Comics and art galore at third zine event
BY RACHEL LEE-THOMAS
The sunlit square of Sheridan’s Trafalgar library bustled with activity at the third biannual Zine fair.
Students and artists gathered and waited turn to check out the amazing artwork and zines displayed on Thursday March 17.
From Animation to Illustration, artists from all programs participated filling the space with creative booths.
Second-year Illustration student Jesse DeNobrega organized the fair and was pleased with the increase in turnout. Dozens of artists semi circled the space as groups of students passed through.
“There’s way more people than there were last time,” said DeNobrega. “The stuff people are bringing out keeps getting better and it’s cool to see what people are exhibiting.”
Having partnered with graduate Olivia Ongai in the past, this is DeNobrega’s first time organizing the event solo and it was a huge success.
“We’re selling stuff but it’s also cool to be able to meet each other,” he said. “Usually we’re confined to our own programs so it’s nice to get outside of that and talk.”
DeNobrega displayed some of his older zines and works including a comic that had been intended for children about an existential dog, as well as an intricate artwork created digitally and then printed.
“I’m going to keep organizing events like this for as long as I can,” he said. “Next time I will probably get some friends to help me.”
The fair also featured other original works including prints, stickers, and comics.
“I made stickers and book marks and it’s all original digital art,” said second-year Illustration student Leah Avila.
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- The first zine event at Sheridan that took place at last years Exam Jam. Quite a difference in turn out.
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- The third zine event took over the library sitting area.
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- Students move in groups around the semi circle of displays.
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- First year Illustration student Alicia Morris displays an array of original zines.
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- Colourful and unique zines all made by Morris
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- Event coordinator Jesse DeNobrega displays one of his latest illustrations.
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- Second year animation student Christine Wong represented Sheridan's Comic making club with a popular display
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- Graphics made by members of the comic book club including familiar faces such as Totoro from "My Neighbour Totoro" and Undyne from the Steam game "Undertale".
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- Zines and comics made by members of the comic making club
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- Leah Avila showing off her original cute and chubby stickers.
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- Squeezed into a smaller section, is Avila's display of bookmarks
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- Second year Illustration Ashley Wong displaying her zines and stickers. She first heard about the art of zineing at TCAF.
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- Some stickers and charms made from baking clay from the popular Cartoon Network show Steven Universe made by an Illustration student
“It really fuels you and you get to see peoples reactions and talk and make others feel excited and happy.”
Avila was squished into a tiny space of table, but carried stickers around and walked the floor with a friendly vibe.
She plans on continuing to contribute to zine fairs in the future.
Some of the zinesters drew inspiration from Canzine, Canada’s largest festival of Zine culture and independent art.
“I saw a poster at school for Canzine and that’s what had originally sparked my interest,” said first-year Illustration student Alicia Morris. “It’s a great format for me to get things out and finish things because the way I fold them there’s only eight pages and that’s all I get.”
Morris said that her ideas come spontaneously, for short stories, colouring books and meditation.
Next to Morris’ table was second-year Animation student Christine Wong representing Sheridan’s comic-making club with art and zines made by members.
“A lot of these are diary comics or funny things that happen to the artist,” Wong said. “We try to get our members to make as much comics as they can because a lot of people want to but they don’t.”
The Comic Book Club meets every Thursday at 6:30 in G203. The group sits together to make and critique comics and have a lot of fun. It will be releasing a comic anthology soon for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival.
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