eleanorzine the 6th issue by Bianca DeBardelaben

eleanorzine issue #006

THE COMIC ISSUE

featuring:

Cat Scratch Fever

inside the artist's studio w/ lucy kinsley dashboard confessionals

nerdy girl

VERONICAAAAAAA

what's eleanorzine? eleanorzie is created for: The outsiders, the geeks, the dweebs, the nerds, the trend setters and not followers, the girl who can beat anyone at smash bros, the girl who dreams of having high tea in Japan, the girl who sits alone in the cafeteria, the girl who is sometimes thought of as weird, odd, and peculiar, the girl who likes fashion, but perhaps not the main stream, the girl who swims against the flow vs. going with the flow, the girl who blogs about polaroids, purikura, and holga. This zine is for the knitters, the stitchers, and the all around crafsters—the girl who downloads Japanese magazines, and doesn’t need help at Game Stop. This zine is created for you by girls like you. Whether you are 12 or 112, we hope to cater to a place to find where you belong, because magazines usually don’t cater to us, so we decided to create our own. So keep blogging, watch Ninja warrior, and dominate on Steam, we promise to bring watch interests you back into the magazine realm, because if we don’t who will. questions? shoot us a line @ eleanorzine@gmail.com

Web comics, web comics, WE LOVE WEBCOMICS! Who knew theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d take are hearts by storm? From the simplest three panel hilarity, to the in depth personal stories of online diaries, we heart them all. So because of this current obsession we decided to dedicate issue 6 of eleanorzine (my lucky number!) to the thing we love the most. We collaborated with some lovely geeky ladies such as Veronica Fish for more than just an interview, and we stepped into the studio of Lucy Kinsley to take a look around. PLUS--we gathered some of the best web comics the net has to offer, to keep you entertained all year round. Hope you enjoy issue 6 as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you!

<3 <3 Bianca :D

TABLE OF CONTENTS what is eleanorzine editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter contributors cat scratch fever feature: lady daydream street style geek out: inside the artist studio WRLP: webcomics glb tkkr japan diaries by hana nerdy girl: veronica feature: beach house usagiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story book a word: from sasa kupkake qt korner trend to try advertise contribute special thanks

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ISSUE

CONTRIBUTOR H The Prepette Bianca, Chicago, avantblargh.blogspot.com

The Hippie Sasa, Spain yumepony.blogspot.com

The Art Kid Veronica, Boston www.moduslotus.com

HIGH The Prom Queen Hana, Tokyo www.hanalovely.com

The Jock Lucy, New York www.lucyknisley.com

The Chic Geek Brooke kupkakeqt.blogspot.com

Cat Scratch Whether its lol cats or watching Maru on youtube, kittens got it made. We collaborated with cover girl Veronica Fish for this meow mix of accessories that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find purrfect. see more art @ moduslotus.com

h Fever 9

Lady Daydream

some days are just better in

ndoors...

photos and styling by: www.bo

31 owsandbandits.com :: shop the looks @ www.bowsandbandits.com

street style

Dashboard Confessionals. eleanorzine: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to deny the siren call of tumblr, it truly seems to have it all and the capability to read our nerdy little minds. This summer we decided to fall deep into her lure, search high and low for some of the best street style these tumblogs have to offer. Prepared to be inspired.

eleanorzine reblogged olive-loaf

57 notes reblog

street style

eleanorzine reblogged diamondandunicorn

85 notes reblog

eleanorzine reblogged photogenicsloth

102 notes reblog

street style

eleanorzine reblogged deluneblog

76 notes reblog

eleanorzine reblogged wishwishwish

45 notes reblog

street style

eleanorzine reblogged deadskinentrial

80 notes reblog

eleanorzine reblogged lackcreativity

107 notes reblog

street style

eleanorzine reblogged struttlamode

80 notes reblog

eleanorzine reblogged Trini

107 notes reblog

have amazing street style? send us a snap at eleanorzine@gmail.com

geek out {special}

INSIDE THE ARTIST’S STUDI

Lucy (left) and her studio mate Nora (center) chillin’ in their illin’ space

IO Sunny, homey, tree house...

These are the words that comic book artists and illustrator Lucy Kinsley uses to describe her studio space. The former New Yorker holds her Chicago studio close to her heart regardless of “grim and brutal” winters Chicago may carry. “We get amazing light in here, and especially when it’s windy or rainy, it’s like being in a cozy tree house.” Having the chance to discuss Lucy’s studio space meant a great deal to me. Reading one of her comic books is almost like a quiet dissertation on the simple complexities life. Her ability to be so brilliantly introspective is what draws the reader in and leaves them longing for more. I felt very lucky to be invited into her home like Charlie winning the golden ticket. And she felt the same about finding her space. 43

geek out {special}

“When I came to look at the space, a bunch of college kids were living here and it was a total dump. The big room that became the studio contained a beanbag chair and a hooka. But it was this lovely bright space, surrounded by windows. The studio is shaped strangely, with two inset nooks and a closet on one wall. I don’t know how people could have used the space as well, because it seemed to have been custom designed for our setup.” Only an artist could see this diamond in the rough. Most people would turn away from such a horrifying display, but Lucy and her studio mate Nora Reinck-Rinehart, a textile artist, were able to see a great deal of potential is this former frat boys dream. Sharing an area can be slightly daunting as an artist.

Many artists live in organized chaos that only they may understand, but Lucy looks at this as a benefit and not curse, “It’s nice to share a studio space, but I love that I have my own little area, where I can be together while slightly separate from my studio mate. It allows things to be neat in my workspace when I need it to be, and to be total chaos when that’s needed, without having to deal with someone else’s mess/neatness.” Plus having a roommate does has it advantages, Lucy remarks on being dragged to lunch by Nora and having to take an hour break on a daily basis versus working the day through. It’s great to have this friendly reminder, I can also relate myself. It is easy to forget to eat or even pee when you’re completely immersed in your work.

geek out {special}

Other breaks are important when working as a full time artist in a in-home studio, especially on those days you can’t seem to work at all, “I’ve been doing yoga a couple times a week to combat the aches of bending over a desk and drawing for hours. It’s really helped, but totally wipes me out. Being tired at my desk usually means that I sit there and try to force myself to work to no avail, before giving up and taking a nap. But that usually means I’ll be up until 2 or 3 AM making up for it.”

create a new studio space “If I were to design an ideal studio for the two of us from scratch, it’d be a lot like this one.” And as some of Lucy’s greatest fans we wish her good luck on her journey of making a new burrow. ♥

Despite bad days it is obvious how dear Lucy’s “little nook” is to her, and how sad it is that she will no longer inhabit the space. Moving in a few days Lucy is now on a mission to 47

Happy Color TV Mini Decor Pillow etsy.com/shop/ mymimi

Dinosaur Planter Bright Pink Succulent Planter Triceratop etsy.com/shop/ crazycouture

Going to Seed Mini Trash Can modcloth.com

Crystal Crayon Set fredflare.com

home inspo pEi Kitty, kitty home peipod.com

Canson Comic Book Drawing Pad

inspired by the brightness of lucyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s studio we gathered a few things on the net to get your home up to par.

dickblick.com

WRLP

We are currently obsessing over online comics. (This is a lie, we are always obsessing over online comics.) The online comic world brilliantly expresses freedom of speech with a one/two combo of hilarity. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a couple of sites that will have you humorously thinking introspectively all summer. Know a few that you think we would like to add to our blog roll? Shoot us a line-eleanorzine@gmail.com

ACTION

Not all action comics are exploding with shoot â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em ups and car chases. Some are about sailing the deep blue skies or looking into the life of a cat shaped animal. Of course if these story lines do include a car chase, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be reading. (cat rackham, bad machinery, and pirate of mars)

Touching hearts with a tinge of sarcasm is the basic antidote to making an online illustrated diary. Diary style comics are like secrets from your best friend. Opening a window to the daily woes that we all face, but said in a way to make us laugh through the pain. (gemma correll daily diaries, stop paying attention, boumeries, our every improving living room, secret mystery diary, are you there god? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s me bianca)

THE DIARIES

COMEDY

Comedy can be used as a way to mask the ugly truth, or to get us to simply laugh. Whether it’s pure ridiculousity, or #fml’s comedy is the universal voice of our generation. (cat vs. human, fuck I’m in my twenties, doctor cat md, gun show, nemu nemu, octopus pie)

glb tkkr {globe trekker}

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a young traveler like us, chances are your net worth prob you have no beef with being a little thrifty. With some little tips from the world and not falling into debt.Send us a postcard!

bably isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t through the roof and m us we will have you seeing

GRUB.

Hotel or Hostel? Check! Flight? Check! Spending money? Check! Money for food...wait we forgot we need to eat! With all the excitement of seeing new lands it easy to forget that one basic human need. To save a little $$ we suggest going to simple sandwich joints like Pret a Manger, Greggs, and even a local food stand for breakfast and lunch. Save the experimental and fine dining for dinner. Your pocket will thank you.

TRANSPORT.

Save the taxis for emergencies! Hop on a rentable bike and take on the countryside, or for around 8 pounds ride the rails all day. The underground system in London is a breeze to figure out and takes you to all the major joints from Camden to Picadilly Circus.

TOUR.

Be honest with yourself, despite being a painful hipster, you really do want to see Big Ben, you long to go to Sherlockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home, and shop the Portobello Market. DO IT, you may not get the chance again. Sure, finding new places and hitting unmarked territory can be a thrill, but the shutterbug in all of us still would like to see the River Thames! To satisfy both sides, research new places before your trip; hit 61 up tourist spots in one day!

get the LONDON look

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to look like a tourist when you jump the pond? We collaborated with our friends at Style Scout to get the London look down pat! for more inspo check out: stylescout.blogspot.com

UPWARDLY MOBILE SATCHEL IN OXFORD UNIVERSITY MODCLOTH.COM

WOMEN’S MOSSIMO SUPPLY CO. OWNAH STRIPE ESPADRILLES NAVY TARGET.COM

MUSTARD DAISY PRINT PYJAMA STYLE JACKET TOPSHOP.COM

LIPS IN INFRARED TOPSHOP.COM HEPCAT DRESS IN CLOVER MODCLOTH.COM MINI FROG STUD EARRINGS TOPSHOP.COM

Toyko Diaries

By Hana

Marriage is easy. You sign a few papers,

sort out whether you want to change your last name (I didn`t, I love my last name!) and wait a minute or so for the papers to process. Our marriage was much the same even though it was in a place I never thought I would get married: Japan.

My husband`s parents sent us his family register, we went to the city office and I was added to it. Marriage is easy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; dangerously so. The visa, however, is not. We are still working on that challenge but I am hoping it will go well. We didn`t get married only in Japan though. One of the conditions before we went to the city hall to finalize it on my husband`s end was to visit the American Embassy. It was ridiculously easy. The man at the desk even joked when I had to raise my hand and swear: You sure you want to get married? Last chance to say no! There were no wedding dresses, bells, or rings involved. Just paper and a pen. My signature to bind our lives together. We took pictures of us in front of the city office holding our papers, laughed, and ate lunch at Denny`s. As simple as that we were married in Japan and our cross-culture relationship was now bound by law.

Hana & Sho â&#x20AC;&#x201C; married on Januar y 11, 2011.

COMIC GENIUS

Who’s that girl, what’s her name, is she cool is she lame? She’s Veronica baby, and she’s the flyest Fish in the sea. She’s more tha just a brilliant artist, she has a captivating charm that draws you to her. You long for her to be your big sister, sharing closets, secrets, hopefully: talent. For a brief moment, we were lucky to pretend to Vikki “sis” and play a game of truths. She keeps us laughing but sh always honest, the talent you see in her makes you want to be a b person, but it also makes you honored to be able to call this beaut girl, your friend. Let’s eleanorzine drop some knowledge on you ab this Boston babe and have you thinking twice about the arts.

an o , and call he better tiful bout

Eleanorzine: Hey Veronica, tell our readers a little bit about yourself. Veronica: I’m a comic artist and illustrator based in the Boston area. After going to School of Visual Arts in NYC I started doing freelance illustration for Girl Scouts of America and Wired Magazine. The whole time though, comics were a real calling, so I was very lucky to be hired by JJ Kahrs to do the entire Pirates of Mars graphic novel series. I’m currently working on a graphic novel adaption of Frankenstein and the 2nd volume of Pirates of Mars. E: Did you always know you wanted to do comics? V: No, but my first job was a comic book store and that’s when the love started. I actually wanted to be an animator but didn’t want to draw the same thing over and over! E: what is it like being a female comic book artist in a male dominated industry? V: Happily, it’s totally not an issue anymore. Even big companies like Vertigo have been headed up by a woman for like 20 years. In fact, DC’s President is a woman! And before THAT it was another woman! Since like 1976 or so. If a woman just doesn’t draw big muscly dudes, then well, she’s probably not going to be drawing Aquaman anytime soon, but that

doesn’t mean she can’t work for a big name publisher on another title anyway. E: do you feel like industry is changing? Kinda but maybe it has been, slowly, since Moebius shook stuff up in the 70s. It seems now it’s way more acceptable to do your own thing. Like you can have a very specific voice instead of learning to draw like Neal Adams and feeling like you have to recreate someone else’s career to be successful. E: What inspired you to become a full time artist? V: Seeing an animator drawing at a studio in Florida when I was 13. I was lucky my parents didn’t try to talk me out of it in favor of something that was more practical, haha. E: Was it a hard decision to make? V: I didn’t realize how hard it was until after college. The bubble bursts, and suddenly you have to make it work or you don’t eat. The hardest was trying to stick with it when work slows down. E: Did you do art a lot as a kid or later in life? V: Yeah, all the time. I drew cartoons constantly in front of the TV on Saturday mornings!

E: What do you love about art? What do you hate? V: I love when you’re on fire and 16 hours go by and you don’t even notice, then step back and look at what you made. I hate it when people assume talent is something you are born with, instead of something you work hard to attain. E: Do you ever worry about plagiarism? V: Nah. E: How is it like balance, work, and being a wifey? V: It’s not so bad! Even though my husband and I work at the same museum, and in separate studios in our house, I actually don’t see him until nighttime anyway, since we are both engrossed in work. (beat) But it’s so great to talk cartoons over eggs. E: How is it like balance, work, and being a wifey? V: It’s not so bad! Even though my husband and I work at the same museum, and in separate studios in our house, I actually don’t see him until nighttime anyway, since we are both engrossed in work. (beat) But it’s so great to talk cartoons over eggs. E: How do you refresh and keep going?

V: I’ll actually stop what I’m doing and do some downward-facing-dog yoga poses and think a bit. And in a broader sense, Andy and I need to get out of our studios, so we love trying new restaurants for lunch breaks :) E: Let’s lighten things up and ask a few silly questions that I’m sure our readers would still like to know about. Do you see yourself as a stylish girl? What inspires your style? V: Hm, not particularly. Annie Hall! She is my muse. I have to say I adore everything Alexa Chung wears, but I can’t keep look at too many fashion icons or I start to feel like I have to buy things. I realized only the past 2 years that I am not into feminine prints, florals, lace or any of that stuff. Even if I want to be. I’m definitely a modern menswear kind of chick. E: LOVE THAT RESPONSE, Do you feel art and fashion go hand in hand? V: I think so... I hope so! E: How so? V:Like I think it all has to do with taste, and different chapters of your life. As a teenager, I just wanted to draw Sailor Moon and Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles. Then in college, I totally rejected that an focused on fine art. (continued on next page)

V: And now, I’m back to realizing how silly it is to care about the difference in high-art/low-art. Kind of like fashion. NOW I understand the balance between quality brand and the fun of thrifting! E: We must ask, what are your top 3 comics? V: Dr. Slump by Akira Toriyama, Good Bye, Chunky Rice by Craig Thompson, and my #1 - MAD LOVE by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini. But that’s a tough tough question! E: And what are your studio jams? V: ooh so many! I love the Beta Band, Miyazaki movie soundtracks, Johnny Cash, HalCali, Cake, Pizzicato 5 and I own everything RJD2 has ever recorded, haha E: How does it feel to be eleanorzine’s first artist cover girl??? V: PEACHY KEEN!!! E: If you had a super power what would it be (corny but we asked anyways :P)? V: MAKE INDIAN FOOD

E: If you weren’t making comics what else would you be doing (in like an alternate universe) V: Nancy Drew: Space detective E: Interesting! And now most importantly, here’s a question for our readers: If an eleanorzine reader wants to be a full time artist what is the first thing she should do? V: #1 - you can’t take crits personally - it’s just business #2 draw EVERY DAY Okay that’s 2. Oops. E: Haha it’s okay, we really appreciate the advice! Any last words? Anything you want to let our readers know? V: Did you know cadmium red paint used to be deadly poisonous until they changed the formula in 1970??* HAHA! That’s Veronica for you, always precise but always sweet! ♥ *(this we did not know but we did know that barns are painted red because red was the cheapest paint when barns were invented!)

E: Whats the geekiest thing you do? V: I talk to myself!! Usually jokes I think are hilarious.

Feel free to go down by the bay in these vintage inspired looks created by the brilliant minds behind Sanoii + Six. www.sanoiiandsix.com Photography by Sarah Kukathas and Tilly Leahy

usagi’s storybook

say cheese bunny! “cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeese”

are you having fun in london bunny?.....bunny? “what’s that over there?” 91

“GASP A FERRIS WHEEL, CAN WE GET ON IT??”

“CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE CANWECANWECANWECANWE” xoxo usagi

a word from sasa...