What is a HOWiezine? According to the site,
HOWiezine is a limited edition, handmade collaborative book project created by HOW forum members, also known as
HOWies. There is a theme and participants create two pages based on their interpretation of that theme. Only participants are eligible to receive a copy of the HOWiezine, and when they're gone, they're gone.
When I joined the
HOW Design forum, I was primarily there to network with other designers and gain further knowledge of processes in problem solving. After some time I noticed a buzz about the latest HOWizine. I had to investigate. I visited the site and had the opportunity at a local HOWie meet-up in the DC area to see a few of the past HOWiezines up close and personal. Wow! What diversity in design, paper, binding, and concept. I was immediately excited and wanted to jump in on the next "zine."
The book is produced 4 times a year and the themes are presented well ahead of time. I joined in on HOWiezine 8, theme - Pirates. I downloaded the template and started working on a concept. I had about 2 months to work up a final concept, then design and produce close to 40 pages (page count is based on the number of participants plus a few extra).
The Howiezine was finally bound and shipped and I have to say that I was excited when the envelope was delivered to my office. The contents of this envelope contained the 'zine nicely bound with an elastic cord and pencil that has pirates printed on it, a newspaper pirate hat, and a seashell with a scroll inside of it. This was my first shot at participation and I was anxious to see what the other Howies had done.
First off I have to say that holding the actual finished Howiezine in my hands for the first time was awesome. As I studied the cover with it's burlap and old map background with old flintlock pistol, coins, and compass, I knew I was in for a treat even a buccaneer would enjoy. Luna did a fantastic job on the covers. Her execution of the different textures and elements were well thought out and inviting. I immediately wanted to open this book and savor the diversity of concept and design each page had to offer.
As I opened the book I instantly knew I was in for some fun as I discovered the first of many goodies on the inside front cover.
Instead of reading my descriptions, check out the zine for your self. >>
HOWiezine-8 My HZ-8 Pages I always carry around a pad and pen for sketching or a digital voice recorder to collect my ideas as they come to me. This assures that I don't lose a thing, no matter how lame or great the idea is. Some of my thoughts were to do a page with an old pirate looking at a locker and saying, "Arrrr! This be Davey Jones Locker!" And then on the back side show a locker with the door opened up and filled with Monkees paraphenalia, tambourine, 60s style shirt, etc. Another concept I toyed with was to place small booty bags on pages with a numeral eight cut into small pieces inside and include instructions on how to assemble the "pieces-of-eight." But I wanted to do something not so cheeky or cliche'.
I had just completed a poster project for the Center for Prostate Disease Research, National Database Program, which promoted
Prostate Cancer Awareness Week. I used ones and zeros to form a figure of a man in this poster to represent the data as a binary code and thought how I could apply that to a theme designed around software piracy. I figured this would be a unique direction to take.
Front Page
I experimented with the Jolly Roger by illustrating it using the binary code. It started to look pretty cool so I ran with it. I found a bunch of info on software piracy and used various sources to come up with the 10 rules of engagement for fighting software piracy. I also used numeral ones and zeros to make the banner outline on the backside of the page.
To get the black background on the front page, I scanned a piece of canvas and inverted it in photoshop to get that old weathered cloth look. The Adobe logo was distressed by using a scan I produced by xeroxing a black leather binder and then crumpling up the print and xeroxing it about 5 more times. I placed a layer mask over the Adobe logo and imported the xerox scan and then used a set of grunge brushes to add to the texture. I also used the same technique on the back page with the Jolly Roger.
Back Page
The type style needed to reflect the 18th century time period for that "Pirate" feel. The fonts I selected are Copperplate 1672 WF and William Shakespeare WF (used for the body type and titles), and 1oth Century Bookhand WF (used for the binary code), purchased grouped as a package called “Divers Handes,” from
The Walden Font Co.The paper I selected is a 32lb off-white parchment I purchased from Staples.
Labels: Experimental Work, graphic design, HOW Forum, HOWiezine
This is my first submission to Illustration Friday, a site designed for illustrators to post work conceived around a word. 
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