Thinking Outside The Zine

The written articles below are personal opinions from my 10-year experience as a zine maker.

I'm Tum (ตั้ม), a Bangkok-based zine artist and photographer. My work unfolds through my projects—Aperture Brought Me Here and Wuthipol Designs—which centre on storytelling through curated photography collections in print. While they serve different purposes, they somehow complement each other in the way I curate my work, bringing both to life in surprising ways. After years of working on brand identities and marketing materials, I’ve discovered what truly sparks my creativity is publication design, particularly photobooks and zines. These have been instrumental in shaping my graphic design journey, often leading to exciting commission projects—from abroad and at home.

I've made 80 zines to date (as at 2025), though there are countless others I’ve lost track of. The very first one dates back to 1998, created during junior high with my childhood neighbour, Gib. We started a cartoon club, K2A Club, and invited friends from different schools to join our free monthly subscription. Each month, we released a themed flyer focusing on our favourite anime series—we wrote blurbs and character profiles. Looking back, it feels like self-publishing has always been a part of me, even before I fully understood what it was.

What started as a personal exploration of creativity and self-expression, has evolved into a deeper understanding of the power zines hold as a medium for communication. Zines are more than just DIY publications, they represent a world of possibility, where the boundaries between art, design and personal narrative blur. Through zine making, I’ve discovered a space where freedom, experimentation and community converge.

This book is a culmination of years of making, collecting and studying zines and how they have transcended their origins, to become an integral part of the creative and cultural landscape. Zines are a reflection of the people who create them and the communities they serve. They are a medium that resists definition; flexible, experimental and sometimes rebellious. Whether you are a regular zine maker, a curious first-timer or someone simply interested in art and self-publishing, I hope this book offers you new insights and inspires you to create, question and explore the world of zines.

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Published in 2025
by Sojanggak
Seoul, South Korea