Optimus Thread: Apprentice Challenge 8

[Cola]

Alright guys:

Requirements

* Primary logo

* Inaugural season patch

* Home and away jerseys

Available teams to work with:

* Baltimore

* Buffalo

* Vancouver

* Cleveland

* Louisville

Deadline:

This challenge will end on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008, at 11:59PM.

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I guess City choices along with some kind of mascot that make sense could be a good starting point. Try to state some reasoning behind it if possible.

[Cola]

Here are some suggestions to work with:

Baltimore Skipjacks

- a boat used to bring in Oysters (something Maryland/Baltimore is also known for)

Cleveland Cardinals

- state bird of Ohio

Cleveland Racers

- black racer snake is the state reptile of Ohio and it is a kind of neat play on the name, as they are really known as Racers in scientific terminology.

Right now, I like the Baltimore Skipjacks...thoughts? I might work on a few things with that one to get warmed up.

[mania]

Louisville seems like it might be interesting, there's a lot of Southern iconography that can be used, perhaps something related to chicken (KFC)?

[mania]

Here's an idea, playing off the Chicken stuff... they could be the Drumsticks, or if anyone has a better idea for a name, I left that part blank for a reason.

[Cola]

the whole chicken idea just seems a little...funny? i dunno...sounds like a team in a comedy movie like The Replacements or Dodgeball.

[Cola]

Anyone liking the Baltimore Pirates? Baltimore Buccaneers? Baltimore Sea Dogs? Sea Wolves? Corsairs?

Thinking of maybe going with that theme since they are located on a bay an were a big deal during the War of 1812.

[mania]

I think, if done right, it could work... in fact, I have an idea that I might even try.

[mania]

My Baltimore idea:

[Cola]

^^^

are those hockey sticks behind the skull?

i like the skull, but i was also thinking of a torn flag flying from a hockey stick as a logo as well. the whole pirate idea has been done a lot so it might be hard to come up with something very original while at the same time making it simple enough to fit the era it should represent.

hopefully after work today i will have time to sit down and do some sketches for different cities and mascots, i just haven't had the time yet.

[mania]

yeah, they're hockey sticks, and the missing front teeth, while possibly a little "playful" for a pirate-esque franchise, was also a hockey reference.

[gingerbreadmann]

Hey guys, sorry I haven't checked in yet, I've been sick since late Sunday. Anyway, nothing has really sunk in yet, I just read the challenge and I'll get some concrete opinions and ideas down or try to relatively soon. I have a big afternoon and night ahead so it might have to wait until tomorrow afternoon but I'll try to check in before then. I like your Buc idea bruschi, but let me look at it again later and also try to get some other city/name ideas down too.

Nice to see some real activity for a change.

[Cola]

Guys, I did some research and came up with something I really like...the Vancouver Miners. The town was founded during a gold rush in the area and it would really symbolize the beginning of something great. I have sketched out a logo that I'm not very happy with so far, but I am going to modify it to make it work. It is basically just a pick axe, which I think is simple enough for the era but strong enough to represent the team. Other things that could work are mountains and also those miner helmet-lamps. For now, I am going with the axe to mess around with.

The "V" and "M" also have the possibility of really complimenting each other in a secondary letter-logo. Anyhow, I hope to get something up soon.

[Cola]

Alright guys, I have kind of changed gears and went another direction...I did a few things with the "Miners" and also came up with something for "Lumberjacks", both fitting for Vancouver. But, then I started doing some research and worked on another idea: the Baltimore Battery. The idea comes from the period of war where the Baltimore Bay was attacked by the British and American troops successfully defended the bay from Fort McHenry. Meanwhile, the "Star-Spangled Banner" was being wrote at the same time out on a British ship by Francis Scott Key, who was taken prisoner at the time.

Anyhow...all that go me thinking about ships, cannons, and the like- so there is where I am at. It isn't really exactly what I had imagined in my head, but I think it can work...a few things here and there I'd like to perfect and figure out (involving the cannon with a single 'B', for instance) though. Also, I thought about creating a secondary with a pile of cannon balls and place it on from of a "B" for maybe a patch or alternate jersey.

Thoughts? What about color scheme? We are dragging along on this so far as a team and need to get going here.

[mania]

The entire package... to me, just doesn't look like something you'd see in the 60s. Looks too modern, and the secondary, right or wrong, reminds me of the Bruins look.

[gingerbreadmann]

It looks alright, to be honest I like Miners more for Vancouver. 1st I don't love the idea of having a singular team name. I like your primary logo so far but the secondary needs some work. (where did the black come from?) The font looks nice as well but I think it should be modified a bit in the primary. Anyway, I think this is possibly a start but we should still be exploring other options.

How about the "Cleveland Rocks?"

[Cola]

it was all a very rough draft, and I didn't really like adding black to the design i used- but i felt i need another color so i went with it...eh. if you do a bit of research, you will see that the shape of the secondary is really symbolic to the city of Baltimore AND the whole idea behind the Battery identity.

but if we are going to keep "exploring other options"...then we need to start picking up the pace and suggesting other ideas, showing some sketches or concepts, and get this thing going. i certainly don't mind going other directions, but we just can't get anywhere with nothing being said or simple one-liner C&C.

[mania]

Hey Cola, drop the highlights and the outer outline off the cannon, and let's take a look at it that way. Those are two things that really, comparative to the other logos introduced at the time, really make it look too modern.

[gingerbreadmann]

Here is a very very very rough idea for a Cleveland team. I am having designer's block right now, can't put fluid ideas on the screen.

[mania]

There's no discernable 60s connection to Cleveland and Rock and Roll music. They didn't get the HoF bid until the 90s, and it was because of the financial package, not for any great historical precedent.

[gingerbreadmann]

There's no discernable 60s connection to Cleveland and Rock and Roll music. They didn't get the HoF bid until the 90s, and it was because of the financial package, not for any great historical precedent.

I actually didn't think of that until later, I was thinking the song was from the 60's but it was actually the 70's.

So what do you like, Battery, Miners?