Memphis Grizzlies Logo Concept

[rjd0717]

I thought I would give the Memphis Grizzlies logo a shot. I actually like their current logo (a little) but I feel like it's not aggressive enough. So, this is a very rough copy of the look I'm going for. Feel free to comment and critique. I am still very new to sports logo designs and would like constructive criticism to get better. I have also added another color, because I read somewhere on this forum that the Grizzlies are suppose to change their colors to Black/Gold.

[Clintau24]

I'm really liking this. Although I think the font is a bit graffiti like. I think the "hair" or tuffs or whatever you want to call it on the face of the bear could use some work. It's looking a bit too flat for my liking. Plus the "bear claws" in the wordmark are a bit too much. Maybe remove those and add some bite marks around the teeth. That would look pretty cool.

[JTswag187]

The shape of the bear is slightly off, otherwise it's a good idea

[rjd0717]

I'm really liking this. Although I think the font is a bit graffiti like. I think the "hair" or tuffs or whatever you want to call it on the face of the bear could use some work. It's looking a bit too flat for my liking. Plus the "bear claws" in the wordmark are a bit too much. Maybe remove those and add some bite marks around the teeth. That would look pretty cool.

Thanks! I'm still working on the hair.I'm trying to give it a clean uncluttered look. Unlike the Vancouver Grizzlies logo.

[DanOtis]

Hi,

saw your concept today which made me want to finish mine. Don't want to steal your thunder or get a competition going.

I think we have different approaches as you say that you want it to look uncluttered. I went the opposite way trying to give an update to the old Vancouver look.

About your concept: I like the pose and the aggressiveness you bring. As the others said - it needs some clean up. The nose needs some highlights to suggest the nostrils an in order to get some depth. You also might take more spacing between the snout and the eyes (making the eyes smaller) which will also bring more depth. When finished with that we might see if he pose works or if you might try a head-on view.

All the best wishes

Daniel

[Prefix270]

Great start! Agree with above comments. I would add that the G and S in the word mark are too large and are fighting with the bear and legibility. Hair details inside need to be more pronounced and simplified.

Hope that helps.

Patrick

[JPDesign]

I like that you're keeping a nod to history with the old wordmark, but I agree the "G" and "S" are a bit large. It worked in the old logo because the bear was underneath, but here there's nothing to balance it.

[rairair55]

great logo. i really like the gray/yellow color scheme. no other team has that combo. a unique color combo that works well? that would awesome!

[DanOtis]

Hi,

read your post in my thread - sorry - didn't want you to feel bad about your concept by putting mine up. It's just that I have been working on it for some time now and yours made me want to finish it.

If you don't mind - I could give you some advice as I saw you writing that you were new to illustrator. Honestly - for a "rookie" you did a good job. But it is also apparent that you are new to it. I'm far away from being as good as some of the guys that are on this board but I've made the first hurdles and perhaps I can help you a bit.

About two years ago my logo would have looked similar to yours. As at first it is hard to get used to the software and also get used to the "right view" at what makes the difference. Once you handle the software well and you think that the sky is the limit you will realize that you won't produce anything great as long as you don't have it on your mind. What I mean is - first you will be limited by the software - after that you will be limited by your mind. But you can work on that as well! So there's always hope and always new things to discover.

About the software: You will have to learn how to work properly with the pen tool. The key is, to only use as many anchor points as necessary. And - to make sure that the handles make the paths look well rounded or even edged (if you want it to look like that). Many times one handle is enough. When you need two - to get an "S"-shape - make sure that the handles are well proportioned to one another.

Search the board for some threads in which Davidson gives advice in his tutorials as well as showing his videos. Those are mind blowing. And don't be intimidated - apart from unbelievable software skills this guy brings the even more important aspect of a great design - the "right view"! That is why he anticipates so well where to place the anchor points to give it the look he has in mind.

About the "right view": Our eyes and our brain work well together. The problem is - when we want to bring something on paper we have to transform a 3D world onto a 2D canvas. And that's where our brain brings some issues as it doesn't know how to do that. Photos can help here. There we already have it in 2D. But even then you will have to force yourself to only redraw what you see on the picture and have to ignore what the brain wants you to draw as it has a common sense for how the shapes should be.

Why is that important? You have to know the shape of the skull of the animal you are drawing as you can only give depth when you work properly with lighting and shadowing. The paths that you create should always try to resemble areas that stand out because of shadowing or lighting. This is one of the most important things.

It's always a great workout to look for lions, tigers or other animals on the web and roughly sketching their heads - trying to figure out, which areas have shadows and which areas are clearly visible and which shapes they have.

When you also manage that task - you will have to find a right pose that transforms the feel the logo should create. What's also important is the angle that you use.

And last but not least. The style you bring (detailed or simplified) and the colors are also very important. A design that seems to look weird with a certain color scheme might look brilliant in different colors and vice versa.

At the end - another very important point: When you are a beginner it is very hard to identify if your design will be working or not. You have a great idea on paper and you start transforming it into vectors - there will be a point at which you are very disappointed about how it looks like. Don't just throw it away. Stick to it. Again - look at the tutorials you find on this board. In the middle of a design process - the product will mostly look cheap. Like there will never be use for it. But those guys know that perhaps with the last step - like putting reflections into a pupil - or adding the wordmark - it will finally look great. And that's how they can carry on.

About your logo: I think you have a good pose. Perhaps you already have an image on which a bear is in that pose. Look at the shadowing and try to transform that into paths. Also put regard to the anchor points and the handles of your paths.

I hope that you stick to it and that I could help a bit.

All the best wishes

Daniel

[1clkgtramg]

Is it just me of do the GrizzlieS wordmark look like the upper teeth of a bear? It's probably a long shot to incorporate them at teeth, but seeing the Bear bite the wordmark made me notice it.

I do like the direction of this though.

[rjd0717]

Is it just me of do the GrizzlieS wordmark look like the upper teeth of a bear? It's probably a long shot to incorporate them at teeth, but seeing the Bear bite the wordmark made me notice it.

I do like the direction of this though.

I'm trying to take it in a different direction now with the wordmark. I have to make it look halfway decent since SND did such a great job.

Hi,

read your post in my thread - sorry - didn't want you to feel bad about your concept by putting mine up. It's just that I have been working on it for some time now and yours made me want to finish it.

If you don't mind - I could give you some advice as I saw you writing that you were new to illustrator. Honestly - for a "rookie" you did a good job. But it is also apparent that you are new to it. I'm far away from being as good as some of the guys that are on this board but I've made the first hurdles and perhaps I can help you a bit.

About two years ago my logo would have looked similar to yours. As at first it is hard to get used to the software and also get used to the "right view" at what makes the difference. Once you handle the software well and you think that the sky is the limit you will realize that you won't produce anything great as long as you don't have it on your mind. What I mean is - first you will be limited by the software - after that you will be limited by your mind. But you can work on that as well! So there's always hope and always new things to discover.

About the software: You will have to learn how to work properly with the pen tool. The key is, to only use as many anchor points as necessary. And - to make sure that the handles make the paths look well rounded or even edged (if you want it to look like that). Many times one handle is enough. When you need two - to get an "S"-shape - make sure that the handles are well proportioned to one another.

Search the board for some threads in which Davidson gives advice in his tutorials as well as showing his videos. Those are mind blowing. And don't be intimidated - apart from unbelievable software skills this guy brings the even more important aspect of a great design - the "right view"! That is why he anticipates so well where to place the anchor points to give it the look he has in mind.

About the "right view": Our eyes and our brain work well together. The problem is - when we want to bring something on paper we have to transform a 3D world onto a 2D canvas. And that's where our brain brings some issues as it doesn't know how to do that. Photos can help here. There we already have it in 2D. But even then you will have to force yourself to only redraw what you see on the picture and have to ignore what the brain wants you to draw as it has a common sense for how the shapes should be.

Why is that important? You have to know the shape of the skull of the animal you are drawing as you can only give depth when you work properly with lighting and shadowing. The paths that you create should always try to resemble areas that stand out because of shadowing or lighting. This is one of the most important things.

It's always a great workout to look for lions, tigers or other animals on the web and roughly sketching their heads - trying to figure out, which areas have shadows and which areas are clearly visible and which shapes they have.

When you also manage that task - you will have to find a right pose that transforms the feel the logo should create. What's also important is the angle that you use.

And last but not least. The style you bring (detailed or simplified) and the colors are also very important. A design that seems to look weird with a certain color scheme might look brilliant in different colors and vice versa.

At the end - another very important point: When you are a beginner it is very hard to identify if your design will be working or not. You have a great idea on paper and you start transforming it into vectors - there will be a point at which you are very disappointed about how it looks like. Don't just throw it away. Stick to it. Again - look at the tutorials you find on this board. In the middle of a design process - the product will mostly look cheap. Like there will never be use for it. But those guys know that perhaps with the last step - like putting reflections into a pupil - or adding the wordmark - it will finally look great. And that's how they can carry on.

About your logo: I think you have a good pose. Perhaps you already have an image on which a bear is in that pose. Look at the shadowing and try to transform that into paths. Also put regard to the anchor points and the handles of your paths.

I hope that you stick to it and that I could help a bit.

All the best wishes

Daniel

Yeah the pen tool has been hard for me to master. But so far with this logo I haven't used illustrator. I hand drew everything except the wordmark.

[hettinger_rl]

I like the direction your taking and that you take direction. One thing I'd say is that the eyes may be a bit too big, grizzly bears' eyes are relatively small on their faces.

[rjd0717]

I like the direction your taking and that you take direction. One thing I'd say is that the eyes may be a bit too big, grizzly bears' eyes are relatively small on their faces.

Yeah I noticed that after SND gave me some pointers. I went back to the picture of the original bear and notice I over exaggerated on the eyes. I'm in the process of reworking some things now.

[Dayne Amaze]

This is awesome. I really like this concept.

[rjd0717]

I'm still working on my concept. I thinking about scratching my original concept. Here is a preview of the shading I've added.

And here's a rough preview of the direction I might go in.

[Shadojoker]

Wow great job with those logos especially the Grizzlies name font