Logo Design the Draplin Way: Building with Shape, Type, and Color Premium class
Aaron Draplin, Designer and Founder, Draplin Design Company
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Get Started
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Introduction
03:00 -
Project Background
01:23
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Project Demonstration
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Research
09:19 -
Workflow - Moving Efficiently (and How to Make Laurel)
07:32 -
Shape Architecture - Part One
07:48 -
Shape Architecture - Part Two
12:20 -
Typography
10:20 -
Color
13:29
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Conclusion
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Now It's Your Turn
01:20
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About This Class
Portland graphic designer Aaron Draplin is legendary for the pride and craftsmanship he brings to every project. Whether designing for the plethora of DDC clients like Nike and Ride Snowboards, or personal brands like his Field Notes memo notebooks, his work always strikes viewers as functional, nostalgic, and iconic. How does he do it?
In this 70-minute class, go behind-the-scenes as Aaron shares his logo design process with a very personal project: the family crest. From background research to geometric structure to typography to color choice, he provides helpful tips and shortcuts in Illustrator for creating beautiful work in a hyper-efficient manner.
Throughout the class, Aaron emphasizes the benefits and techniques of simplifying designs in order to create compelling logos. It's a perfect class for designers, creators, and everyone who wants to be inspired by a master at work.
Class Projects 317 See All
99% Positive Reviews 1355 See All
Broke it down into very unscary digestible chunks. And it made me feel better bc I have some of the same work flow bits. And Aaron is a fucking fun, down to earth mother f-er.
Loooved this class, and how not to love the guy, right right!!! I could watch his tutorial all day. Cant wait for his next one; I'm officially a Draplin addict ;)
Marylene B
New born Web Designer with an old artist soul!
Aaron Draplin is one of my favorite designers. Not only do I love his work, but I also love the way he presents it. Unlike some of the other classes on here, Aaron's keeps you interested, motivated and inspired from start to finish. Plus, there are a lot of useful hints, tips and tricks throughout his tutorial.
Felicia Acton
Art Director
Bred from the loins of the proud Midwest, this little fucker was squeezed out in Detroit, in the year 1973 to the proud parents of Jim and Lauren Draplin. Growing up on a steady stream of Legos, Star Wars, family trips, little sisters, summer beach fun, stitches, fall foliage, drawing, skateboarding and snowboarding, at 19 he moved west to Bend, Oregon to hit jumps "Out West." His career started with a snowboard graphic for Solid snowboards and took off like wildfire soon after. Everything from lettering cafe signs to drawing up logos to thinking up local advertising campaigns were manhandled under the ruse of the newly formed-and gigantically reckless-Draplindustries Design Co.
After five winters out west, the kid sobered up and headed back to Minneapolis to finish up a high-falutin' design degree at the prestigious and painfully expensive Minneapolis College of Art and Design. During this time he polished up his design skills, learned how to weld and how to develop a photo in nasty chemicals. These were the salad days. He fell back in love with a strong Midwest that he once tried so hard to leave.
In April 2000, much to the chagrin of his proud "Midwestern Roots," he accepted an ill-fated art director position with SNOWBOARDER magazine. He moved it all down to Shithole, Southern California-alongside some hot, caustic beach-and wrangled some 23 issues of the mag. He won "Art Director of the Year" for Primedia 2000, beating out such titles as Gun Dog, Cat Fancy and Teen. No other awards were bestowed in this period, and like he gives a rat's ass.
Thankfully, in April 2002, the Cinco Design Office of Portland, Oregon called up and offered a Senior Designer gig which he instantly accepted. He moved it all North to the land of rain and gloom and rolled up the sleeves to work on the Gravis, Helly Hansen and Nixon accounts.
The Draplin Design Co. finally stepped out on its own four hairy feet in the fall of 2004. Some four year later, he's proud to report that he's managed to "keep everything out of the red." He rolls up his sleeves for Coal Headwear, the Union Binding Company, Snowboard Magazine, Field Notes memo books, Ride Snowboards, Forum Snowboards, Grenade Gloves, Chunklet Magazine, Cobra Dogs, Absinthe Films, NemoDesign, Gnu Snowboards, RVL7 Apparel, Burton Snowboards, K2 Snowboards, Bonfire Snowboarding Apparel, South American Snow Sessions, as well as all sorts of one-off logos, t-shirt graphics and what not.
He owes it all to his parents, seriously.
