Minnesota aurora

[-kj]

I've posted some of these concepts before, but these jerseys have just gone to the supplier for production.  Since I'll be playing on this team, I should have an easier time getting pictures of this one (unlike the Eagles design I did, which I still haven't gotten any pictures of to show off).

These graphics are marked up with the instructions for the jersey supplier.  They are based on the USA Hockey jerseys from the 2002 olympics.  I had to modify the original colours to match the colour samples they sent me--I'd wanted something closer to a navy, instead of the royal, but their navy was much too dark.

First, the logo:

Aurora logo

The jerseys:

White front

White back

Blue front

Blue back

Socks

Now, there is a question of whether they'll be able to "modify" the template by mixing/matching the colours where I want them. I don't think it should be that big of an issue, but we'll see what the factory does.  In case it ends up being a straight colour substitution into the USA template, here are what they'll look like:

White front

White back

Blue front

Blue back

The guy I'm going through is cutting us a great deal on these--twill two-colour letters/numbers (in that custom font--I just had to send him the TT font file) and embroidered crest for $75 per jersey.  The jerseys the Eagles got were of similar quality, and they paid approx. $110 each.

Let me know what you think, and if you'd've done anything different.  These are what are going to be made, so I won't be able to make any changes.

(Of course, due to my stupidity, these may not end up being what we get.  After I got their colour samples, I changed my mind off the original colours and decided on a three-tone blue setup.  After sending it all in last week, I suddenly realized that I needed black in there--the team had decided on black helmets and breezers (pants).  OOPS!  So, I hurredly sent this off today.  They're not yet in production on the jerseys, so hopefully they'll get the changes made.  After making the change, I decided I like the black instead of the navy, better contrast.)

[JQK]

that's waaaaaaaay too many colors.

The design is awesome, i love the logo, but you need to simplify the color sheme....

[CDunn]

agreed. There is no need to have Royal and Columbia with such small roles in the logo. Make it one color or the other. I prefer Columbia, but, whatever. Second, I'm not really happy that navy is the main logo color, yet it is nowhere in the uniform. I say replace navy for royal. with that change I would also flip the black/columbia arc stripes and hem stripes on the home. On the road, just make royal into navy.

The red in the logo is out of place with the cool colors, so I'd probably remove it totally.

I think Columbia, Navy, and Black is a nice scheme.

[-kj]

I thought so at first as well, but the navy they sent me as the sample was very, very dark--it wouldn't contrast very well with the black.  My depictions of the colours may not be very good--I found a RGB online that another jersey company was using for those same colours.  I think they were using the same supplier (K1), so I think they're close.  I don't have the fabric samples on hand right now (I do still have them, though), so I'll have to try and see how they match.

I tried taking the navy out of the logo, but it didn't seem to look right no matter what I did.  The royal didn't look right as a main colour, looked to bright to be a night sky.  The black was just wrong.

And the red... I knew someone would say it, but I figured it would be STL. *heh*  I took that out in favour of the Columbia, but the logo looked a little too monochrome without it.  Plus, it's more realistic to the colours of the real Aurora Borealis to have it there.  I wouldn't want to try and work it into the jersey, however--it's a minor accent in the logo, and doesn't need to be in the jerseys, I don't think.

I know, I'm throwing out a lot of justifications. *heh*  But, in my mind, they make sense.  You make strong points, though.

[Avenger]

that's waaaaaaaay too many colors.

The design is awesome, i love the logo, but you need to simplify the color sheme....

For once, I agree completely with you.

The only time I've liked two blues together is columbia and navy. To me, royal and navy are too close, and royal and columbia are two close. And I'm definately not a fan of black and navy. Same thing: they're just too close together.

I just think contrast and color definition is key to sports logos.

[Sterling84]

Well, color has been addressed but I want to focus on that logo.

It's super cool.  Big influence from the WIld no?  But yet, not a copy.  

I'll tell you the best thing about it is how some objects and lines break planes and dimensions and some are contained.  The most successful looks always do that, keep the eye moving.  Its like a game.  Wonderous.

I might have, hmmmm, put curves into the Northern lights a little but thats just finding feedback for you.  It mirrors the arc of the star and that works well.

Real nice.  Cant wait to see these pics either.

When someone(supplier) makes a jersey for you....do they need a minimum number?  Setup fee? Cause at $75/per I would make them all the time.  I thought just to set up logo crest embroidery was a couple hundred??...and then twill  $30-75 depending?

I could be way off, just curious.

[-kj]

Big influence from the WIld no?

Yup, some influence, for sure. I had originally done a similiar design with the Wild colours, and even more of their elements. It's a long story as to why I designed it that way, but after that fell through, I changed it to what you see now. I still wanted some of the ideas from the Wild, as they fit this name so well, but I tried to put my own touch into it as well.

The jersey deal is a "personal friend of the team" deal--this guy lives in Colorado and knows a few people here on the team, so he stepped up to make us a deal. We're not really getting a deal so muhc on the jerseys themselves, since those are coming from K1, but he's cutting us a major deal on the finishing (numbers/names/crest), which he does himself.

BTW, for comparison, here's the logo with the original colours:

The more I think about it, y'all're probably right. I still think they'll end up looking pretty good, but I suppose with more time I could have tweaked it. I should've stalled while asking you guys!

[KCScout76]

Awesome work Mockba!!!

[-kj]

Now that I'm home, and I've dug out the fabric samples... man, those colours aren't really close.  The royal they've given me is definitely darker than what's on my graphic there, and the columbia is a little more muted.  The navy is also much darker than what's shown on the logo.

There's no particularly good way for me to match the colours--when I hold the mesh up to the computer screen, the colour gets distorted.  Hm.

[Cuss16]

wow, very nice logo. Good job!

[Ez Street]

Mockba i really like that logo! I'm heading to Minnesota Friday....any chance i'll see Aurora this time of year?

[NJTank]

Gee I wonder who else designed a logo with the Northern Lights inside a state silouette.

Alasa Frontier

[tajmccall]

Ahh, so thats what that logo is for.

ive said it once,ill say it again, that is a great logo.  

the stroke variations are very strong, its bold, very strong.  

I too would maybe 'mess' with the aurora if i were to offer any criticism, but i dont think the colors are god awful, sometimes you gotta play the hand your delt, if the navy and black is too close,than you gotta try this, i think the lakers used to go royal/columbia for a while didnt they? that looked nice.

[-kj]

i think the lakers used to go royal/columbia for a while didnt they? that looked nice.

That I don't know. Maine's colours are pretty similar to what I was originally envisioning, I think.

Not to steal your thunder, Tank, but I made the Wild coloured version of this last winter, and the modified version probably some time in the spring.

As for seeing Aurora here, the team won't play any games for another week or so, and we don't actually see the Aurora Borealis this far south (that I know of).  For some reason, though, the term "northern lights" gets used a lot in Minnesota.

[-kj]

Ok, I heard back from the supplier, apparently the factory told him the sleeves won't be quite the same, but they can put the black in.  

I decided to recolour the logo, since production on that hasn't started.  On the screen, the royal is much lighter than the fabric sample I have.  I think this will work better with the jerseys.

New logo colours

(Yes, the red's still in there.   )

[GMS1122]

i really like it without the navy, very impressive logo Mockba, cant wait to see them "in action"  

[-kj]

Would you believe we're still waiting on these jerseys? But, they're getting close--in fact, the white jerseys are likely going to ship out to us tomorrow morning!

The guy doing them sent me a couple pictures, though. This one doesn't have the name on it yet, but I imagine it'll look good, too.

[Ez Street]

that's looks awesome, i really like the logo a lot. I'm sure it will look sweet on the ice.

[GMS1122]

wow mockba, those look great...awesome job

[Mac the Knife]

Spectacular!  After hearing of these for a while I'm glad the finished product looks as good as it does.  Once again, excellent work, Kev!