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Impressions Expo Long Beach 2020: Part 5

Aaron Draplin, Andy Mac, and the Surfrider Foundation

Aaron Draplin is a bearded Midwesterner and genius designer with a presence only to be overshadowed by his booming voice and epic wit.  Andy MacDougall is a bearded Canadian and legendary flatstock printer with a presence only to be overshadowed by his kindheartedness and willingness to share his craft.  Both are personalities to treasure.

This week we’ve shared Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4, in a multi-part series on the Impressions Expo Long Beach 2020.  For the final post in this series, Part5: Live Poster Printing

Combining the work of a brilliant designer and a legendary flatstock printer, the Ink Kitchen installed a live print activation at Impressions Expo Long Beach 2020.  Limited edition posters, designed by Draplin and live printed by Andy Mac were distributed in exchange for donations which benefitted the Surfrider Foundation.  Our friends at Sanmar generously matched our donation total and thus thousands of dollars were raised for an organization well worth supporting.

Aaron Draplin and the DDC…

What can we say about Draplin other than he is a force of nature (see for yourself).  He deserves his own IK post (or two or more).  When he put the raw power of the DDC into this commemorative poster design, we were not disappointed.

“Work hard. Do good work. For good people.” Aaron Draplin, Draplin Design Company (DDC)
Big Thick Lines…
Minimalism and the use of clean, heavy lines are a hallmark of Draplin’s work
You need to own this book…
Pretty Much Everything by Aaron James Draplin. You will not be disappointed.

Andy Mac…

Andy MacDougall is a legend.  If you are in the flatstock printing community, you know Andy Mac.  He is your best buddy, your dad, your granddad, and Santa Claus wrapped into one.  He doesn’t own a cell phone, which only adds to the mystique.  When Andy agreed to run our live print activation we were thrilled.  His work, as witnessed by the whole of the apparel decorating community, was simply magical.  And when the show was over, we had found ourselves a true friend.

Live printing on the show floor…

Live printing at RuckUs
On a technical note…
Apparently beer is the ink reducer of choice for flatstock printers
And apparently it works.
And when the printing was done…
After 15+ hours of printing I would want to be left alone too.
AndyMac: Truly a friend of the Ink Kitchen…

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