Friday: Your New HJC writer is...
Hello everyone, Colin here.
I am your new HJC Friday writer... I am also the old HJC friday writer. I was the original writer for friday when Ryan first took on others to help him out, but life and work got crazy for me, so I had to step down last spring. I am now back as the friday writer. I had to re-apply and go through the same application process everyone else did, and I was once again selected to be part of this awesome blog community by Ryan. Needless to say, I am really excited to be back at it.
For those of you who are new to the blog, allow me to introduce myself, and how I am going to go about things on the blog.
What you need to know about me hockey wise: I am a 22 year old UBC student from Vancouver, a big Canucks fan (bring on the hate), my favourite player of all time is Markus Naslund.
A few things about how I will be evaluating concepts:
Please note that I will be a hard marker. There are very few jerseys in the NHL that deserve a 10/10, I will be handing out marks usually in the 4-8/10 range. If a jersey is bad it won't get a passing mark, but I will provide feedback and constructive criticism, and will do this nicely. I'm just not going to give someone the false sense that their jersey is good when it is not.
Here is a breakdown of my /10 rating system. I will not be publishing what each concept gets in each category every time, this is just to give you a bit of an idea as to what I value in a concept:
2 marks for original content (not simply a recolouring... I don't need to see another version of the current oiler's sweaters in orange... we all know what that looks like already) A rule of thumb I use when making a concept is don't make a concept you've seen before.
1 mark for execution (properly applied jersey elements, NOB, Tv numbers, shoulder patches, etc.)
1 mark for presentation (really the only reason you wouldn't get this mark is if you put the concept on a really bad coloured background, or are lazy with the presentation)
3 marks for aesthetics... how good does the concept look? (bad = 0/3, mediocre = 1/3, good = 2/3, excellent = 3/3)
3 marks for creativity / wow factor.
I really do value creativity and people trying something new, or thinking outside the box, and want to reward those who try to do this in my rating of their concepts, because it takes a lot more time to figure out how to do something creatively, than it does to simply slap a Northwestern stripe on the hem and sleeves of a jersey.
Anyways enough about me. Let's get on to what you came here for. Don Cherry.
As Grapes says, "All good Canadian kids vote." Sorry Americans, and Europeans, and really anyone else. Don has never been very politically correct or inclusive, and I suggest you take up any problems you may have with his statement with the CBC.
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On to the concepts!
Dallas Cowboys - NFL - David P.
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Like: These look like cowboys uniforms. They fit really well with the iconic look. One of my favourite features of these sweaters is that David has replaced the NHL logo in the collar insert with the NFL shield. great attention to detail.
Dislike: although the star is the main logo for the cowboys, it doesn't seem to be strong enough to be a main crest on a hockey jersey. Also this concept seems quite pixelated.
Change: The striping form the home (white) sweater matches the striping from the third better than the striping from the away jersey. I would try to make the striping on the home and road jerseys match and have the third be different. Also shoulder patches could be nice, right now these sweaters just seem a bit bland.
Rating: 6.5/10
Boston Bruins - Stephen T.
Like: These sleeves are the inverse of the sleeves used by the Bruins from 1995-2007. Well executed and presented. Good modernization of those sweaters.
Dislike: I have never been a fan of this style of sleeve striping. Nothing really blows me out of the water from a creative standpoint either.
Change: The Black stripe on the white sock seems a bit overpowering, maybe make it look a bit more like the arm stripes.
Rating: 6.5/10
Austria - IIHF - Dylan Wonka
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Like: How well Dylan has run with the modern aesthetic through this series. These jerseys look modern, but don't look hideous like Nike's do. The black "outline" look is something I haven't seen before, very creative.
Dislike: As much as I appreciate the creativity of the black outline, it does make the concept feel a bit "cartoony" for me. I also can't say I'm a huge fan of the introduction of black onto the jerseys for Austria, the red and white is where it's at.
Change: To try to combat the "cartoony-ness" and remove black from the jersey, while still keeping the outline look, I would play around with red outlining white on the white sweater, and white outlining red on the red sweater, for a sort of monochrome look.
Rating: 7.5/10
Quebec Nordiques - Christian L.
Like: I think a simple look like this could work well if and when the Nordiques get another shot in the NHL.
Dislike: Execution. Everything seems to be off centre, some of the jersey stripes extend beyond the template, the fleur-de-lis do not seem evenly spaced, and look cramped.
Change: The main crest, that logo looks more like a logo for tourism Quebec than a hockey team. Perhaps pick a simpler template to use while starting out, this one has a lot of curved and diagonal lines, which make it hard to apply TV numbers and shoulder patches properly (I know you did that in side view, but they would also be visible on the front and back views). A simpler template means more time spent designing the jersey and less time formatting it.
Rating: 5/10
Erie Otters - OHL - Ryan D.
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Like: I do like how colourful this jersey is, the Otters have 3 bold colours, way to use 'em.
Dislike: There are a lot of errors on this concept, those aside, I am not a big fan of how much the "paint bucket" fill tool was used on this sweater. In general it is a good idea to pick a background colour for the sweater and work by building elements on top of that, that way you avoid one of my big pet peeves, the off colour side panels.
Change: As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of execution errors on this sweater. There are a lot of loose pixels (around logos, numbers, on the front view of the collar), the arm stripes are different widths, HUGE logo, there is a gap on the template where a shoulder patch was applied, and the shoulder patches are only visible on the front. I would suggest taking a look at the tutorials page to figure out how to fix these errors.
Rating: don't let this get you down, keep making concepts and you'll learn from your mistakes. 4/10.
Columbus Blue Jackets - Logo Tweak - SupahLeafsFan
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Like: First off, welcome to HJC SupahLeafsFan. It is always good to get a logo concept here on the site! This logo alteration ditches the lime green from the original Jackets logo in favour of silver, to better fit with the current set.
Dislike: Even though the execution is clean, this submission is lacking for me. There is a reason the Jackets moved away from this logo set, in favour of the newer sleeker one (shown right). Another thing I dislike about this submission is that there was only one small change made (swapping the colour in the hockey stick from lime green to silver... albeit a mismatched shade of silver). To submit a "concept" that literally took four steps (Copy, Paste, Eye-dropper, Paint Can) to complete is not what we are about here at HJC. Many artists spend hours getting a concept just right.
Change: For me this concept is incomplete. I know most concept artists on here end up having to alter logos to make them work for specific concepts (see William's right after this one as a prime example) all the time. I think recolouring this logo is a good idea, but it is only a partial concept, if a jersey were built around this altered logo, I would feel a lot better about it.
Florida vs. Tampa Bay - The Sunshine State Rivalry Colours Concept - William B.
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Like: I have loved this concept series from William, what a creative idea and well executed. These have just been so much FUN. I am of two minds about the panther head on the blue jersey. I like that it is sort of lurking in the shadows.
Dislike: On the other hand, I dislike how hard it is to see the logo on the blue jersey, an interesting idea, but it needs some work before I can like it 100%. Also, I just realized this, but the blue jersey is ALL blue, some white stripes would be nice, it looks a little too much like a practice jersey for me.
Change: not much other than the logo, also there is a great opportunity to work in some victory stripes on this concept. never say no to victory stripes! (or other stripes for that matter *cough cough* blue jersey)
Rating: 7/10
Guelph Storm - OHL - Ryan D.
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Like: In this case, I am not so put off by the off-colour side panels, they are often a feature of jerseys in major junior hockey. I do like that the stripes on the front and back run between these panels, it is a very modern look.
Dislike: Again there are some major execution errors, especially with the stripes. there is no consistent width or placement. also the Name and Number on the back are off centred. Be careful when filling in the jersey to not leave loose pixels in the collar, and around the Reebok logo on the back of the neck.
Change: get those stripes consistent, and fix those errors. Also, the Reebok logo on the back of the neck should contrast better, I would have coloured it white or silver for this concept.
Rating: Fewer errors, and better ideas on this one Ryan. 5/10
Czech Republic - IIHF - Dylan Wonka
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Like: So many really cool things going on in this concept. I Love the diamond stripe pattern (very cool and original), I also really like the subtle checkerboard going on in the yoke. This sweater does a great job of tying in to the crest and the country's flag.
Dislike: That the striping is not consistent from on the home and away sweaters. I get that you were trying to keep the "diamond" blue as a tie in to the Czech flag, but the inconsistency of how it interacts with the rest of the striping bothers me a bit.
Change: I would try to keep the striping consistent and matching the flag. White stripe on top, red stripe beneath, blue diamond, and then use blue as a bordering accent to separate the stripes from the rest of red or white on the sweater.
Rating: very cool and creative 8/10.
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - USHL - Patrick E.
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Like: It is great to see concepts from different leagues on HJC. I had to look up the USHL, and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, and I was pleasantly surprised, they have a great colour scheme and logo pack! The simple black, green, silver look works for me, and I think a wordmark/number combination is a good call for a minor league team.
Dislike: There are a few big execution errors on this one, lots of loose pixels, and a big uncoloured area on the inside of the collar, missing TV numbers. Also, that logo is just too big, as I dislike that the players' number goes over their heart... that doesn't seem like a team first thing to do.
Change: obviously fix the errors, I would re-size that main logo, and then put the players number beneath it. Also, I would lose the different coloured hems, they don't really add anything to the sweater in this case. What would add something to this sweater is one of the many awesome RoughRiders logos used as a shoulder patch. Also, as is the NOB is really hard to read, try white letters and numbers.
Rating: 4.5/10
San Jose Sharks - Steven G.
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Like: Steven gets the colour balance spot on in this one. I like that the sharks have a menacing black sweater, and I feel like Steven ties in the logo really well in the way he accents this sweater.
Dislike: I am not a huge fan of the plain black collar.
Change: I would just switch up the collar, a white and teal 2-tone one could look good.
Rating: Solid, simple concept. 8/10.
Dr. Who 50th anniversary concept - Tristan M.
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Like: Another thing I like to see is pop-culture related concepts. The television series Dr. Who celebrated it's 50th aniversay in the past week or 2. I have not gotten really into it, but the latest series is up on Netflix in Canada, so I guess I will be soon. There are a lot of cool sublimations (referencing the Tardis time-travel machine). Usually I am not the biggest fan of huge amounts of sublimation, but in this case it does add to the futuristic vibe. There are some really cool details (the hanger effect marking the shows run, and the BBC logo on the back instead of the Reebok logo, the doctor who logo in the collar insert instead of the NHL shield).
Dislike: I can't think of anything. As I said earlier, the sublimation is a little much for my liking, but it is fine for this fan jersey,
Change: nothing. very creative, lots of great tie-ins to the show.
Rating: as a fan jersey this is just what the doctor ordered. 8.5/10
There you have it folks, this post marks the end of another week, and the beginning of my second stint as an HJC writer. I am happy to be back bringing you concepts on Fridays (it really is the best day, because I get to send you out into the joy that is the weekend!). With all that being said, go forth, enjoy your weekend, and since you have some free time, not being in school or work or whatever, why not comment below, or better yet, take 30 seconds to vote! See Y'all next week.
I am your new HJC Friday writer... I am also the old HJC friday writer. I was the original writer for friday when Ryan first took on others to help him out, but life and work got crazy for me, so I had to step down last spring. I am now back as the friday writer. I had to re-apply and go through the same application process everyone else did, and I was once again selected to be part of this awesome blog community by Ryan. Needless to say, I am really excited to be back at it.
For those of you who are new to the blog, allow me to introduce myself, and how I am going to go about things on the blog.
What you need to know about me hockey wise: I am a 22 year old UBC student from Vancouver, a big Canucks fan (bring on the hate), my favourite player of all time is Markus Naslund.
A few things about how I will be evaluating concepts:
Please note that I will be a hard marker. There are very few jerseys in the NHL that deserve a 10/10, I will be handing out marks usually in the 4-8/10 range. If a jersey is bad it won't get a passing mark, but I will provide feedback and constructive criticism, and will do this nicely. I'm just not going to give someone the false sense that their jersey is good when it is not.
Here is a breakdown of my /10 rating system. I will not be publishing what each concept gets in each category every time, this is just to give you a bit of an idea as to what I value in a concept:
2 marks for original content (not simply a recolouring... I don't need to see another version of the current oiler's sweaters in orange... we all know what that looks like already) A rule of thumb I use when making a concept is don't make a concept you've seen before.
1 mark for execution (properly applied jersey elements, NOB, Tv numbers, shoulder patches, etc.)
1 mark for presentation (really the only reason you wouldn't get this mark is if you put the concept on a really bad coloured background, or are lazy with the presentation)
3 marks for aesthetics... how good does the concept look? (bad = 0/3, mediocre = 1/3, good = 2/3, excellent = 3/3)
3 marks for creativity / wow factor.
I really do value creativity and people trying something new, or thinking outside the box, and want to reward those who try to do this in my rating of their concepts, because it takes a lot more time to figure out how to do something creatively, than it does to simply slap a Northwestern stripe on the hem and sleeves of a jersey.
Anyways enough about me. Let's get on to what you came here for. Don Cherry.
 |
| photo from: www.thestar.com |
COTW Nov 25-Dec 1 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)
Fishsticks COMP Top 5 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)
As Grapes says, "All good Canadian kids vote." Sorry Americans, and Europeans, and really anyone else. Don has never been very politically correct or inclusive, and I suggest you take up any problems you may have with his statement with the CBC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On to the concepts!
Dallas Cowboys - NFL - David P.
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Like: These look like cowboys uniforms. They fit really well with the iconic look. One of my favourite features of these sweaters is that David has replaced the NHL logo in the collar insert with the NFL shield. great attention to detail.
Dislike: although the star is the main logo for the cowboys, it doesn't seem to be strong enough to be a main crest on a hockey jersey. Also this concept seems quite pixelated.
Change: The striping form the home (white) sweater matches the striping from the third better than the striping from the away jersey. I would try to make the striping on the home and road jerseys match and have the third be different. Also shoulder patches could be nice, right now these sweaters just seem a bit bland.
Rating: 6.5/10
Boston Bruins - Stephen T.
Like: These sleeves are the inverse of the sleeves used by the Bruins from 1995-2007. Well executed and presented. Good modernization of those sweaters.
Dislike: I have never been a fan of this style of sleeve striping. Nothing really blows me out of the water from a creative standpoint either.
Change: The Black stripe on the white sock seems a bit overpowering, maybe make it look a bit more like the arm stripes.
Rating: 6.5/10
Austria - IIHF - Dylan Wonka
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Like: How well Dylan has run with the modern aesthetic through this series. These jerseys look modern, but don't look hideous like Nike's do. The black "outline" look is something I haven't seen before, very creative.
Dislike: As much as I appreciate the creativity of the black outline, it does make the concept feel a bit "cartoony" for me. I also can't say I'm a huge fan of the introduction of black onto the jerseys for Austria, the red and white is where it's at.
Change: To try to combat the "cartoony-ness" and remove black from the jersey, while still keeping the outline look, I would play around with red outlining white on the white sweater, and white outlining red on the red sweater, for a sort of monochrome look.
Rating: 7.5/10
Quebec Nordiques - Christian L.
Like: I think a simple look like this could work well if and when the Nordiques get another shot in the NHL.
Dislike: Execution. Everything seems to be off centre, some of the jersey stripes extend beyond the template, the fleur-de-lis do not seem evenly spaced, and look cramped.
Change: The main crest, that logo looks more like a logo for tourism Quebec than a hockey team. Perhaps pick a simpler template to use while starting out, this one has a lot of curved and diagonal lines, which make it hard to apply TV numbers and shoulder patches properly (I know you did that in side view, but they would also be visible on the front and back views). A simpler template means more time spent designing the jersey and less time formatting it.
Rating: 5/10
Erie Otters - OHL - Ryan D.
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Like: I do like how colourful this jersey is, the Otters have 3 bold colours, way to use 'em.
Dislike: There are a lot of errors on this concept, those aside, I am not a big fan of how much the "paint bucket" fill tool was used on this sweater. In general it is a good idea to pick a background colour for the sweater and work by building elements on top of that, that way you avoid one of my big pet peeves, the off colour side panels.
Change: As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of execution errors on this sweater. There are a lot of loose pixels (around logos, numbers, on the front view of the collar), the arm stripes are different widths, HUGE logo, there is a gap on the template where a shoulder patch was applied, and the shoulder patches are only visible on the front. I would suggest taking a look at the tutorials page to figure out how to fix these errors.
Rating: don't let this get you down, keep making concepts and you'll learn from your mistakes. 4/10.
Columbus Blue Jackets - Logo Tweak - SupahLeafsFan
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Dislike: Even though the execution is clean, this submission is lacking for me. There is a reason the Jackets moved away from this logo set, in favour of the newer sleeker one (shown right). Another thing I dislike about this submission is that there was only one small change made (swapping the colour in the hockey stick from lime green to silver... albeit a mismatched shade of silver). To submit a "concept" that literally took four steps (Copy, Paste, Eye-dropper, Paint Can) to complete is not what we are about here at HJC. Many artists spend hours getting a concept just right.
Change: For me this concept is incomplete. I know most concept artists on here end up having to alter logos to make them work for specific concepts (see William's right after this one as a prime example) all the time. I think recolouring this logo is a good idea, but it is only a partial concept, if a jersey were built around this altered logo, I would feel a lot better about it.
Florida vs. Tampa Bay - The Sunshine State Rivalry Colours Concept - William B.
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Like: I have loved this concept series from William, what a creative idea and well executed. These have just been so much FUN. I am of two minds about the panther head on the blue jersey. I like that it is sort of lurking in the shadows.
Dislike: On the other hand, I dislike how hard it is to see the logo on the blue jersey, an interesting idea, but it needs some work before I can like it 100%. Also, I just realized this, but the blue jersey is ALL blue, some white stripes would be nice, it looks a little too much like a practice jersey for me.
Change: not much other than the logo, also there is a great opportunity to work in some victory stripes on this concept. never say no to victory stripes! (or other stripes for that matter *cough cough* blue jersey)
Rating: 7/10
Guelph Storm - OHL - Ryan D.
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Like: In this case, I am not so put off by the off-colour side panels, they are often a feature of jerseys in major junior hockey. I do like that the stripes on the front and back run between these panels, it is a very modern look.
Dislike: Again there are some major execution errors, especially with the stripes. there is no consistent width or placement. also the Name and Number on the back are off centred. Be careful when filling in the jersey to not leave loose pixels in the collar, and around the Reebok logo on the back of the neck.
Change: get those stripes consistent, and fix those errors. Also, the Reebok logo on the back of the neck should contrast better, I would have coloured it white or silver for this concept.
Rating: Fewer errors, and better ideas on this one Ryan. 5/10
Czech Republic - IIHF - Dylan Wonka
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Like: So many really cool things going on in this concept. I Love the diamond stripe pattern (very cool and original), I also really like the subtle checkerboard going on in the yoke. This sweater does a great job of tying in to the crest and the country's flag.
Dislike: That the striping is not consistent from on the home and away sweaters. I get that you were trying to keep the "diamond" blue as a tie in to the Czech flag, but the inconsistency of how it interacts with the rest of the striping bothers me a bit.
Change: I would try to keep the striping consistent and matching the flag. White stripe on top, red stripe beneath, blue diamond, and then use blue as a bordering accent to separate the stripes from the rest of red or white on the sweater.
Rating: very cool and creative 8/10.
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - USHL - Patrick E.
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Like: It is great to see concepts from different leagues on HJC. I had to look up the USHL, and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, and I was pleasantly surprised, they have a great colour scheme and logo pack! The simple black, green, silver look works for me, and I think a wordmark/number combination is a good call for a minor league team.
Dislike: There are a few big execution errors on this one, lots of loose pixels, and a big uncoloured area on the inside of the collar, missing TV numbers. Also, that logo is just too big, as I dislike that the players' number goes over their heart... that doesn't seem like a team first thing to do.
Change: obviously fix the errors, I would re-size that main logo, and then put the players number beneath it. Also, I would lose the different coloured hems, they don't really add anything to the sweater in this case. What would add something to this sweater is one of the many awesome RoughRiders logos used as a shoulder patch. Also, as is the NOB is really hard to read, try white letters and numbers.
Rating: 4.5/10
San Jose Sharks - Steven G.
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Like: Steven gets the colour balance spot on in this one. I like that the sharks have a menacing black sweater, and I feel like Steven ties in the logo really well in the way he accents this sweater.
Dislike: I am not a huge fan of the plain black collar.
Change: I would just switch up the collar, a white and teal 2-tone one could look good.
Rating: Solid, simple concept. 8/10.
Dr. Who 50th anniversary concept - Tristan M.
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Like: Another thing I like to see is pop-culture related concepts. The television series Dr. Who celebrated it's 50th aniversay in the past week or 2. I have not gotten really into it, but the latest series is up on Netflix in Canada, so I guess I will be soon. There are a lot of cool sublimations (referencing the Tardis time-travel machine). Usually I am not the biggest fan of huge amounts of sublimation, but in this case it does add to the futuristic vibe. There are some really cool details (the hanger effect marking the shows run, and the BBC logo on the back instead of the Reebok logo, the doctor who logo in the collar insert instead of the NHL shield).
Dislike: I can't think of anything. As I said earlier, the sublimation is a little much for my liking, but it is fine for this fan jersey,
Change: nothing. very creative, lots of great tie-ins to the show.
Rating: as a fan jersey this is just what the doctor ordered. 8.5/10
There you have it folks, this post marks the end of another week, and the beginning of my second stint as an HJC writer. I am happy to be back bringing you concepts on Fridays (it really is the best day, because I get to send you out into the joy that is the weekend!). With all that being said, go forth, enjoy your weekend, and since you have some free time, not being in school or work or whatever, why not comment below, or better yet, take 30 seconds to vote! See Y'all next week.
Friday: Your New HJC writer is...
Reviewed by Unknown
on
December 06, 2013
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
December 06, 2013
Rating:
3 comments:
Thanks for the review of my Tampa Bay vs Florida concept.
I definitely agree that this is a fun set to do. And I also agree that from a strictly-design standpoint, the Panthers blue jersey should never see the light of day. But no other team has done the full colour jerseys, and the Panthers would be perfect for this, being able to "lurk out of the shadows"
It's good to see you writing again Colin!
Great to have you back Colin! I remember you were writing when I first stumbled upon the blog.
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