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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1518973
For an artist, Draplin is unusually open about what he does and how he does it. He likes using his work as a source of inspiration for other designers. His book, Draplin Design Co.: A Little Bit of Everything provides a ton of it. And it is, indeed, his book. When offered a book deal by a big New York agency in 2015, he was told not to worry, they’d handle everything, writing the content, doing the design, working with the printer and all that. Draplin’s response was, “I’m a designer, pretty sure I should design the book, right?” So, he took the book offer, but took all the rest on himself, from writing the copy, gathering (or taking) the photos, and curating all the rest of the graphic content. The result is a tome that you can lose yourself in for hours at a time. There are countless images interspersed with Draplin’s narrative that somehow ties everything together, albeit in a random kind of way. One section near the end of the book also reflects something that is a big part of Draplin’s way of doing things. It’s the “World’s Largest Appreciation List,” two full pages crammed with names in 5-point type. (You’ll find a handy Small Type Reference Chart on page 223.) He’s a big believer in saying thank you. And I’ve seen him doing it. It’s not mechanical, it’s always heartfelt and the recipient knows exactly what they’re being thanked for. In whatever way Aaron finds his initial inspiration he gets down to work and things get serious.