Tuesday: UConn Find Two Ryans Here

It's me Ryan and I'm back here again. By this time next week the new writer should be gracing your with their opinions and wisdom. Until then, sit tight and bare with me. We had 11 applications, which is great. For the 10 of you that don't get chosen please don't let it discourage you from applying next time. Whenever a spot opens up there is usually more than one applicant who could take the position, but I typically only take on one at a time.

What did everyone think about the Stadium Series game?

From my perspective it felt like there wasn't much buzz around the game until Saturday. Then it felt like everyone realized it was here and it was a big deal. I also thought that the field looked empty and unfinished. The NHL usually does a good job dressing up whatever stadium their big event occur in, but the actual field on this one looked like crap. LA's uniforms turned out to be a disaster and San Jose's went over about as well as could be expected.

Here's your chance to show us what you would like a Stadium Series game to look like. HJC is holding a competition that allows you to design your very own Stadium Series game. The rules and requirements are very simple, so head over to the STADIUM SERIES tab (or click the banner above) to read them.

Lets take a look at the entries that have come in recently...

Ryan C.

Here are the voting reminders, as well as a kick in the butt because Stadium Series entries are due at the end of the week.

COTW Feb 15-21 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

Stadium Series entries (due Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

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Evansville Icemen (by Ryan C.)

Ryan is taking the natural steps in the evolution of a concept artist. He started out using the Athletic Knit jersey creator and when he had reached that software limitations he moved ahead with one of our current templates. Well done Ryan and keep trying to evolve. That should be said to everyone. Don't be afraid of new templates, don't be afraid to fail, and always try to be better. I really like how Ryan has utilized Evansville's colours here. The blue jersey looks especially good. The classic striping pattern looks great and the slight alteration to a classic block font for the player numbers was a great choice. The NOB looks too small, as such I would suggest using a bit bigger font. What pushes concepts over the top is attention to details. I would like to see some ECHL branding on the concepts as well as team sponsor(s) on the jersey. There are also some loose pixels around the template which become quite clear when the two layers of the blue jersey are on top of each other.
8.5/10

Je'Daii Order - Star Wars (by Ryan G.)

Wookieepedia can tell you all about the Je'daii order. If it didn't exist in Episodes I-VI, then it didn't exist in my Star Wars world. I could write forever about my dislike for all this extra curricular Star Wars junk, but I will stick to the jersey. Based on what Wookieepedia says, I would liked to have seen some sort of "balance" of good and evil in this jersey. Purple and white doesn't really say that to me. There's nothing bad about the double purple design of the jersey, but at the same time you could throw any purple Star Wars logo on here and it would have the same effect.
7/10

Jedi 3rd jersey (by Ryan G.)

Nice looking jersey, but this concept suffers the same fate as the above concept. What makes this a Jedi jersey other than the logo? Could I throw any yellow logo on here? Probably. It's nicely executed except that it still has the NHL/Reebok tag inside the collar. The Jedi never had a team in the NHL and it looks like a jersey manufacturer from the Galactic Empire made this jersey and left their wordmark on the back neck of the jersey.
7/10

University of Connecticut (by Daivd P.)

UConn revealed some fairly uninspiring new designs for their 2015 jerseys last month. That prompted this and the following concepts. David does the right thing and uses the husky as the primary logo. I have really soured on roundel logos, but this one doesn't bother me. I don't like the idea of two alternates for a university team, but I'm not dumb enough to think that it will actually be the case. Because of this template and because we don't get to see the backs of the concepts it's hard to tell what's so different and/or great about the font chosen for the player numbers.
8/10

University of Connecticut (by Josiah B.)

Everyone likely knows that I like classic jersey designs, so as you have guessed I do like this jersey. My favourite part is the double outline on the square yokes. There are some execution issues that set this otherwise very good concept back. Unless UConn uses very cheap fully sublimated jerseys all jersey stripes should go over top of the jersey stitching. The hem stripes are also a little low because they run into the hem trim. Just move them up above the hem trim. The stripes on the socks are all different thicknesses than the ones on the jerseys, which are all consistent. The TV numbers seem quite high and quite small. They also don't have an outline like the player numbers do. This isn't necessary, but the jersey does look odd as it is. Finally the template box directing the artist where to place the player numbers has been left on both jerseys. Please guys, triple check your work before emailing it in.
7.5/10

Finland (by Dylan A.)

Artists that get frustrated by the writers' comments of execution errors can always look to someone like Dylan as a great example of how things can be done. And it's NOT just because he works with vector images. There are no loose pixels, stripe thickness is consistent when it needs to be, colours are proper and consistent, and everything looks properly proportioned. I could go on for a while. I like the white jersey except for the vertical chest stripe that stops at the stitching, which I don't think really needs to be there. I also don't think the coloured namebar was necessary. The blue jersey is excellent. I really like the dark stripe behind SUOMI. My only gripe would be the Finnish flag, which looks thrown into the hem stripe simply as a way to get the flag on the jersey somehow.
9/10 - COTW nomination from me!

Are you going to second my nomination? Does someone else deserve to be nominated? You better get on that because they'll need to be seconded as well. I also challenge someone to have the guts to tell us your least favourite jersey of the bunch and in a constructive way tell us how you would improve it. See everyone on Saturday.