Fantasy Sports Logo - Nebraska Mammoths...

[Le Grande Orange]

All I can say is I wish I could draw pictures like Cuss does, but I have no talent in that particular area. So instead I just play with text effects and placements as much as possible along perhaps with some very simple images. I just find it hard sometimes to break away from the same old concepts to try different ideas - I have to remind myself to take different approaches sometimes.

I could probably contribute many more logos if I was willing to modify existing real ones, but something in me just wants to do original work instead.

Anyway, I wish I could download Cuss' drawing skills into my brain... I could really make some interesting logos... but I guess it's back to text placement tricks for me...

[Cuss]

Originally Posted by Treches

Hmm, I'm going to shoot some ideas here, but don't think for a minute that I can't appreciate your work: You are really talented, that's pretty obvious from both the logos you use to post here and TPF's graphics.

The last design is somewhat messy (the left horn seems to come out right from the eye, for example). This is just an opinion, but I think that sports logos have to have what I call an "steady look". Why don't you try a frontal of the mammoth, mean look, nose up and horns in rounded "L" over the name?

Another option that's always interesting to measure when creating a logo is the chances that you have to go subtle. I mean, it isn't always required that you draw a mammoth or whatever the figure you want to represent in order to make the observer realize what is that you wanted to symbolize. For example, take a look at this logo someone created for the Colorado Mammoth. It has the added bonus that the design gives him a great wordmark.

You guys are too kind. Of course designing your own concepts is always the best way to go but it's also the hardest way to go. If you guys still remember, it took me a long long while before I could even visualize my first logo. I used to love those bevelling effect and used them to death which some people hated. I think all the logo makers here are great in their own rights and I personally appreciate their help very much.

EDIT: here is a thread with my earlier logos: Link

I think the frustration of never being able to get the exact look I wanted really pushed me to just draw them myself.

For Eugene's question, this concept took me 2 days of work, probably at least 3 hours in each of the 2 days. And it's still not quite finished. A concpet takes a long time, that's one of the main reasons I no longer whip out logos in bunches.

I also agree with what Treches said about "creating Ripoffs", I think I was able to gain a lot of knowledge of how sport logos should look just from manipulating those Ripoffs when I first started. Besides, no one would be able to field a 30 team league if everyone take the time and perfect each logo.

I am going to see if I will be able to achieve the effect Treches suggested. Thanks for all input, really appreciate it.


Later.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by dbacks

These last three are ones I did a couple months ago. Entirely my designs. And I know - they may not be anything to brag about, but it just goes to show how much one can improve in one year, months, days, if he/she works at it. Because although they may not be cuss quality, even I have to admit they are better than the two in my first post.
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That Philadelphia Freedom is excellent...you were very, very good when you first started and your recent ones are excellent. too. You have also done some brilliant banners.

I tend to think that your logos rival Cuss16. Don't sell yourself short.

I am going to see which logo you did for me is my favorite. I couldn't attach the El Paso Packers, Roanoke Robins and Sacramento Stingers...I have already attached them previously and the forum won't allow me to do it again.

[Cuss]

I only made some minor adjustment to the logo, didn't feel like restarting from scratch to get the logo more meaning as Trenches suggested. However, I do appreciate all the comments and suggestions, unfortunately I just let laziness get the best of me this time. I will defintiely keep in mind next time to make the the logo more involved than being just a picture.

I will be lurking around the forum for my next victim.

[dbacks]

Personally, I prefered the logo where the 'Mammonths' was a gradient rather than the sharp, pointed shadows.

Just my preference, either way it tops anything I could do.

[Cuss]

Originally Posted by dbacks

Personally, I prefered the logo where the 'Mammonths' was a gradient rather than the sharp, pointed shadows.

Just my preference, either way it tops anything I could do.

the sharp pointed white areas are suppose to be snow on the mountain tops, well, if you couldn't see it without me telling you, I should fix it.

[knuckler]

Cuss, that is a really fine logo. I really enjoy the logo presentations that include the wordmark, smaller logos, etc. I concur that you are one of the best in this forum based off of your creativity.

As for the "rip-offs," most of my logos involve things I find around the internet. I make no pretensions about that. But, I enjoy trying to find images that can represent a team name, and then manipulating in photoshop. Honestly, I doubt I will ever evolve much beyond that as I have absolutely zero artistic skills. But, I still like being able to provide what I can to the forum.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Cuss

the sharp pointed white areas are suppose to be snow on the mountain tops, well, if you couldn't see it without me telling you, I should fix it.

I got what those were supposed to be!

Any criticism I could offer of your logo would purely be nitpicking. That said I find the mammoth's leg obscuring the letter A to be a bit distracting. It might look better if the A was over top of the leg.

That's about it. And I really had to nitpick to come up with that...

[Cuss]

Originally Posted by knuckler

Cuss, that is a really fine logo. I really enjoy the logo presentations that include the wordmark, smaller logos, etc. I concur that you are one of the best in this forum based off of your creativity.

As for the "rip-offs," most of my logos involve things I find around the internet. I make no pretensions about that. But, I enjoy trying to find images that can represent a team name, and then manipulating in photoshop. Honestly, I doubt I will ever evolve much beyond that as I have absolutely zero artistic skills. But, I still like being able to provide what I can to the forum.

I think the term "rip-off" wasn't meant to be used to imply any negativity here as it may commonly to. And thanks Knuckler for the kind words, I too, enjoy looking at your logos very much, and use many in my own solo play. And to echo some of Treches comments, artistic ability is just a part of a logo, there is also the way designers align or place things to reveal what they see of the world. In my opinion it's these different perspectives and interpretations that make a logo or artwork that much more special and interesting. I have to admit I lack much of this ability to show my own view of things through my artworks, and to improve I can only observe other's logos and try to understand why everything is as it is instead of otherwise.

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

I got what those were supposed to be!

Any criticism I could offer of your logo would purely be nitpicking. That said I find the mammoth's leg obscuring the letter A to be a bit distracting. It might look better if the A was over top of the leg.

That's about it. And I really had to nitpick to come up with that...

Well, I wanted to show that the mammoth is crossing over the mountains, conquering over the obstacles, therefore the leg is over the wordmark. But I can see how it is distracting, maybe I will try one with the leg behind the letter. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Treches]

Originally Posted by knuckler

Cuss, that is a really fine logo. I really enjoy the logo presentations that include the wordmark, smaller logos, etc. I concur that you are one of the best in this forum based off of your creativity.

As for the "rip-offs," most of my logos involve things I find around the internet. I make no pretensions about that. But, I enjoy trying to find images that can represent a team name, and then manipulating in photoshop. Honestly, I doubt I will ever evolve much beyond that as I have absolutely zero artistic skills. But, I still like being able to provide what I can to the forum.

Please, don't take the term as derogative. It's just a way of saying that a certain logo has been tweaked. And not just because I've done it here quite often, but because not few times (here and elsewhere) I've seen a rip-off being an improvement over the logo in question. Also, that's not to be confused either with the work some other people do by creating their own desings, regardless if they pick some image here or there. The former or the latter, you can be sure that it won't be me the one who would show any disrespect here.

Also, as Cuss said, creating a logo (or any graph, for that matter) isn't just a matter of good drawing skills, but mostly having a clear idea on what the concept should be. Then, the perfect combination of images (not necessarily complex ones) or/and the very usage of the proper font (or effect) results in a top-notch design. Of course, having Cuss' drawing skills, the options of finally putting up the planned concept increase. Dbacks too, whom I had in mind in an earlier post.

Finally, one thing that has always surprised me is the fact that hardly anyone here has ever used dingbats to create or spice up a logo. You may give them a shot some time.

[Cuss]

I actually think artistic ability is inferior to the creativity and idea behind each logo. Take FedEx for example, I know it's not a sports logo, but the idea is the same. The typeface is so simple yet it is right to the point and the hidden arrow constructed by the negative space between the "E" and the "x" is just brilliant.

Or how about the New York Yankees logo or the Boston Redsox, both are not spectacularly beautiful by any means but both have lasted the test of time and recognizable by most people. I guess all I am trying to say is a logo doesn't have to be artistically beautiful to be successful, in fact, a plain yet well thought-out and structured logo is just as much "art" as a piece of beautiful drawing or painting.