Well, after five very quick hours of design time that I gave myself for each team, I have finished up my first concept design, featuring the Atlanta Thrashers in their 80's styled jersey design.
(click the image for larger view)
Listen Thrashers fans, this is just a fun concept idea. Nobody is out here campaigning for your team to get a new logo or jersey design. The last thing I need is a mailbox full of hate mail like I just created Atlanta's version of the Buffalo-slug.
History wiki:
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League (NHL), was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames, leaving Atlanta without an NHL team, before the Thrashers were formed 19 years later. The team's name originated from the burning of Atlanta led by U.S. Army general William Sherman during the American Civil War. (Source: wikipedia.org)
The color scheme:
The current Thrashers color scheme is ok, but it doesn't say "Atlanta" to me. When I think of Atlanta, I think "hot", and of course "fire", so I got rid of all those cool blue tones and went with something a little more firey. How can you go wrong with red and orange? (I'll let the marketing department here at PuckDrawn come up with some fancy names like "hades red", "hot poker orange" and "oh shit, that's white hot".)
The crest:
This was difficult because of the time frame I set for myself. I started to design an updated version of the old Atlanta Flames "Flaming A" design, but thought my concept would be thought of as a Flames redesign rather than one for the Thrashers. And since I like the current Thrashers logo (minus the hockey stick), I figured I'd make use of that. I have a vector version of the Thrashers logo, so I just copied the head of the bird, used my new color palette and placed it onto the new 80's jersey.
The jersey:
This was the fun part of the concept process and what ate most of my damn time! I modeled the design after an old 80's Minnesota North Stars jersey and used my new "hot" color set. Nothing says 80's like big bold horizontal stripes and bright colors. You'll notice I used not one pixel of baby blue! I also contemplated placing "ATLANTA" down the left sleeve, but changed my mind after realizing—very quickly—that that was a ridiculous idea. And as for the alternate captain's "A", I had to pay tribute to the old Atlanta Flames in some way, so I took the Calgary Flames idea and used it in the same manner.
Final thoughts:
Just because I picked the Atlanta Thrashers to start off this 80's concept, doesn't mean I think their designs are bad. Well, that third jersey of theirs is a vomit-inducing, diarrhea bag of awful, so maybe they should go back to the drawing board on that one.
I like the jersey and the nod to Atlanta hockey with the flaming A on the chest, its a nice touch. I'm not crazy about the chest logo, but really, what do you do when you're logo is a tiny bird. Not that it matters, but if a team uses a unique shade of a particular color they will name it after the team the place a false sort of trademark on the color. Although it would be a mistake to lose out on the gold mine that is "oh shit, that's white hot."
Posted by: Link | May 22, 2009 at 08:00 AM
I've always loved the Flames jersey, I like it Johnny.
Posted by: Ryne | May 22, 2009 at 02:47 PM
Cool. Thanks Ryne.
I'm currently working on the Tampa Bay Lightning 80's concept. Lookin' pretty cool so far.
Posted by: johnny griswold | May 22, 2009 at 02:49 PM