It smells like collabs in 2025

it's a good smell + winter workshops, events and reminders to apply to fests

Hi! Thanks for keeping up with us through our newsletter.

This year, we’d like to send newsletter updates more regularly and spend less time on other socials, like Instagram. It’s a tiny step to get away from soul-sucking, billionaire-owned platforms and figure out where to go next.

Froggy Gets Fyool by Alex Barsky and Zack Lydon

Here are some more Zine Hug resolutions: We want to collaborate more with each other and with other artists through publishing and animation. We’ve been thinking about the return of fanzines and hosting a comics publishing residency through our studio for a while.

We (Alex and Zack) started the year out collaborating on a comic called Froggy Gets Fyool for a reading at Floating World Comics in Portland, OR. Alex wrote the story, set loosely in the world of Sun Cell, did the character designs, and the rough layout. Zack illustrated the final images with lightning speed. Using this process, we finished 20 pages in about 6 days! It’s pretty exciting finding a new way to work, even after collaborating on projects for more than ten years.

We’ll release a risograph printed version in February!

We want to continue prioritizing community and education as a part of our art practice. We’ve been thinking about new workshops or skillshares that we could offer, like making some free online animation tutorials or livestreaming our animation process.

Sign up for our next riso animation workshop here

The first workshop that we’re doing this year is in Seattle on Sunday, 1/26. This will be our fourth workshop in Paper Press Punch’s space! It’s always a fun time with incredible videos being created. Sliding scale tickets ($85-$160) can be purchased here.

Let us know if you have any questions about the workshop and check out an example of a risograph printed video from a previous workshop attendee, Rose:

Everything is fine

We’d like to think about making a more analog version of this course. Maybe cutout-based animation on the scanner or flipbooks with Riso. It just seems like people are craving tactile experimentation lately, ourselves included.

Upcoming Events

Jan 26 - Risograph Animation Workshop at Paper Press Punch - Seattle

Feb 16 - Outsider Zine Fest at Outsider Comics - Fremont, Seattle

Mar 8 - Sea Slug Animation Festival Artist Alley at SIFF Cinema Uptown - Seattle

Mar 6 - 9 - Emerald City Comic Con - Seattle

Mar 16-17 -MoCCA Fest - New York, NY

Application Reminders

We’re often asked how we know about festivals and when to apply to them. Here are some events that we are interested in that are currently open to apply to:

• Punk Rock Flea Market - Seattle, WA - $100-$250 table fee - Deadline 1/28

• Reed Zine Fest - Portland, OR - Free - Deadline 1/31

• Bangkok Art Book Fair - Bangkok, Thailand - $340 table fee - Deadline 2/28

• Oly Zine Fest - Olympia, WA - apps open Feb 3

• Smol Art Mart - Seattle, WA - apps opening in February

• Cannonball Arts - Various art installation opportunities in Seattle, WA

Ok, the last resolution we’ll mention is that we want to revamp our entire shop and website this year, and finally include all of of prints and contact sheets online.

🥶Alex and Zack🥶 (it’s cold)

PS. We made a pilgrimage to Twede’s Cafe, the filming location of the RR Diner in Twin Peaks, on Friday. There was a nice tribute to David Lynch there, a filmmaker who was very influential for the two of us. RIP.

1/17/2025