Tell Me Something I Don’t Know: Aaron Draplin

We talked about design, sure, but also about collecting, physical objects, and why holding onto things still matters in a digital world. Draplin walked us through his love of vinyl, the stories behind certain records, and how analog artifacts, from album covers to roadside signage, continue to shape his aesthetic.

The conversation drifted between craft and culture. How he pulls references from everywhere. How regional graphics, industrial typography, and forgotten ephemera end up folded into work that feels unmistakably his.

There was no stage, no podium. Just a couple of mics set up in the middle of a working warehouse, surrounded by ink, cardboard, and records.

Design, at its core, is about paying attention. Draplin just happens to pay attention to everything.