Draplin Design Co.: Pretty Much Everything

I LOVE this book. Aaron Draplin is one of my top favorite designers now after watching several of his talks on YouTube and a really amazing interview with the Futur. Going to a 4 year design school taught me a lot, but one of the biggest takeaways I got from design university was the dimming of my true creative soul and an idea that my design must conform to one certain sterilized/stylized way in order to fit within the corporate complex of Seattle, and if it didn't... then I would be denied a job in which will pay off my massive student loan debt. Fast forward, I left Seattle in early 09 after the great recession and getting laid off several times, moved to the forest on the peninsula, became a hermit, rolled up my sleeves and got to work. I painted old furniture to pay the electricity bill, I cleaned houses to pay the rent, worked at a dirty blue collar offset print shop, I made stuff to pay for gas, learned html, css, php and worked in web design for 2 years, got involved with an MLM, made money, lost money, surfed, travelled. During all of that time, I lost touch with this "design culture" that I still didn't understand while attending college. We were taught to look up to some of the greats, but I never understood how any of them got to where they were and had the time to work on one huge conceptual project while the bills were piling in. I guess my point here is that what I love about AaronDraplin is his transparency in how he got to where he is now, in all practicality. He rolled up his sleeves, put the "I am not inspired lube" away, and worked his ass off all while maintaining the attitude that what he does is meant to help his client, not boost his ego or portfolio. His story in this book has shifted my perception of what I do, and once I found gratitude in my ability to help people rather than focusing on creating this stuff for a self serving ego boost, it has changed my entire design practice.

An inspirational kick in the pants, Aaron's book shows his rise to the top and that there's hope for the rest of us — if we put in the work! His life-long attention to detail is showcased throughout the book, resulting in an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at our favorite underdog graphic designer. Aaron's transparency is refreshing and his personality comes through on every page; my favorite is the 2-page spread on his dog, Gary! If this book doesn't inspire you to create something new and to start your own thing, I'm not sure if anything else will. For many of us designers, this is what we aspire to become, so it's nice to see one of the good guys win.If you've been on the fence to purchase the book or if you've (been living under a rock?) never heard of Aaron, don't hesitate! You will love this book! I think everyone will be able to see a little piece of themselves inside.What this book is not:This is not a text book or instructional book that is going to give step-by-step instructions on how to become a graphic design legend.What this book is:The book is full of inspiration from thumbnail sketches to logo variations and DDC merch.Best of all, the book is a steal on Amazon, but in general when it comes to premium design books. This could easily be priced at double or triple the price and still be highly sought-after and one of the most demanded graphic design books in recent years.Now, go make some vectors!

In a word, fantastic. I can't remember the last time I picked up a book and was immediately inspired to create and go do something great. I've had this book in my hands for less than 24 hours and I can't wait to get working on all sorts of projects.Authentic is a buzzword and marketing term nowadays that doesn't mean anything for the most part but everything about Aaron's book, his writing, and his work screams authenticity. From his tell-it-like-it-is attitude to the gorgeous photos of relics gone by. The book is part memoir, part portfolio, part advice and all cool. In the book he recounts his journey from childhood to now through family memories, crappy jobs, road trips, art school, paid gigs, unpaid gigs and everything in between.You could get lost for hours just looking at the pages and pages of logos, collectables and print layouts. I haven't seen a collection like this anywhere, and to think it all came from one guy is mind blowing. The color is beautiful, the debossed hardback cover is fun to hold, and I can't wait to read through this over and over again to see what I've missed.I'm a designer and recently published author as well, so I know the amount of sweat, blood, and tears Aaron and others put into this. I'm blown away and challenged to be so much better. If you appreciate design or a true American story at all, you'll be richer for picking up this book.I can't wait to see volume 2.

My wife and I, like many people, order a lot of stuff from Amazon. So I ordered this book. On the same day, my wife ordered a new pillow. Both orders were shipped and arrived in the typically expedient Amazon fashion. The pillow arrived in good shape, packed nicely in its box, lovingly cradled by small pockets of plastic wrapped air, keeping it extra (excessively?) safe from harm in its travels. This book (hardcover) on the other hand, came in a thin cardboard wrapper that was coming open at the bottom. The corners are dinged and there is good size dent in the middle of the spine. It's rare that I buy an actual ink on paper book these days and I'm sure that real books are an exceedingly small slice of Amazon's total sales, despite having started life as an online bookseller. The book is not used, the pages are beautiful, there is a satisfying crack as I open it to view its contents, and it smells like its fresh off the presses. Despite my excitement for its contents, the outward condition of this book upon arrival is really disappointing. The book is super dope though and I would encourage anyone to pick up a copy, but maybe from a real bookstore.