New Fictional Logos

[Jabez54]

HK...
Many thanks for sharing your logos with us... has been a goldmine for us to feast upon...

I am sorry for your loss... for I do understand the need to regather one's mind and focus...

Come back when ready and hungry for company... we'll be here...

The logos are once again TOP notch!!

[Eugene Church]

Kevin, all of our prayers are with you.

[20_range]

Thanks Kevin for all the logos and encouragement!

I looked through every level of my minor leagues and I'm using the Hoboken Elysians, Oxnard Rhinos, Bridgeport Mystics, Richmond Whip-or-Wills, Boise Bactrian, Navajo Nation Mustangs, Rockford Zeppelins, Chattanooga Mountaintops, Brooklyn Lamplighters (the best one), Erie Flagship, Woonsocket Thirteen, Norristown Schuykill, Santa Ana Adventurers, Buffalo Old Gate, St. Croix Tiger Sharks, New Brunswick Black Sheep, San Antonio Nine Bands, Port-au-Prince Avengers (the creole version), Brandenton Brass, and Vicksburg!

You've added so much life and color to my game, and inspired me to make logos too

[Eugene Church]

Love the Jackson Mallards and Green Acres Gardeners.

Simplicity at its best.

[darkcloud4579]

Just found this thread, what a wildly different set of logos than we normally see here. Thanks for sharing your talents with the community, I know I'm already changing my independent league to some of these marks!

[hurricanekevin]

Originally Posted by darkcloud4579

Just found this thread, what a wildly different set of logos than we normally see here. Thanks for sharing your talents with the community, I know I'm already changing my independent league to some of these marks!

Thanks DarkCloud, this was nice to find!

[hurricanekevin]

I've been slowly starting to create again. Here are some recent things along with a few I'm not sure I posted previously. As usual these are just some highlights; there are some different versions in the drive.



Council Bluffs Cockspurs
Astoria Iron & Steel
Cardiff Capital Dragons
Eau Claire Beavers
Pawtucket Mighty Stags

[hurricanekevin]

Detroit Union
Otsego Immortals
Oklahoma City Panthers
San Diego Tigers

[Jabez54]

Great to see you back, HK!!
As usual, great creative logos project, mate!!

[Eugene Church]

Oh, it's such a pretty world today!

It is so good to see hurricanekevin back here on the Mods Forum.
You have been missed mainly as a good friend and good OOTP Community member, but we have also missed your outstanding logos.

Hope all is well in your life.

Really glad you are back!

The Oswego Immortals is really well done in all respects... colors, design, clarity and contrast are excellent... really like the deer and mountain background... that makes it special... really like the San Diego Tigers, too... fine colors, design and contrast.

[OmahaBaseball]

Originally Posted by hurricanekevin

I've been slowly starting to create again. Here are some recent things along with a few I'm not sure I posted previously. As usual these are just some highlights; there are some different versions in the drive.



Council Bluffs Cockspurs
Astoria Iron & Steel
Cardiff Capital Dragons
Eau Claire Beavers
Pawtucket Mighty Stags

Very talented -- great contribution to the game/community

[Eugene Church]

Kevin, who am I to tell a talented and gifted artist how to do something.
I can't create the fine work you do, but sometimes I think I have a pretty good eye.

I noticed on your work that you did for me, that the color contrasts occasionally could be improved and the logos would look better in the game.
I did not ask for you to revise them because you revised so many of my Islandian Pro Alliance logos... I thought it would be too much to ask you to revise them further and greatly impose on your good nature.

Looking at the ones you just posted.
On the Pawtucket Mighty Stags, I think a brighter white would create more contrast and the other colors and images would be enhanced... they would stand out more.

No problem, if you don't see it my way.

Posted below are two logos you did for me... yours are on the left... mine are on the right... since I am very limited in graphics ability -- all I could do was change the colors -- the ones on the right are not perfect, but it was the best I could do.

Everyone may not agree, but I think the ones I revised have better clarity and contrast and will look better in the game.

Kevin, I really love the IPA logos you updated for me... the Ozarka Naturals are brilliantly created and designed... they were exactly what I wanted.
Thank you for your great work for me... you made my IPA much better graphically.... I wish you made jerseys and caps, too.

[20_range]

I like how you find space for team mottos and slogans. And they’re always readable. Usually I have trouble just fitting in the name and location.

Really like the team name in the corner of the SD monogram, gonna use that as a model for something

[hurricanekevin]

Thank you everyone, not sure "back" is the right word but I wanted to share and say hello. Things are still really tough but not really the kind of discussion that fits this forum.

[hurricanekevin]

Originally Posted by 20_range

I like how you find space for team mottos and slogans. And they’re always readable. Usually I have trouble just fitting in the name and location.

Really like the team name in the corner of the SD monogram, gonna use that as a model for something

So, I look at lots and lots of package design, especially things from about 1900 to 1970 and try to recreate them. That's really helped me to understand how to put text into a design without it getting too lost.

I think having little mottos and slogans gives these fictional teams a bit of imaginary backstory.



I'm actually a historian (and history professor. So I like to both look at historic examples but also imagine these clubs have their own histories. I actually will use old packaging, posters, and badge logos as points of discussion for my classes to deep dive into the meanings and messages.

[hurricanekevin]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Kevin, who am I to tell a talented and gifted artist how to do something.
I can't create the fine work you do, but sometimes I think I have a pretty good eye.

I noticed on your work that you did for me, that the color contrasts occasionally could be improved and the logos would look better in the game.
I did not ask for you to revise them because you revised so many of my Islandian Pro Alliance logos... I thought it would be too much to ask you to revise them further and greatly impose on your good nature.

Looking at the ones you just posted.
On the Pawtucket Mighty Stags, I think a brighter white would create more contrast and the other colors and images would be enhanced... they would stand out more.

No problem, if you don't see it my way.

Posted below are two logos you did for me... yours are on the left... mine are on the right... since I am very limited in graphics ability -- all I could do was change the colors -- the ones on the right are not perfect, but it was the best I could do.

Everyone may not agree, but I think the ones I revised have better clarity and contrast and will look better in the game.

Kevin, I really love the IPA logos you updated for me... the Ozarka Naturals are brilliantly created and designed... they were exactly what I wanted.
Thank you for your great work for me... you made my IPA much better graphically.... I wish you made jerseys and caps, too.

Hey Eugene!



Well I was just working with the color palette you provided. I wasn't happy with the proximity of the blue tints but figured it was what you wanted.



White is going to naturally be the best contrast for most darker colors.


I think its important to remember a logo or badge is meant to evoke a feeling and a mood as much as convey information. I like to play with those ideas a lot. For the Pawtucket badge I was aiming for something there with both the look of the badge and color combo. Burgundy and light blue are a common color combination. Adding white instead of blue to that would completely change the mood I was going for with that.



You'll also notice I never use pure white. To me it has no emotion and evokes nothing. That is obviously a personal preference but all of my whites have at least a touch of yellow, brown, red, or even are a bit foggy because those colors all have character.



That's all to say, we all have preferences. You should have told me at the time what you wanted. I never mind doing revisions.

[Eugene Church]

I understand what you are saying.

I just like good contrast.

Kevin, you were great to work with when you did a dozen or so teams in my Islandian Pro Alliance.

I just didn't have the heart to request more revisions after you had already done several of them for me.

[Eugene Church]

On my second look, I also think you did a great job on Astoria, Council Bluffs and Eau Claire... the way you did the "A" in Astoria was very special.
All of them feature very good colors and good contrast.

[20_range]

Originally Posted by hurricanekevin

So, I look at lots and lots of package design, especially things from about 1900 to 1970 and try to recreate them.

Um, do you have some links

[hurricanekevin]

Originally Posted by 20_range

Um, do you have some links

For sure! Great place to start is Flickr. You can use search terms like Victorian Branding or Mid-Century Packaging. I look at old advertising, packaging, logos, and illustrations.



Here are three that I frequent:

Vintage Typography: https://www.flickr.com/groups/vtype/
Mid-Century Illustrated: https://www.flickr.com/groups/midcenturyinprint/
Crate Box Labels: https://www.flickr.com/groups/crate_box_label/


I think it depends on what speaks to you and what inspires you. Somethings that I have really found inspiring over the past year are (and this is going to sound so strange, I know) 1960 and 1970s horse racing programs, Japanese matchbooks, old stamps (especially Soviet Bloc countries) and most recently shoe polish tins. Oh I also love old bicycling ads and especially bicycle badges. Those are the little things on the front of a bike with the brand.



Beer and wine labels never let me down. Oh and old hotel tags! OK you get the point, there are a lot of different things you can use.



Then I just break down the design and try to find inspiration in it.



I also love to pull old ads and posters and sample them for colors I can think of three logos off the top of my head that use the same color palette as old WPA posters from the 1930s.