar.com; Isa  www.instagram.com/carefultarot; Zoë Martin a.k.a. Zome Loam www.kzoemartin.wix.com/zomeloam; The Sunday Night Bombers https://sundaynightbombers.com; Dairysam http://www.instagram.com/dairy.sam; Andre Freitas https://www.facebook.com/ozman.hq/; Cleopatria www.instagram.com/cleopatriia; Emily Fay Fin www.fayforest.com; Casey E Helm – VESTAIS www.instagram.com/vestais; Clara Lynas https://www.instagram.com/claralynas/; daikonbaby www.instagram.com/daikonbaby; Xiaoxiao Li. www.instagram.com/xiaoxli; Lina Wu https://www.instagram.com/linaw_u/; Madcrush.co  madcrush.co; Jercy Dee www.instagram.com/jercydee; Rabeea Syed https://www.instagram.com/rabeeasyed/; Maradecartoons www.instagram.com/maradecartoons; Kai Lumbang kailumbang.com; Emma Percy http://www.instagram.com/emmalucillepercy; creepazoidMonster https://www.instagram.com/creepazoidmonster/; Toadstool Illustrations https://linktr.ee/toadstoolillustrates; Nati Romero www.natiromero.com; Chuddi Collective https://www.instagram.com/bodoodley/; https://www.instagram.com/monsterjuice/;   https://www.instagram.com/sylvianowak/

  Poster design by Natalie Mark

Monsters and Clothing, featuring new works by OCAD U Illustration Students, Eunice Lai and Becky Wu.

Come and see the unique character designs from the imagination of two OCAD illustration students, Eunice Lai and Becky Wu. Enter their world of wonderful monsters and creatures, and an array of extravagant and modern outfits. This exhibition also features a collaborative four piece painting of two giant monsters!

On at the Learning Zone Gallery until March 2

See The Forest Through The Trees is a series of illustrations and zines by Cleopatria Peterson, which spans her creative career.

Cleopatria enjoys diverse storytelling using detailed ink and pen illustrations in her artwork and zines, exploring the complexities of experiencing trauma, and of healing through nature, from a perspective of a marginalized person.

Each meticulously inked piece touches back to nature; and how it can heal you. Pages are stand-alone illustrative works or taken from narratives

Zines on Display:

Haunted House Call No. PER112M
Kingston is for Lesbians Call No. PER113M
Intrusive Thoughts Call No. C381M
Resin Call No. C380M
Pact Call No. C379M
Illustrated Works Call No. A222M
Weeds Call No. C175S
Illustrations Call No. A193S

Cleopatria is a Toronto based Illustrator and comic artist studying Publications at OCAD University.

On at the Learning Zone Gallery until October 27

We always get excited when a new zine display is installed in the Learning Zone, especially when created by one of the LZ Student Monitors.

Hi Nikole,

LZ: What’s your relationship with zines?

N: I used to love reading books and also spend hours looking at illustrations. With zines I can enjoy those two worlds together!

Tell us why you selected these zines for the Relax, read a zine display.

Just like with books, I trust in great opening lines, lines that capture your attention and invite you to keep reading. I also selected entertaining zines, that can take you away from worries for some minutes of pure fun.

With the zines that I selected, I found Study Buddy by Chu/Michy and Coffee Hunters by Bill Bedard very funny relatable — most of the people that I know are addicted to coffee.

I love illustrations so when I opened Frequently asked questions about threesome by Hyein Lee, the illustrations were so cute and unexpected. For me the most daring illustrations were in A Jest of Nature by Marcel Ruijters but overall, all of the illustrations from the zines that I selected were beautiful.

All of the zines have interesting stories and comics, they keep you hooked and have a very happy tone.

Thanks Nikole, for sharing some of your favourite zines with us.

Zines on display:

Coffee Hunters: Book One: The Hunt by Bill Bedard

Study Buddy by Chu & Michy

A Jest of Nature by Marcel Ruijters

Boredom Pays #6 by Jason Bradshaw

Obviously Quo-tes Ontario

Coordinates by Beth Hyland

Papercutter #4

Frequently asked question about threesome by Hyein Lee

Pope Hats No. 1 by Ethan Rilly

Dylan North is currently finishing his 3^rd year in the Illustration program at OCAD University. Dylan’s main focus is primarily in 2D digital illustration, he also enjoys experimenting with many different digital image production techniques including 3D animation and sculpting, motion graphics and music production.

Learning Zone: How long have you been interested in art? How long have you known that this is something you want to pursue as a career?

Dylan North: I’ve always been interested in art but it wasn’t until later in high school that I started devoting a lot of time to expanding my technical facilities beyond simply cartoons and Flash animations. That said, I did not think this was something that I would do as a career. Then I stepped back and looked at what I had been doing ever day for years and realized I was making a lot of images and enjoying it a lot. I guess around that time I started leaning away from a potentially strictly academic post-secondary study and started thinking about a career in the arts.

What influenced your decision to major in illustration?

I wanted some sort of structured environment to hone my skills at. I wanted to be a part of a community of creatives where I’d hopefully learn about techniques I had never explored. I wanted to get out of my miniscule farming town, so I chose Illustration at OCAD U. I felt that I would fit most comfortably in the design stream.

What is your creative process? 

Right now it’s usually pencil thumbnails to work out composition then really loose linears then I scan those in and start a tight linear in Photoshop. Sometimes my vision for an image isn’t clear enough in my head to draw it so, I’ll use 3D software to bash elements together and fly around the scene until I see something that clicks. An image can come from a whole multitude of processes though. Often I will explore an assignment in every medium I can and cross-pollinate the ideas until there’s some clarity to my vision.

What do you enjoy most about studying illustration?

I enjoy the people the most. Studying illustration can be a really personal thing because you are constantly trying to find out how you uniquely visually communicate but then you go into class and realize everyone is going through a similar developmental process and there’s always laughs to go around.

What inspires you?

Used books stores and libraries – you can find old text books, monographs, journal articles that all inspire you in certain ways. The Internet, movies, comics and manga, history, language, memories… everything! It’s good to be learning something and be inspired to make an image at the same time.

Where are you most productive? Tell us a bit about your creative space.

My creative space is in a small apartment in a room that can’t hold all of my things but it’s a good environment to work in because I can play some music, have a video playing, flip through books I love and work at my own speed. I’m most productive in a place where I have sources of inspiration at hand.

What are two of your favourite tools that you could not live without?

My tablet and computer.

What is it that excites you most about the tools you work with? Is there another medium you would like to work in?

I like working on a computer because I can infinitely iterate. While retaining old versions I can skew and distort the work without anxiety of ruining it. Of course, I enjoy painting and drawing so I’m always working on getting better at traditional art techniques. I want to embrace mediums like acrylics, gouache and oils but I don’t have a consistent command on them yet.

Working digitally lets you take the image in the direction that you need to go in a short time plus material cost is low and you don’t need much physical space.

Has attending art school helped you to develop your own personal style? If so, how?

Whatever style I may inherently have will come naturally through creating many images and through my personal execution of an idea. Art school helps you see how varied we all are as artists and I guess it reveals to you the kind of styles you’re not interested in pursuing.

Is there any illustrator or artist from the past or present that have influenced your style?

Too many to name. I think every image I’ve seen has influenced me in some way.

Last year you were an exhibitor in Zine Dream, how did you get started in zine making?

I decided that I wanted to give a try because I like how open the DIY/zine scene is to personal expressions and reflections. I had some illustrations and comics that I thought other people might enjoy so I got some risograph prints and stapled up short zines. I had a lot of fun. It was really inspiring to meet the other artists and a few people actually bought my things, that was cool.

How do you promote yourself?

I try to maintain an active social media presence, Dylan-North.com.

Is there anything else you want to share with us, any final thoughts?

Thank you for asking me about my experiences here.