Grain Studio

Grain Studio is a marketing agency in Hugo, MN. The studio is the practice of Josh Ernst, a graphic artist with over 20 years of professional experience who specializes in identity design and printing. The studio serves entrepreneurs, start-ups, small to midsize companies, musicians, record labels, non-profits, and other organizations, and also collaborates with other creative agencies on an as-needed basis. Services span graphic design, expert printing, brand and identity work, and website design, with a portfolio that includes logo design, stationery systems, marketing materials, album covers, ads and posters, prepress, color correction, film output, and consulting and training.

Ernst's background includes time in Best Buy's marketing department and running the art department at Copycats Hi-Fi Media, a CD and DVD manufacturer in downtown Minneapolis. He has also worked with Twin Cities-based music and art magazines and several non-profit organizations. Grain Studio operates out of a renovated granary on a small ranch in the northeast corner of the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, a setting reflected in the studio's name, which draws a parallel between the familiarity and uniqueness of wood grain and the qualities of strong design. The studio draws on a select network of additional creative professionals to expand its capacity on larger projects. On the printing side, the work covers paper systems such as business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and correspondence stock; marketing materials including booklets, flyers, postcards, promotional items, and apparel; large format work such as banners, signs, posters, and vehicle wraps; and film output of film positives and negatives up to 14 inches wide, with same-day output and next-day delivery available.

The studio is located on Keystone Avenue North, not far from White Rock Lake and Barker Lake, with Big Marine Park Reserve and Keystone Woods Wildlife Management Area both within a couple of miles to the east, and 170th Street North and Manning Trail North both close by.

Drawing on more than two decades of design and print experience and a distinctive studio setting, Grain Studio brings a personalized, craft-based approach to branding and design work for clients across the Twin Cities metro area.