Blog Archives
Geeky Basketball Logos Updated
As you might know I run a geeky hockey design site, and there I am often asked if I will branch out into other sports. I have dabbled in the other sports, just not as much as I would like. Case in point, only two basketball logos to my credit: The Blouses and Nitewings. I have decided to update both.
Blouses was a fun parody logo! I just refined it a little, making the character look a lot more like Dave Chappelle, intense stare and all.
Nitewings I made as a pitch to the New Orleans Hornets. The team was at the time contemplating a name change, and would eventually settle on the Pelicans (just recently). I thought the bat mascot would be a nice gothic nod to the city. Bats are quite under-represented in team sports, if I may say so. I made the logo more dynamic here. Maybe Ottawa could use it?
Another name I considered for New Orleans was Slayers. This name is geeky to the max! But I balked at using it because I worried the ‘Y’ would look like a ‘V’ to some, and get me in trouble. Paranoia comes with being an artist.
Adventure Time Beemo Blu-Ray Case
Started watching Adventure Time this past month, and it’s safe to say I’m a big fan. It’s a whimsical, carefree show which makes for a nice chaser for something like Breaking Bad.
I made this design very simple because I am often told my concepts are too expensive to execute. It is a cardboard sleeve with an insert that holds several Blu-Ray cases. It is based on BMO (Beemo), a character fashioned after an old Game Boy.
Beemo comes with a detachable arms (not unlike Mr. Potatohead’s). The legs are connected in a horseshoe shape, perfect for a stand the case can sit on. The feet can swivel for some pose-ability, but mostly to allow for all the accessories to be stored in the case (for shipping and display).
The best feature of this design is an interchangeable face, made possible by a square hole punched into the main sleeve, and numerous expressions placed on all the Blu-Ray cases. Each case can have up to 4 expressions. You then place the case in the front of the box in the correct orientation to display the expression you want.
Here is what a case design would look like:
Again this is the “frugal” design. I feel the limbs are optional too:
You can also go in the opposite direction with a fancy plastic case featuring molded buttons and a few controllers as well. I just thought I’d demonstrate a design that was feasible for release.
Breaking Bad Collection Blu-Ray Case
The easiest cases for me to design are based on actual cases. So when I saw that ‘Vamonos Pest’ stage case roll by a few episodes ago, I knew it would be perfect for a collection.
I already did a Breaking Bad design, which is like a Steelbook with a plastic front. This case can hold five of those, but I opted to design some new Criterion-like cases for the set*.
The dimensions of the real-life stage case are quite ideal for a box set. This design is a bit wider to help contain all five sets. I believe it would fit amongst your Blu-Ray library seamlessly, if the individual cases were a bit shorter than normal Blu-Ray cases.
There are only 2 working latches on the sides to open and lock the case. The rest of the small latches are for show. This creates only two halves of the case, instead of the actual 3 or 4 sections the real stage case uses.
Every season case is loaded with imagery from its respective season. As much as I like uniform sets, it was fun to play with the imagery the show has imparted during its memorable run.
A completely optional feature are stowaway wheels beneath the case. The wheels make the case authentic to the show, but aren’t necessary in my opinion:
We won’t see a Breaking Bad Complete Series release until Winter 2013. The fifth and final season just started, and won’t finish airing until next summer (season 5 is comprised of two 8-episode halves). This design is very early, but looking back I can’t think of a better candidate than this stage case. Yes a case based on the RV might be cool, though somewhat over-the-top. I’m often told my vehicle-based cases are too astronomically expensive to manufacture.
UPDATE: Here is the cover art. I went a little overboard for season 5, as it goes with the case somewhat.
*As far as I know Criterion doesn’t release TV shows. But if they did, Breaking Bad would be eligible (along with contemporaries The Wire, The Sopranos, and Game Of Thrones for sure).
Vancouver Skytrain Map – Super Mario 3 Style (Second Edition)
Current Skytrain Map (2012) Click To Enlarge
You can purchase a high-res image of this poster here.
Future Skytrain Map (2016) Click To Enlarge
You can purchase a high-res image of this poster here.
In light of the recent Montreal and Toronto maps, I thought I’d revisit the original map – Vancouver. My initial intent was to make it a full poster (no Score/Timer UI at the bottom), but then I got carried away and added the upcoming Evergreen Line and the rest of the West Coast Express.
Above are two flavors, to represent the current 2012 and future 2016 layouts. The future one will have the Evergreen Line, and as you can see it will absorb a good chunk of the current Millennium Line (which will then only run to Lougheed Town Centre).
Other changes include a larger mixed-case font for the stations, cities are indicated, and the station stops are all designated with the corresponding line’s initial.
And for those asking I did consider including the B-Lines, with stops designated by the coin-like markers, but I’d have to scale everything smaller to squeeze-in UBC. Maybe for the third edition.
You can also find a Calgary version here. American cities next? (Update: Just did one)
Monopoly Real Estate Sign
I’ve always found real estate signs to be so unsightly and devoid of personality, quite the feat considering they are big bloated business cards for Realtors. You’d think the Realtor was on sale, with their name, picture, and slogan so prominent.*
Anyways, I am seeing these signs just about everywhere within a stone’s throw from my house (I’m scaring away the neighbors with my Farscape references), and I think they could be a bit more fun and a little less heavy on information. So I came up with this Monopoly design, which is quite appropriate if I may say so.
It’s all you need really: “For Sale” and a number. Additional information can be found on the pamphlet (which would look like a Monopoly property card). The familiar Monopoly imagery mixed with the all-too-familiar real estate sign scream hey this house is for sale!
Check out this other sign I designed for Hot Wheels fans.
*Realtors bug me to no end. Once in junior high school we had a Realtor talk to us for an hour. At the end she gave us a packet full of business cards, fridge magnets, pamphlets, etc. It wasn’t a lecture, she was networking! Ugh.
New Orlean Hornets Rename Submission
Click To Enlarge
Paul Lukas of Uni-Watch is running this contest on ESPN asking for submissions to rename and redesign the New Orleans Hornets, as apparently the new owner has expressed an interest in doing just that.
For those who don’t know, the New Orleans Hornets were originally in Charlotte. When they moved they kept the name, and now the new owner feels it’s not representative of New Orleans.
To me New Orleans is about gothic culture, so I thought it would be fun to do something Vampire related – because I’m such a geek if you haven’t already noticed.
Names like Hunters, Slayers, and Bats were considered. My favorite was Daywalkers, but that is now used in reference to Gingers (thanks South Park!). Nightwings had a nice ring (like the Batman comic book character), but to make it symmetrical I opted for Nitewings, allowing me to turn the ‘W’ into a bat.
The main logo I didn’t have much time to work on – the submission deadline was this morning. Overall I think it works. It represents the city, the name is two syllables (two or less is ideal for a team), and it sounds similar to New Orleans. The color scheme unfortunately is too similar to the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls. Black and Crimson seemed appropriate.
