Book Design
Killer Queen Zine
I was in a group tasked to create a zine based on the lyrics from Killer Queen by Queen. We each needed to create a case study based off of the lyric we were assigned, them construct and produce our own zines based on the song. This was a result of that project.
The Background
The construction of the book reflected who we thought the “Killer Queen” personified. I used a sewing machine to custom create these covers that went on our zine in addition to utilizing my production skills to add in creative inserts to our zine as well. In saying that, I put together a small team to help me produce our zine. We decided to exemplify a diary of sorts, using the wire binding to create something that felt like a journal and adding the lock and key to create something intimate. I utilized my workplaces’ ability to print with silver, gold, white and spot clear toner to add subtle nuances to our zine. We created these moments in the zine where there was a sheet of clear film layered on top of paper to create a puzzle of sorts as the reader tried to figure out who the Killer Queen really was.
The Construction
My Design
The lyric I was assigned was “Then, momentarily out of action, temporarily out of gas”. I decided to design my spreads based off of the theme of mental exhaustion. Each of my designs were tied to the feelings of anxiety and intense pressure that comes from mental exhaustion pertain to life and school. I did a series of photos, which I included in the zine, to exemplify that point. In addition, I used the spot clear toner that I mentioned earlier to create words in the background that you can’t see unless you shine it in the light, to showcase how the symptoms of mental exhaustion can be invisible on the outside, but on the inside you are suffering. Each member of our group also created inserts to add to our spreads. My insert took a lyric out of “Brain Damage” by Pink Floyd to show that mental exhaustion can feel as though another person is in your mind that isn’t you.
I also created the book matter associated with our zine. In creating the folios and the subtext along the borders of the zine, I didn’t want it to take away from the students’ work. So, once more I utilized my workplace’s spot clear toner to make sure the matter was subtle, but still able to be seen if you looked close enough.