BISON: A Retrospective (New Concept Added)

[hettinger_rl]

So it has occurred to me (and some of you may have noticed too) that I have made A LOT of bison/buffalo themed concepts over the years. That fact occurred to me last night, as I was drawing out a bison concept... And so I decided to go in and organize a file of these concepts and put them in chronological order. It is very interesting to see my progression through the years, the steps forward and back.

What does this have to do with anything? Well, its why I started this thread, I want to show CCSLC my progression.... in... bison form.

To start we go all the way back to July 23, 2008. The Seattle Sonics had been moved to OKC and were going to be renamed the thunder. I thought (and still think) a bison would make a great icon for the team, and not just a bison... a bison formed of clouds. So I drew up this beauty:

I think that was my 1st posted concept on these boards! The OKC Thunder would really drive my bison concepts through the years. From that 1st one, and the feedback received, I made revisions and on February 28, 2008:

From here I "simplified and modified" in March:

I even came up with a secondary:

And by March 25, 2009; after using all the C&C from these boards I molded the concept into this:

That's all for now. I'll add more tomorrow and unveil my newest Bison creation next week.

[suplauren]

Wow! I can't believe it's been that long! I totally remember you posting all these!

[wquarton]

Some really cool concepts. Totally in love with the way the clouds blend in with the fuzzy part of the bison head. Seriously it's pretty genius. Love when people can morph two elements into one like that.

Dunno if they're quite refined yet, but they're definitely on their way to being pretty slick.

[hettinger_rl]

Even before I made the Thunder concept I tried a more natural looking bison. In early July of 2008 I had drawn this running bison:

But I put off the natural look while I worked on the Thunder. I started working with the natural idea again in August of 2010, to some amusing results:

I must have really wanted to get that shaggy look! But, by October of the same year I had already seen the error of that amount of detail (no doubt with assistance from the C&C I received on the boards).:

I also got back to the full body idea and, for the first time, made a set of concepts that took cues from each other:

Some real progress as far as over all concept and shape go, but still a lot of progress left to be had. It would be another year before I did a bison themed concept and it was a return to the Thunder.

I remember getting this idea during a summer job at a scrap metal facility. I sketched it down with a pen on a piece of cardboard and it sat in my truck until September of 2011. This is the re-visit:

As you can see, it harkens back to those early Thunder ideas and there are elements of those bison head sketches too.

This is where I leave off both in this thread and the concepts. It would be 2 years before I took-up the idea of a bison logo again and I'll pick back up with that concept on Monday!

[jrcollis714]

I wish the Thunder used a bison themed logo too. I really like your finishing product, and I would like to see it used in the NBA.

[hettinger_rl]

I wish the Thunder used a bison themed logo too. I really like your finishing product, and I would like to see it used in the NBA.

Thanks! Maybe Nike will convince them when it takes over NBA equipment.

[hettinger_rl]

In Feb of 2014 I re-visited the Thunder Idea again. This time it came to its most successful end:

http://boards.sportslogos.net/topic/97446-okc-thunder-logo-set-jerseys-court-now-up/?hl=thunder

By May I had spun it off into a Bison concept:

In April I had begun working on a new team look, the Buffalo Bills:

And now my newest Bison concept. I feel like it has a regal/strong/intimidating look. Also, the full body version shows more natural movement than I've ever done myself or even seen:

C&C are welcome.

[davidmiller5]

These are all quite good; I actually really like your original cloud/bison logo. I don't know that it works for a sports logo, but I really like it. Your new logo looks quite classy, but there is something off with the nose: it looks like it is further back than the rest of the snout (I hope that makes sense). The full-body logo is quite nice.

I'm surprised by the lack of comments on this thread. It is fun to see your progression through the years. Thanks for sharing.

[StaatsBrett]

How about a ndsu color one?

[hettinger_rl]

These are all quite good; I actually really like your original cloud/bison logo. I don't know that it works for a sports logo, but I really like it. Your new logo looks quite classy, but there is something off with the nose: it looks like it is further back than the rest of the snout (I hope that makes sense). The full-body logo is quite nice.

I'm surprised by the lack of comments on this thread. It is fun to see your progression through the years. Thanks for sharing.

Maybe the colors are making the nose look that way? I used the Sioux Falls Stampede's colors, here is another configuration:

How about a ndsu color one?

And my old high school:

[Whittier S]

Sometimes people don't reply when there's nothing to say but, "Great job."

Seriously, it's great to see designers progress over the years here.

[suplauren]

These are all quite good; I actually really like your original cloud/bison logo. I don't know that it works for a sports logo, but I really like it. Your new logo looks quite classy, but there is something off with the nose: it looks like it is further back than the rest of the snout (I hope that makes sense). The full-body logo is quite nice.

I'm surprised by the lack of comments on this thread. It is fun to see your progression through the years. Thanks for sharing.

Maybe the colors are making the nose look that way? I used the Sioux Falls Stampede's colors, here is another configuration:

Wow, this is awesome! It reminds me of the white bison sacred in many Native American cultures. Have you sent it to the Stampede? It's better than what they currently have by a ton!

[BKarchitect]

Your last logo in the different colorways is terrific.

I'm also still really, really partial to your very first sketch. As was mentioned, I see why you simplified things for a sports logo but the way the Bison "billows" out of the thunderstorm and even the way you shaped the cloud itself with the classic anvil thunderhead is just lovely. Please never ditch that sketch.

I feel like we've seen a great concept turned into a fantastic logo and watching the process and seeing the steps makes it even more worthwhile.

[dakotapalm]

These are wonderful. I've always loved Bison/Buffalo logos, perhaps due to coming of age when the Bill McCartney CU Buffaloes were a force. Your newest iteration is simply outstanding. Love them.

[RenegadeHeron]

You cold legitimately make a lot of money just auctioning these off to high schools in states like Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana.

[Silence of the Rams]

You cold legitimately make a lot of money just auctioning these off to high schools in states like Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana.

Not to mention the Buffalo Sabres

[hettinger_rl]

These are all quite good; I actually really like your original cloud/bison logo. I don't know that it works for a sports logo, but I really like it. Your new logo looks quite classy, but there is something off with the nose: it looks like it is further back than the rest of the snout (I hope that makes sense). The full-body logo is quite nice.

I'm surprised by the lack of comments on this thread. It is fun to see your progression through the years. Thanks for sharing.

Maybe the colors are making the nose look that way? I used the Sioux Falls Stampede's colors, here is another configuration:

Wow, this is awesome! It reminds me of the white bison sacred in many Native American cultures. Have you sent it to the Stampede? It's better than what they currently have by a ton!

I made a mock-up Stampede jersey and sent it with water-marked logos to the team.... we'll see.

Your last logo in the different colorways is terrific.

I'm also still really, really partial to your very first sketch. As was mentioned, I see why you simplified things for a sports logo but the way the Bison "billows" out of the thunderstorm and even the way you shaped the cloud itself with the classic anvil thunderhead is just lovely. Please never ditch that sketch.

I feel like we've seen a great concept turned into a fantastic logo and watching the process and seeing the steps makes it even more worthwhile.

These are wonderful. I've always loved Bison/Buffalo logos, perhaps due to coming of age when the Bill McCartney CU Buffaloes were a force. Your newest iteration is simply outstanding. Love them.

You cold legitimately make a lot of money just auctioning these off to high schools in states like Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana.

You cold legitimately make a lot of money just auctioning these off to high schools in states like Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana.

Not to mention the Buffalo Sabres

Thanks for all the great comments! The C&C on this board (as well as lots and lots of research, study of logos, and study of reference material) has gotten me here and continues to improve my work.

[davidmiller5]

(Not at all sure this should go here, but...) On a completely different note, I really loved your Raptors concept in the Logolympiad. That is a fantastic way to salvage the team name; I wonder if you didn't place because the alternate definition of raptor went over some of the voters' heads. The beak could have used some tweaks, but overall the concept was awesome.

[hettinger_rl]

(Not at all sure this should go here, but...) On a completely different note, I really loved your Raptors concept in the Logolympiad. That is a fantastic way to salvage the team name; I wonder if you didn't place because the alternate definition of raptor went over some of the voters' heads. The beak could have used some tweaks, but overall the concept was awesome.

Thanks! Yeah, I think it could've been a combo of both. I started it as a Secondary style logo, then I thought I saw someone post that it wasn't supposed to be secondary, just an alternate. So I added the shield shape, ball, Toronto, and Raptors. I did the beak like 3 times and still wasn't completely satisfied with it, but I liked sneeking the maple leaf in there.

I thought; the team has moved away from the dino look... there are raptor birds... eagles and falcons are over-done... can't do hawks.... an owl....the team is all about the north... owl...north...northern owl...Snow Owl! It would fit in perfectly with Drake being part owner too, his OVO company uses an owl. I may have to start a thread with that logo and do some tweaks.

[davidmiller5]

(Not at all sure this should go here, but...) On a completely different note, I really loved your Raptors concept in the Logolympiad. That is a fantastic way to salvage the team name; I wonder if you didn't place because the alternate definition of raptor went over some of the voters' heads. The beak could have used some tweaks, but overall the concept was awesome.

Thanks! Yeah, I think it could've been a combo of both. I started it as a Secondary style logo, then I thought I saw someone post that it wasn't supposed to be secondary, just an alternate. So I added the shield shape, ball, Toronto, and Raptors. I did the beak like 3 times and still wasn't completely satisfied with it, but I liked sneeking the maple leaf in there.

I thought; the team has moved away from the dino look... there are raptor birds... eagles and falcons are over-done... can't do hawks.... an owl....the team is all about the north... owl...north...northern owl...Snow Owl! It would fit in perfectly with Drake being part owner too, his OVO company uses an owl. I may have to start a thread with that logo and do some tweaks.

Exactly, the snowy owl is perfect for them. Great job.