Underground Publishing Practices
Participants will engage in conversations about the process of creating and sustaining self publishing practices that struggle to exist visibly within challenging landscapes. They will work through the complexities of art-making in South Asia, and will reflect on the difficulties of producing work with limited access to resources, funding, space, and supportive art ecosystems.
The workshop will center the technical aspects of zine-making, delving into materiality, folding, cutting, threading and stitching. Participants will learn various zine binding techniques, ranging from simple folds to stitched bindings, alongside layout design, sequencing, and working with found materials. They will be given an introduction to bookbinding tools and techniques, variations and potentials of format. They will learn about the modular grid system, a layout structure of intersecting columns and rows that creates a grid of uniform boxes, or modules, for placing content. This system is used to organize varied content like text, images, and charts into a consistent and structured layout, which helps compose the content of each page, to bring order and coherence to the complex layout for publication by introducing terminologies like margins, gutter, module, rows and columns on each page. This will ground the block grid system as a fundamental tool when planning to visualise content of the zine.
This session will equip participants with the tools and skills to begin constructing their own publications, offering a grounding in the physical act of making.
All materials will be provided. Snacks will be served. Each participant will get a zine on how to sustain a self-publishing practice, provided by the facilitators.
| Time | Breakdown |
| 1 hour 15 mins | Presentation of Zine Practices: – Design and Fine Art – Zine reading ‘Towards a self-sustaining publishing model’ by Mark Fischer: |
| 30 mins: | Demo of zine binding stitch by Alizeh Afzal |
| 1 hour: | crafting/drawing in zine (assisted by alizeh and anita) |
| 1 hour | B R E A K |
| 30 mins | Design Conceptualisation and grid system demo by Anita Zehra |
| 15 mins | Designing conceptualisation / composition Writing prompt: What makes up a community for you? |
| 30 mins | Reading/conversation/sharing reflection |
Workshop Details
- All materials will be provided, including paper, binding tools, needles, thread, cutters, and drawing materials. No prior experience necessary.
- The workshop is open to artists, designers, writers, photographers, community organizers, activists, cultural workers, and anyone interested in DIY publishing, zine-making, and creating self-sustaining platforms for collective storytelling.
- The workshop will be conducted in English
- In-person only
- All materials provided—just bring yourself and your ideas
- No prior experience in bookbinding or design required
- Workshop Capacity: Limited to 10-15 participants to ensure intimate, hands-on learning.
Learning goals
- Hands-on bookbinding and stitching techniques
- Layout design and sequencing skills
- Understanding of modular grid systems for publication design
- Knowledge of working with found and accessible materials
- Introduction to zines as community-building tools
- Frameworks for creating self-sustaining publishing models
About Your Workshop Mentors
Alizeh Afzal is a book artist based in Karachi, Pakistan. She works with zines and artist books that center friendships, intimacy, and community within the context of Pakistan. Alizeh’s practice explores experimental forms of bookbinding, photography, paper-making, printmaking, archiving, and drawing. In 2023, she initiated The Blue Orange Project, a community-driven publishing platform that gathers stories and art from within our context on a range of themes. She currently works as an Art Critic and Editor at Art Now Pakistan.
Anita Zehra is a visual designer based in Karachi, Pakistan. Anita’s practices center ecological kinships in the urban landscape, and exploring identity. Using collaborations, and reflections as a primary design process, she creates politically informed design in different mediums including writing, photography, and publications. Anita’s work has been featured in SAAG Anthology (South Asian Avant Garde), Fearless Foundation of the Arts, and Summer Institute of IOWA. She currently works as the Design Director at SAAG Anthology.
How to Apply
Application Deadline: 2nd December 2025
Please submit your application via this form:
https://forms.gle/3obvA5kthYtZUZJy9
If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us at sagar@photocircle.com.np / mail@photoktm.com