The NBA and Hip Hop have almost always walked hand in hand. These two cultures are very linked and have always been in contact with each other, especially since the 90’s when Hip Hop became a more mainstream culture. This bond will most probably be the subject of a dedicated article. But in the meantime, we will stop on a talented designer specialized in the NBA.
Young artist from Le Havre, Aurélien dreams of living from his art and for his art: design. Having grown up in Le Havre before coming to finish his studies and to work in Paris, design is now a side activity that occupies much of his free time, drawing on his notebook that he never leaves to put down his ideas and make sketches in order not to let his many ideas slip away. Never short of inspiration, his ideas are unfortunately too numerous for the time he can devote to his passion.
Even if his training and his work are not related to this artistic activity, it is indeed during his studies that the young student has developed and cultivated this passion, starting by enriching his powerpoint presentations with his creative touch to make them attractive. Perfectionist and attaching a particular importance to visuals, it is during this period that he develops his creativity, a quality that, according to him, he did not have when he was younger.
Passionate about sports, he joined sports writing teams such as Spurs Nation France or Basket Rétro where he participated in the layout and visuals of articles. Very quickly, he abandons the powerpoint to pass a step and bring more professionalism in his creations with professional software. It is during the confinement of the first semester of 2020 that he concretizes more seriously his project and finds his own style and visual identity with what he considers as his first illustration, the mascot of the Spurs, the Coyote. Motivated and ambitious, he ended up setting up his own business with the goal of making it his main activity.
I was pretty much immersed in basketball representations when I was young since I was a “5 Major” magazine subscriber at the time. They used to send 2 reversible NBA posters every month. The walls of my room have seen many different players and teams
Guided by his inspiration and instinct, he naturally turned to his passion for sports, especially basketball and NBA, for his designs, with as his first source of inspiration the posters of the specialized magazine, 5 Majeurs, that he used to display in his teenage bedroom in Le Havre. But it is also the artistic freedom of the drawing/design that attracts him, starting from a blank sheet of paper to go where he wants and arrive at the final result. More concrete, he is also inspired by his numerous colleagues such as Caroline Blanchet (Ptitecao), Lars Vernier or Jeffcreapics. And it’s notably with them that he was able to learn by joining the artists’ collective The Frenchise, with the common objective of progressing together and giving visibility to sports design. But Aurélien is curious by nature and does not limit himself to design. Photography, illustration and many other parallel activities are also part of his sources of inspiration.
There is also a whole “free” side to drawing, which means that you have no barriers, you start with a blank sheet of paper and you can go wherever you want
As an unconditional fan of the San Antonio Spurs since his young age, with the great era of the Big Three composed of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, basketball has always been an integral part of his life. It is therefore natural that he decided to combine his two passions by making designs on basketball. However, he does not want to limit himself to this sport for his deisgn, other sports are also in his projects, as well as music or cinema, although basketball will obviously remain the main theme.
Aware that NBA and Hip Hop are very linked, Aurélien is more and more interested in Hip Hop culture. And it is notably thanks to the Instagram community with passionate people like Moodmusik, Feelkast, Noirvertfluo, Lebougarknow that he is gradually learning about this culture. As he explains, this strong bond comes from great players who have marked the league by bringing a culture very close to the street on the floors, and in particular Allen Iverson.
Over the years, basketball players have left their mark on the league by bringing a very street culture to the floor, the one that comes directly to mind is Allen Iverson. This bond between the game that comes from the playground, from the working class neighborhoods of New York, Los Angeles or other very urban cities, and all this Hip Hop culture, is very present. And until today you feel this contribution and these links between NBA and hip-hop
With a desire to progress and surpass himself, the young artist constantly wants to continue to go towards what inspires him while improving his working methods. In any case, his determination, creativity and talent are reflected in his work with designs that speak for him.
Regulate 