The Marma Spot:
Good Morning Aaron, I hope you are well. Would you please introduce yourself and briefly explain what your job is for those people who might not be familiar.

Aaron Draplin:
Hello, my name is Aaron James Draplin and I’m writing these words in Portland, Oregon, looking out over the Willamette River. Right now,
traffic’s pretty heavy on The Five.

I’m a graphic designer, rolling up my sleeves for the Draplin Design Co.,
Field Notes and Wilderness. I am originally from the Midwest—Traverse City, Michigan to be exact. I’ve lived all over. Minneapolis, Anchorage, Bend,
Los Angeles and now Portland.

I make logos, art direct a Snowboard magazine, watch over all design needs for Coal Headwear and Union Bindings, think up and produce Field Notes, travel the states as much as possible, run my daily blog, keep Gary alive
and just try to stay busy and keep everything as fun as possible.

The Marma Spot:
I know you worked with Steve Juras and Chris Glass to create a logo for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and a logo for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s, TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery). Could you first tell us a little about how this project came about and secondly, what specific role you played in the development process?

Aaron Draplin:
Unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to discuss what just might be biggest logo gig of my lifetime, and it kills me. What a letdown, eh? Someday, I’ll be able to tell the whole story, and show you the whole mess of logos we submitted and all that. But for now, I’m still on the clock with an intense confidentiality agreement. So I can gotta play fair. I like to think it’s “a matter of national security” or something.

The Marma Spot:
Were there any other people besides the ones I mentioned that played significant roles in the creating of the logos or in the process?

Aaron Draplin:
I’d like to think President Obama himself was at the table flipping through
the pages of stuff we sent. But then again, I can’t speculate on that in print.
Wait, I already am. Oops.

The Marma Spot:
The Daily Section of the Draplin Design Co. site has provided days of inspiration for me. How do you have the time to post something everyday and are you posting as much for yourself as you are for the people that are looking at your site? Do you use it as a digital diary of sorts that you can go back to and look at for inspiration later on?

Aaron Draplin:
You know, I just sorta make the time for it, or something. I do a little bit
here and there over the course of the day so I don’t really even notice it.
My so-called “work” day consists of working on projects, figuring out things with clients, maintaining Gary, playing some guitar, trying to win records off the eBay, bloggin’ up some hot air and surfin’ for cool stuff on the web.

I get sent a lot of cool links, and am always looking for stuff too. As designers, we are so lucky to have that time. And hell, it’s the least I can do to prop up some cool link someone sent in, or I found in my travels. I just like sharing stuff. Or, I like the idea of saying, “Check this out, this will blow your mind like it did mine.” Too many things are just too good to pass up. Plus, it’s just fun to think that I’m inspiring someone with this stuff.

More and more I’m starting to lap myself. Like, I’ll be looking for something, and find a link, freak out, and then realize I’d been there before. Or a link will pop up from my site. Ha!

The Marma Spot:
On the Daily Section you often post about the music you are listening to.
I really enjoy that. What would your top five songs of 2008 be and why?

Aaron Draplin:
I’m gonna rely on the iTunes to figure this one out. Here goes:

01.
Lambchop’s “Ohio” off Oh (Ohio) and man, it’s just cuz it’s rolling, soft,
lazy and lovely. I don’t use the word, “Lovely” really, uh, ever, but this time, it’s appropriate. I was raised on punk rock, so this soft shit really soothes me.

02.
Spiritualized’s “Death Take Your Fiddle.” A scary song about mortality.

03.
Wilco’s “Impossible Germany.” Man. Two years after this one came out,
and I’m still trying to learn it on my guitar. I find it very exciting to be witnessing such an incredible band at what feels the “height of their creativity”
and knowing, they’ll blow you away again and again. Can’t get enough of
this song.

04.
The Hold Steady’s “Yeah Saphhire.” Anthems, man.

05.
Son Volt’s epic “Windfall” off Trace for the simple reason that it’s just one of my favorite songs of all time. I play it every couple days. “May the wind take your troubles away. Both feet on the floor. Two hands on the wheel. May the wind take your trouble away.” I used to wash dishes to this song on a train up in Alaska, so, it’s saved my life more than once. When I die, this one is to be played as my ashes are spread out in 49 of the 50 states. (Hawaii? Yeah right.) This will be Ryno’s job so he better be alive when I kick it.

The Marma Spot:
Chris Cobb, a friend of mine, sent me a link to America is F*cked (Graphically At Least), a clip from the mini documentary, about 8 months ago. I was drawn to your honesty and passion. When will the mini doc come out and will it
be something that will be for sale or will it be free for all to watch like
the preview?

Aaron Draplin:
We’ve got a mountain of footage, and this fun, little project has grown from
a “making a couple fun episodes about this and that” into scope-sensitive questions like, “Are we missing something?” Jess Gibson, that beast, got me into this mess. “Let me film you, man.” I accepted. It’s weird having a camera on you. I didn’t know my head was that big! Physically speaking, that is.
I have a big fuckin’ head! Like a medicine ball or something. So gross.

Right now we’ve got about six or seven little episodes in the bag and Jess is fine tuning them. I talk about where I came from, what stuff inspires me,
who I look up to and you go junkin’ with me at different haunts around Portland and what not. I really hope people dig it. It’ll be free. Hell yes.
Like anyone would buy it?! This thing was just a little fun project until
45,000 people viewed it and started writing in.

We’ve had an incredible response from the first episode and I’m relieved to say that I’m not “going after the lazy designers of the world” or anything.
Not the case. I just riffed on a missed opportunity I experienced first hand, and told Jess the story. All that cussin’ wasn’t necessarily appropriate, but,
he got me all fired up and I let it fly. Sorry, Mom.

The Marma Spot:
Have you seen/heard about the new Wisconsin Logo/Theme?

Aaron Draplin:
I have. Just a little though. Bring me up to speed.

The Marma Spot:
Well, recently Wisconsin added a brand new 50k logo/theme to the new state branding strategy. It wasn’t well received. Some won’t agree with me but I feel there is a direct correlation between the new logo/theme of Wisconsin
and the new sign the Sunset Motor Lodge that you spoke about in the mini documentary clip. What would be the best way to take control back of American graphics seeing as just working hard and holding yourself to a high standard doesn’t seem to be enough anymore?

Aaron Draplin:
What’s the best way to take control back? Honestly, I don’t know.
How about these idears as a starting point:

01. Know and respect the design history that came before you.
02. Cherish the fact that each job deserves your very best work.
03. No excuses.

That big mouth of mine and the rant that came out of it was simply a
reaction to yet another “missed opportunity” on the American landscape.
What a chance to set that little motel apart from the goddamned Kentucky Fried Chicken and Wal Mart and whatever swallowing up the rest of the strip,
you know? But that’s not what happened. And that hurt.

So when I look at the Wisconsin logo, and taking into consideration the 50k budget, well, I just have to say: That’s a lot of loot to work with to get the job done right. You know, more than enough time and manpower to look at the other 49 states and come up with something incredible. Or maybe not? I don’t know the story. Do I dig it? Not especially. Does it make me want to go to Wisconsin? I wish it did. More importantly, am I the guy who they are targeting? I can see parents liking this. I mean, that’s the thing, before I criticize stuff, I try to think about the intended target, and then I open my
big mouth.

What’s the best way to take back control? Here’s a longshot: Working hard and doing your absolute best, no matter the gig, budget or timeline. You get this chance to do it right, so do it. You have to love what you make. I look at every job like this: It’s my name on the line. Plain and simple. I don’t have too much patience for the “just get it done” school of thought.

The Marma Spot:
Who are some designers that inspire you and why?

Aaron Draplin:
Man, that’s a tough one. I mean, I got a list a mile long, you know?

But to boil it down, it’s the designers that have that certain “thing” you see in their work. You just feel it. It might be the way they pick colors or craft type or write or treat an image. There’s just so many macro instances that blow my mind. For instance, there was a gal at Hatch in San Francisco who made the  “little spool of thread” icon in the directions for their latest promo kit, and, man, that little spool of thread was so beautifully done, and such a nice,
little detail…I just really appreciated it. Like, she went the extra mile to add that to the page, and hell, it just blew my mind. She has “it” and that’s the kind of stuff that keeps me going.

But just to indulge the gushing fan in me, here’s a short list, and I have to break it down into a couple categories:

BACK IN THE DAY: Mr. Rand, Mr. Bass, Mr. Beall, Mr. Warhol, Mr. Chwast,
Mr. Vignelli, Mr. Lubalin, Mr. Noyes, Mr. Aicher, Mr. Renner, Mr, Miedinger
and Mr. Huber.

RIGHT NOW: Frank Chimero, Feliz Sockwell, Coudal Partners, Cabell Harris
of Work, Athletics NYC, Ed Ruscha, Chris Glass, Joel Templin, Art Chantry,
Jeff Kleinsmith, Jesse Ledoux, Cody Hudson, Jared Eberhardt, House Industries.

MINNEAPOLIS: Wink, Todd Piper-Hauswirth, Chuck’s CSA Design empire, Aesthetic Apparatus, Aaron Horkey, Sharon Werner, Joe Kral, Duffy,
Laurie DeMartino, Haley Johnson, Jon Baugh, Matt Rezac, Jason Miller. I don’t know man, there’s just something great always going on in the Minneapolis design scene. I still kick myself for leaving in 2000 after a brief stint at MCAD wrapping up a hi-falutin’ design degree there. There’s just so much good work going on there.

GHOSTS & DUST: And of course, the forgotten heroes of packaging,
brochure and signage design from “back in the day” that don’t get the
love they deserve. Thank you, champions.

NO THANKS: And here’s who can take a hike: The post post post post modern graphic designin’ of the roarin’, wild “ground breaking” mid-90’s.
All that “damaged/Ray Gun/illegible/puked out” stuff, you know? I mean,
I guess we had to go there, just to push the limits, but man, what a pile
of crap.

The Marma Spot:
Who are some people that aren’t designers that inspire you and why?

Aaron Draplin:
The charm, creativity and determination of Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips.
The wholesome quality of Jared and Jeruscha Hess.
The dialogue of those Coen Brothers.
The grit and pastoral landscapes of Cormac MacCarthy.
The hilarity of Jack Black.
The growl of David Yow.
The linework and beautiful dispair of Chris Ware.
The cynicism of Paul Westerberg.
The stoicism of Jay Farrar.
The guitarrorism of J Mascis.
The drumming of Stephen Drozd of the Flaming Lips.
The confidence and class of Barack Obama.

But damn, those people are stars, you know? Coming back down to earth, here’s a hero of mine from my hometown of Traverse City, Michigan:

When I was home in the fall, my dad took a spill, ripped a muscle in his leg and a painful hematoma developed and he had to spend a couple weeks in the hospital healing up. Normal procedure. My dad’s got a friend named Rene who’s a deacon for the Catholic Church in Northern Michigan. Rene came by to visit dad a couple times and he told me about the work he did. Here’s a guy who administers last rites to people on their death bed, or befriends people who are sick with no relatives left. I find that kind of strength, kindness and selflessness so incredibly powerful. Here’s a guy who cares for people in possibly the scariest moment of their life, or prays for them and their family.
I just have a Grand Canyon of respect for the guy.

He does his job so well, with such great poise. I think that kind of stoicism
and quiet strength can be applied to everything.

The Marma Spot:
I don’t believe there is such a thing as a 9to5. I believe as a designer you’re always “on the clock” and you’ve always got that creative hat on. Do you have any stories about a time when a solution to a problem came to you outside of nine to five?

Aaron Draplin:
Oh man, there’s been a ton of times when I’m just dozing off and I have to sit up, put the light on, find a pencil and jot down an idea or solution to a logo or and “save” whatever’s on my mind at that moment. I don’t know how to describe it other than, there’s something special about that time where you let your guard down just before crashing out, and how your mind wanders.
This also applies to taking a shower, driving or waiting in line for the elevator.
I’m just always thinking about stuff, or a project, or whatever.

There’s been many times where I was battling something a couple hours before the deadline and hit on something. You kind of surprise yourself.
And man, that shit’s pure magic. Good process goes a long way, but so does “throwing caution to the wind” and just sorta going for it. I like pushing things, to see what you might invent in the wee hours of the night, or those scary couple hours before the big deadline.

9-to-5? Yeah, right. Here’s how I look at each day: You get a good 10-12 hours to make something good, you know? At the end of the day, there’s a chance you love what you made, or, the effort you put forth. Since I can’t really separate what I do along the lines of work vs. play, this stuff just sorta all meshes into one big pile of, “I love being in the shop and busy.”
Whether it’s on the big project or the tiny one, you still gotta give your all. When I get up, I race down to the shop, cuz there’s just so much fun stuff to tear into, all the time. And by 5 pm, hell, that when the calls stop and I can hammer on stuff with a surgical focus. Going until midnight doesn’t phase me in the least.

The Marma Spot:
Are you working on any projects now that you can talk about with us?

Aaron Draplin:
Always. I’ve always got a couple coals in the fire. Field Notes has been growing and growing and our new “plain,” “ruled” and “mixed” three-packs have expanded our products into a real, live “product line.” We’re working up our very own steno book right now, and I’m here to tell you, this will be the finest steno book ever made in the states. Ever! Many thanks to the good people of Coudal Partners for their hard work on Field Notes.

I’ve got an art show in late May at Office in Portland. My favorite store in Portland! I don’t really consider myself an artist in the sense of “having a show” so this one is turning out to be a fun challenge. I’m making a poster showing basically every logo, icon or wordmark from my career up to this point. All the warts and moles slammed into the biggest sheet they can fit on the printer. It’s been super fun digging into the archives and grabbing this and that. May 27th, Portlanders! You better be there. I’ll be making a list.

I’m working up the new album design for my favorite Portland band of all time, Richmond Fontaine. I can’t tell you how honored I am to be helping out Willy and the band on this one. Full CD package design, and vinyl package too! A dream gig for me.

And finally, we’re locking down plans for the World’s Longest Yard Sale. We did it last summer. Flew into Chicago, drove over to Defiance, Ohio and followed Highway 127 all the way down to Birmingham, Alabama hitting every yard sale, flea market and junk store along the way. Five state, 650 miles,
four days. The weather was incredible and we had a fuckin’ blast. I brought home a couple suitcases of treasures, and sadly, had to leave a lot of stuff behind. This year we’re doing things a little differently: I’m buying a passenger van in Oregon and trucking down there so we’ve got our own set of wheels and more space, and, a way to haul the load back home. Can’t wait. A note to Dale, Jess and Evan: You bastards better be ready.

The Marma Spot:
Is there anything you would like to add that we haven’t already?

Aaron Draplin:

I think we’ve covered just about everything. I feel very complete.
Like I had a good meal.

The Marma Spot:
Are there any people out there that you would like to send a shout
out to or respect?

Aaron Draplin:

Mom, Dad, Leigh, Gary, Ewan, Goo, Nakamoto, Ryno, Hoss, Dale, Evan, Jess, Mark, Brad, George, Marty, Baker, Larry, Basher, Micahylira, Coulter, Capozzi, Cory, Coyle, Rod, Campbell, Derek, Bry, Chad and all the clients who give me a chance. And, all the folks who read the blog each day or buy a piece of DDC merch. You guys are the wind in my sails!

The Marma Spot:
Thanks for all of your time peace+respect.

Aaron Draplin:
Thanks for believing in the DDC and all its shady subsidiaries!

The Marma Spot:
To check out the amazing run of daily inspiration posted and some pretty great work check out The Draplin Design Co. Check out and purchase the handy Field Notes too. Another DDC production.