Reimagining the NBA... Raptors unis

[MCM0313]

Thanks everyone for the comments; I thought I had already replied but I obviously didn't. I see two themes developing: First, that the lower case T is awkward. I guess I should have mentioned that this was sort of a "melding" of eras, so I based the wordmarks on a combination of the championship-era marks (with the lower case T) and the pajama look. I liked it, but if the consensus is that it's just not working, I'm open to changing it. Second, a lot of you seem to want to see this redone with a red-and-yellow scheme. I had looked at it briefly, and I'm certainly open to going that route. I do, however, think that the fading colors/stars won't work without the dark blue.

Also, I'd definitely like to develop this into a series of reimagining 1990s-era NBA looks (for the sake of my own nostalgia), while sort of combining multiple eras of each team. I'm working on a couple of teams right now, but here's a teaser of the next concept. Should be obvious.

That's the Celtics, right?

[Shadojoker]

Dude that Rockets concepts was perfect! ! Im surprised how you were able to retain the red blue silver identity yet simplify it to a respectable, modern and very cutting edge jersey!

[dgnmrwrw]

Well... it's been a while, but I've finally got some new stuff to show. And as a side note, I am going to expand this to a series of teams. I can't promise I'll do all teams, but the overall idea is that I'm reimagining their brands, based on their past looks and my personal preferences, with a heavy influence from the 1990s era NBA, which I grew up with. (Also, I've been playing around with the Rockets concept. I haven't really found anything I'm happier with compared to my original post. It seems that changing the colors requires either a major overhaul of the uniform design or adding new colors the team have never used.)

So here are a few new things. Both teams' uniforms and complete logo packages are still in progress, but I wanted to put their primaries out there for C+C. First up, the Toronto Raptors.

I always thought their original logo contained, within all the unnecessary elements, a pretty nice stylistic logo. To me, the style of the cartoon Raptor with the basketball equates with the style of the cartoon Celtic. From a pure design standpoint, if old teams can use cartoon-ish logos, why can't new ones? So I simplified the Raptor, added a new custom typefaces, and wrapped the team name around the image. Also, the colors are a darker purple and gray, with red as an accent.

And secondly, the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers have a great name. They should actually use it in their identity. So the primary logo here (which, in the spirit of openness, is one I adapted from a logo I did for a client a while ago) features a Clipper ship and waves set in a circle. I've lightened the blue, and for a typeface I wanted something from the heyday of clipper ships, the mid-to-late 19th century. I really liked the slab serifs and curves of Clarendon, so that's what I've used here.

Both uniforms are close to completion, and I'm still tweaking alternate logos.

[Carolingian Steamroller]

OH MY OH MY! That Raptors logo is just perfect. Love the comment about cartoony logos being able to work in modern contexts.

Please post the uniforms soon so I can swoon over them.

[JMtexan09]

Wow,,,,, I totally dig the logos of Raptors and Clippers! They are too good to turn it away! Wow....... I have to tell you that Raptors' Purple and Red blend in with Black were the best color combinations of all uniforms/logos! But replacing it with Grey Silver instead of Black. I am curious on how it will look like on the uniforms.

BTW will we see the Houston Rockets' logo as well?

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Wicked. Only gripe is that the Clips' logo is a bit too detailed (might not be the right word), but it's sort of tough to make out the ship in the waves. Maybe incorporate a basketball somehow as well.

All in all though, excellent work.

[Shadojoker]

BUUUUMP!! How did i miss these Raptors and Clippers??!! Dude you nailed these! Great color composition and application. But for LAC can you use San Diego colors = no RWB but light blue, red/orange and white.

[Generic]

*bites lip* Ouuuu if those Rockets jerseys were gold and red they'd be godly.

[dgnmrwrw]

BUUUUMP!! How did i miss these Raptors and Clippers??!! Dude you nailed these! Great color composition and application. But for LAC can you use San Diego colors = no RWB but light blue, red/orange and white.

I'll look at it, but I probably won't use that color combo for the Clipps. I am trying to make these at least inspired by the 1990s-era looks of each team (which for the Clippers would be red and blue), and I'm also not too fond of that particular combination. But I am considering lightening the blue a tad.

Here are the Raptors' unis.

[Carolingian Steamroller]

I like where your head is with the Raptors, minimalistic. I cannot tell if the numbers and team name are outlined in silver but if they are then its a great subtle touch. While I like the idea of different colors for the collar and sleeves I don't like the truncated pattern. I'm also not crazy about the claw mark shapes on the side panels. I think some kind of silver is good but maybe something more like a chevron.

Actually I don't get why teams put claw marks on their uniforms in the first place. If your team mascot is so fearsome shouldn't the claw marks be on the other guy? All you're showing is that your mascot just got carved up by some other creature.

[dgnmrwrw]

I cannot tell if the numbers and team name are outlined in silver but if they are then its a great subtle touch. While I like the idea of different colors for the collar and sleeves I don't like the truncated pattern. I'm also not crazy about the claw mark shapes on the side panels. I think some kind of silver is good but maybe something more like a chevron.

Actually I don't get why teams put claw marks on their uniforms in the first place. If your team mascot is so fearsome shouldn't the claw marks be on the other guy? All you're showing is that your mascot just got carved up by some other creature.

There is a thin silver outline on each.

Interesting point about the scratches. I guess I always assumed the chevrons were supposed to evoke the "feel" of a claw or of claw-marks. But I'll go back and take another look.

[LoyolaProp1]

Big fan of the Raptors set. I wish they would go back to purple and red.

[Carolingian Steamroller]

I cannot tell if the numbers and team name are outlined in silver but if they are then its a great subtle touch. While I like the idea of different colors for the collar and sleeves I don't like the truncated pattern. I'm also not crazy about the claw mark shapes on the side panels. I think some kind of silver is good but maybe something more like a chevron.

Actually I don't get why teams put claw marks on their uniforms in the first place. If your team mascot is so fearsome shouldn't the claw marks be on the other guy? All you're showing is that your mascot just got carved up by some other creature.

There is a thin silver outline on each.

Interesting point about the scratches. I guess I always assumed the chevrons were supposed to evoke the "feel" of a claw or of claw-marks. But I'll go back and take another look.

I've got an idea!

Dromeosaurs are identified by having an large, over sized curved claw on their hind feet. Its in the logo. Why not make the claws on the jersey shorter and more triangular, along with two of the three on the shorts but make the top claw on the shorts much bigger and sharply curved.

[Shadojoker]

Why cant NBA teans be this creative? ??!! A damn shame work this good cant get a break on a designers desk!

[mbannon92]

Toronto: The logo looks great. The updated raptor looks really nice, and I really like the tweaked typeface you whipped up. The jerseys are solid. They're a good blend of their current and 90s uniforms.

LA: I really like the ship/waves in circle. Beautiful rendering, and the anchor and interlocking LA are nice touches. The type could use some work though. I like the choice of Clarendon, but a bolder weight might help. I'd like to see what the "Clippers" script looks in lowercase. The all uppercase isn't working for me, and it would be a nice homage to the Clippers script. The "Los Angeles" also is a little too big for my liking. I would shrink the size some and not arch it around as much of the circle, if you get what I mean.

[torontosportsfan]

BUUUUMP!! How did i miss these Raptors and Clippers??!! Dude you nailed these! Great color composition and application. But for LAC can you use San Diego colors = no RWB but light blue, red/orange and white.

I'll look at it, but I probably won't use that color combo for the Clipps. I am trying to make these at least inspired by the 1990s-era looks of each team (which for the Clippers would be red and blue), and I'm also not too fond of that particular combination. But I am considering lightening the blue a tad.

Here are the Raptors' unis.

Amazing work!!! I would totally buy one of these !

[Point1]

Really love that Clippers logo, always thought that team should go more nautically themed.

BTW, is there anywhere that we can see your old NHL concepts? The photobucket links are long-dead and those were so good.

[Chromatic]

I really like the Toronto look. My one gripe is that the darkened purple looks a little too close to Navy to me. Maybe I'm colourblind but I think there are enough red and blue teams.