Keep believing,
keep pretending.
A small tribute to a man that left a legacy larger-than-life:
This is the JIM HENSON ZINE
Background
It isn’t often that I am given free reign to make something meaningful to me. When tasked to create a zine about something that I am passionate about, I chose to highlight the life and impact of famed puppeteer and philanthropist Jim Henson.
My goal for this assignment was to educate and inspire my audience by sharing information about a figure that has inspired me. My work has often been very playful and believe some of that comes from growing up watching Jim Henson’s projects. Using bright visuals and photographic elements, I wanted to keep visual interest whilst not sacrificing legibility. The decision to implement hand-drawn elements was implemented to add visual interest, and convey a sense of playfulness. My audience for this project, similar to Henson, was anyone from the ages of 7 and up.
The process
01 / Moodboard + briefing + sketch
I started my process by sketching layouts in my iPad and sourcing art from Henson’s active years. In my research, I found numerous hand-drawn sketches from Henson. I decided that a mix of documentary pictures, and hand-drawn secondary elements would be implemented in my system as an homage to the sketches I found.
02 / Design system finalization + Layout experimentation
For this project, I selected a palette of pink and green as a subtle nod to two of Jim Henson's most beloved characters — Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog — grounding the design in the world he created without relying on literal imagery. The spreads were paced deliberately to center the narrative on Henson's creative development and the lasting cultural impact of his work, guiding the reader through his evolution as an artist and visionary. The structure ensures that his legacy and contributions remain the emotional and visual focal point throughout, allowing the piece to function as a celebration of his life and work..
The solution
Through these design strategies, I curated a visually compelling story that guides the reader through Jim Henson's life and legacy in a cohesive and engaging way. A poster was included on the back of the zine to extend the life of the object beyond a single reading — giving the audience something to display and return to, embedding the work into their everyday environment and creating longevity for the piece as a whole.
Cover
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Back Cover
Production
Spreads
