Typewriters & Leaves: a new zine series

I’ve been fascinated by the idea of typing on various textures since reading Richard Polt’s The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist's Companion for the 21st Century. I first typed on dry leaves about a year ago, completely by accident, while making a birthday card for a friend.

With autumn in full swing, I went out today to collect some leaves to dry and use for zines about change, seasons, and the cyclical nature of life. Although I prefer to dry leaves in a longer process, between sheets of paper stuck in books, I decided to use an iron to dry leaves for initial testing.

Typing on leaves can be challenging. You have to press the keys in a gentle way, otherwise the leaves will crumble or you will make holes in them if you press too hard. But this is exactly why I enjoy typing on leaves: the outcome is unpredictable and requires patience.