TikTok has opened our eyes to yet another trend. This one features diverse color palettes, talented artists and bold teenagers. With an abundance of time, students have been befriending their paintbrushes and pencils as a medium to express their emotions. From all over the world, unique creative’s diverse artworks have come together to create beautiful zines. A blend of boredom and creativity has birthed the perfect solution for creating and browsing: submission magazines.
Submission magazines are congregations of art, photography and writing curated by local creatives. The production process of a submission magazine is a far cry from the demands of a professional magazine as there is virtually no pressure for perfection. Usually, the only guidelines that will limit an artist are monthly themes such as “Planet” or “Generation Dreamer”. Unlike professional magazines that feed off of celebrity gossip, submission magazines focus on the pure appreciation of art and creativity. Perhaps this acceptance of fresh ideas is what attracts the younger demographic, as it satiates their cravings to freely express their ideas.
Resembling the pinterest mood boards of a teenager’s dream, submission magazines perfectly capture the ideal aesthetics of a tumblr girl or indie boy. When flipping through the pages of The Luna Collective Magazine, one is greeted by pages juxtaposing pastel farm houses and flashing neon red signs. Although the unique mood of each page may often create clashing designs, they all share a common goal: to provide a global platform for artists to voice their thoughts on self identity and societal issues. These zines are especially appealing to teenagers because they are composed of artwork from young artists who share similar perspectives on society. Submission magazines portray art and creation in a realistic light to strengthen the bond between artist and audience.
Besides the start of a new trend, submission magazines empower a fresh start for aspiring creators. Allowing artists to cultivate their imagination without the pressure of crushing critics, submission magazines teach artists to break away from social standards. Submission magazines serve as a small pond for artists to nurture their creativity before diving into the big ocean.
If Vogue Magazine is a perfectly blossomed flower, submission magazines would be tiny seedlings. Flowers in full bloom are definitely pleasing to the eye, but they lack the excitement, hope, and potential that a seedling invokes. Rejecting perfection as their ideal standard of beauty, submission magazines may cultivate a new generation of artists who aren’t afraid to challenge the ideal norms of art. Only in these un- precedented times have students had the freedom to explore their imagination and showcase their creations. It’s time to click into the new age of submission magazines.