Toronto Raptors Logo, Once More

[Starchild]

Okay... first link is the Raptors logo (Velociraptor) but I eliminated most of the shadows on it... hopefully now it looks less "osteoperosis ridden" (which upon a second look, I had to agree, it did look quite... old)

The second one is a completely different direction. I took the advice given on the last post and went with the word "Raptor" meaning a bird of prey... so once I looked up the various species, I went with a vulture... figured a vulture would make a cool logo in comparison to an eagle (Canadian team and an eagle, not exactly a match), a hawk (already in Atlanta), a condor (from photos, looked a little too similar to a hawk) or an owl (just can't seem to find a way to make an owl look semi-cool).

Anyway, it's got the same color scheme more or less... unfortunately it looks a little like the current Hawks logo... but since I'm redesigning each team, it doesn't really matter since the Hawks logo is going to be altered anyway.

As always, gimme those suggestions and critiques.

Raptors Logo #1 (Velociraptor)

Raptors Logo (Vulture - w/ grey)

Raptors Logo #3 (Vulture - w/ off-white)

*-I pitched the first vulture logo to United Waffles and he suggested going with a white/off-white for the bird's face and legs.

[NJTank]

I dont undertand the vulture logos but they all look good if you ask me very realistic.

[Waffles]

I dont undertand the vulture logos but they all look good if you ask me very realistic.

From Dictionary.com:

rap·tor (n.) - A bird of prey.

Good work, Starchild. I'd be curious to see this on a jersey.

[zer0dotcom]

I like the vulture with the white in it, it's more decernable. Your dino logo is really detailed, i like it!

It's clever using the other definaition of raptor for the logo, but maybe a different bird other than a vulture ( nothign against the design, I just don't like vultures )

[the_cynic]

I like you modifications to your Raptors logo. Less realistic and more like a true logo. Good job!

[IceCap]

i know the word raptor means a bird of prey, but most people think of velociraptors. with that in mind, i will have to go with the velociraptor concept. it really is nice, but nothing can come close to what they have now. i know its a little cheesey, but it has a strange charm to it.

[Sterling84]

I don't think a vulture "IS" a raptor. They don't prey on anything. Unless roadkill is prey. The qualify as scavengers.

But you wouldn't have to use an Eagle...some Falcons , Kestrels, Owls, Goshawks, Harriers, Kites, Hawks, or Ospreys have some unique body types and markings that haven't been done to death.

Anyways, regarding what you've got here. YOu've got good colors. YOu've got crisp workmanship. YOu've got a nice design sense....solid solid wordmark. But the thing holding these back (IMHO) is that they are one step too close to some source material they were drawn from. In other words. You can kind of tell they are drawn off pictures. Please don't take offense at that. I use photos off the web as research for pretty much every logo I do. Lots of them. 10, 20, even more. But you've got to take the information you are seeing, understand what its telling you about the form and function of the animal (how its put together) and then use that knowledge to render your logo.

Incidentally, I dont hate vultures at all. And I like the one you've got. But with a "clever" use of the word raptor, I think the subject needs to have an obvoius connection to make that work as clever. And Vultures are ambigious as to their prey habits.

EDIT: http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/content.asp?page=2528

[tajmccall]

Im gonna echo what Sterling is saying about making it too closely related to your research. I do the same, sometimes even going over pictures, but most importantly, then modifying for effect.

I think if you 'streamlined' the lines, and made it more...uh Dynamic? You'd have a nicer logo, on top of the fine ones you have now.

I really like your Starchild logo Duotoned, u should use THAT as your Avitar, rather than the Halftone one.

I think if you went the way of a condor which both looks like a Vulture, and is a raptor, you'd be better off, plus the charachteristics of a Vulture isnt exactly what you want your team taking after.

Thats my take anyhow.

[Starchild]

Yeah, both you and Sterling are right... they do look way too much like the source material... the only problem is, as of right now, it's all I can seem to put out. Normally, I would do it by hand and then scan it and make it more crisp and all on the computer, but while I'm at school, I don't have a scanner so it's basically all 100% on photoshop... so with that, it's rather difficult for me to make the picture "my own" rather than just a simplified version of the original picture.

As for the vulture thing, I found a pretty comprehensive list of birds of prey somewhere, and various species of vultures made up a good portion of the list... and since noone really goes with a vulture anyway, I figured it would be a nice change from the typical hawk, eagle, falcon, and so forth.

As it stands right now, I'll probably go with the revised velociraptor until I can find a better way to execute on the bird.

[IceCap]

As it stands right now, I'll probably go with the revised velociraptor until I can find a better way to execute on the bird.

use the velociraptor, man. when people hear the word "raptor", they think of velociraptors, even if they know the true meaning means a bird of prey. besides the raptors currently use a velociraptor, and if u are ALTERING all the logos in the nba, then u should use the velociraptor seeing as altering a logo is changing it, but keeping the original meaning.

and vultures are conciderd raptors.