Concept Ideas.

I tend to always jump straight into design research without thinking out my project, therefore I need to do it now even though I have some logo research already one.
My concepts for this project is still in thought process and open to change:

Logo:

Typography will be in italics and bold to reflect the game's fast and aggressive nature. For the imagery I want to try to project a similar style of illustration as the NHL logos which are semi-cartoony for the same reasons as the type. Thinking a crown, royal figure, crest leaves, regal animal totems.

Kit:

For the kit I need to focus on colours and what to use that would reflect an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Something regal perhaps. 

Also there needs to be sharp vector shapes which will make the kit look intimidating and strong.

Name and number on the back. In addition to this I want to add the number on the shoulders, both sides of the helmet and maybe on the front of the jersey also.

The most complicated design part for this aspect will be the jersey as it is the main symbol of the player when identifying them, everything else will be relatively simple.

Puck:

The puck will be simple and a printed logo on it. I will however design some other ideas for these.

Badges:

Again the logo will dominate these badges but I think maybe just using the type or just the logo imagery so the visuals will be big and easy to see so when worn on perhaps a bag, it's easy to read/identify when walking past them.

iPhone Case:

I'm going to play around with some ideas for this but I think I want to use the logo of course and some photography of players in action with perhaps some vector shapes which will cut up the photo to create an almost montage effect. Other ideas and designs will be drawn up when focusing on it.

Timetable:

I want to design a double sided timetable that will have a bold title on one side saying exactly what it is, so when people open the package, it will be the first thing they see and know what is it. The other half will be the actual timetable which will be shown in a table with other pieces of information about games etc.

Flyer:

This I want to advertise the team and sport and encourage people to get involved including kids.

Promotional Pack:

An original packaging that has a full print and advertises the team straight off. I want specific indents inside the package that will help to keep all the products in place. Striking photography and graphics to make it look eye catching and interesting. An action shot will be important in order to project a professional and real feel. I want it to be striking at first glance so people will immediately be interested/curious. Also the paper type will make a massive difference which will help project a very professional feel.

Poster:

Player posters and photo montage of players and perhaps double sided which will present the team and its logo.

Car Sticker:

Big and bold so it's easily seen by people in other cars. Just the logo and name is necessary as anything else could potentially encourage people to look away from the road. Saying this however I think using some photography might help, so when people see it then they know exactly what the game is. This will be helpful because they will have hardly any time to focus on it.

Tickets:

2 free tickets which will give people free entry to a game. 2 because it will encourage people to bring a friend/family member. An idea would be to have 3 tear off pieces say, tear one off for child, 2 for junior, 3 for adult etc.

These are my concepts but they are still loose ideas that I want to expand on. I will show this to my tutors when I next see them to get their thoughts and then I can start properly designing. Also something I'm still not sure on is how to advertise it. I could post the packages but some letterboxes are too small and there could be a better way, say have a stall in the mall and hand them out to sporty looking people. I'll have a chat with everyone when I'm next in to discuss this.

Further Logo Research.

I went to the Uni Library on Wednesday and took out a book, Logo Design. This book offers a massive gallery of logos ranging from any subject from sport to music. I stumbled on a page in the sports section and realised that some examples were quite regal but still offered a powerful look without looking soft.

The top left design is for Spin Balon found on page 367 whilst the other designs are for Manitou, found on page 356.
I tried to research these companies a little more so I could have a better idea of the reasons for these logos, I was however unsuccessful as nothing related to these logos came up.

That aside though I chose these designs for their regal look and composition for a sports logo design. I really love the Spin Balon logo as the composition is well designed and has a symmetrical effect. The design has adopted the typical leaf crest surrounding the image with a banner and two lion silhouettes which symbolises power and royalty. I think I'm going to take the leaf crest design and see if I can fit it into my designs.

As for the other designs I simply wanted to expand on the symbols which can relate to a regal appeal. the 1740 design has a shield as the base background whilst the 1744 design has again a banner and a crown. A crown is what I already wanted to expand on.
The 1742 design I liked for the typography and its strong, bold and italic effect. This gives the impression of strength and speed, which reflects the nature of Ice Hockey. The word 'Sovereigns' will need to be big and strong to accomodate the imagery of my logo and therefore wanted to show what sort of effect I wanted.

Whilst writing this Alex was kind enough to send me a link which consists of two logos found on Dribbble.com which has the exact same vector look that I want to accomplish:

Found on http://dribbble.com/shots/442083-Durham-Bulls-Logo?list=popular&offset=243

Found as a GIF on http://dribbble.com/shots/441894-Soccer-Concept?list=popular&offset=5&fb_source=message

The style of graphic illustration is spot on in these examples and also the typography for Durham Bulls (a baseball team) has that action appeal. This logo works well due to the placement of colours. I think the blue is subtle and not too overwhelming even when it is the dominating colour used, however the white stands out from the black which makes it pop out, even more so the orange shadow gives it an almost 3D effect which make 'Bulls' seem to pop out in the foreground. The only thing I felt could have been improved is the impression that it is a baseball team. Admittedly when I first saw it I thought of Basketball as the orange really reflects that due to the colour of the ball. On that note the logo below, P.U.F.C Puffins have a football in the background of the icon, making it immediately obvious that it is a football team (despite F.C in the name). Even when also using orange it's obvious what genre of sport it is representing. In addition I really love the composition of the Puffin as it weaves through the circle and pulls out a little to the right, which gives it movement and direction.

The next step will be to sketch out some designs.

Logo Research.

NHL Logos provided by http://www.clubhometheater.com/htmarket/hollandbarstools/nhlhlogo.jpg via Google.

These logos are all of the logos in the NHL. As you can see these logos are representations of specific traits of the city. Whether that be through an animal, element or heritage.
An example would be the Washington Capitals (2nd row 4th column). The reason why they chose this name is because Washington is the capital of the US. They have used a hockey stick at the descender and ascender of the letter 't'. I have found that this is important for the logo as someone can tell straight away that the team plays Ice Hockey even if they weren't a fan, it also stands out boldly with the red used for the puck, which is a stand alone colour. I think this catches the public's eye to make them realise the sport genre. In addition to this I think the reason why designers chose those particular colours is because of the US flag colour palette, it is fitting as Washington is the capitol. This gives the audience an idea that it is a US team and not Canadien. Another thing worth noting are the stars in the logo which represent the US flag.

I really love the illustration style of the Pheonix Coyotes (3rd row 1st column). It is a vector style created in Adobe Illustrator which would involve using the pen tool to create paths, which will give that  nice shaped and sharp appeal. I think the meaning behind this logo is of the coyote dog, which is a popular animal around Pheonix - Arizona. The colours represent the climate and colour of terrain around the area. As ou can see they used Sedona Red which reflects the red rocks and Desert Sand which reflects the majority of terrain there.
In a very similar fashion the Minnesota Wild (8th row 3rd column) have the same style of illustration and have the same meaning behind the logo. As you can see the design is revolved around the environment within the state which is reflected through wildlife, hence the name 'Wild' the cat shaped head and imagery within the logo which are trees and a sunset. Green is the stereotypical colour for nature and therefore is the main colour used in this logo with yellow and red for the sun and sky, in addition to this a star is noticeable acting as the cat's eye.
I can learn from this and use this technique in my designs, for example I could have a regal logo with colours usually associated with Tunbridge Wells (perhaps white/grey/black which reflect the Pantiles, some blue which would reflect the spring water). Other ideas could be a regal figure/crown with the town's most well known aspects (Pantiles, spring, theatre etc).

I have realised that most of the logos are quite fierce, I would think to reflect the nature of the game which is fast and intense. In addition to this some of the team names such as Tampa Bay Lightning (7th row down 4th column) are bold and have used italics to reflect the speed of the game. Another example would be Washington Capitals again and Dallas Stars (7th row 3rd column). This gives the imagery a lot of movement and appeals to the target audience which are mostly males and sports fans of all ages.
These logos have given me a head start into some ideas which I think would work well whilst keeping a deep meaning towards the town of Tunbridge Wells.

I realised some of the logos including the San Jose Sharks (7th row 2nd column) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (5th row 4th column) have a similar upside down triangle as its background. This is the sign of offense which is used in strategic plans when talking about formations. It's obvious that all these logos represent strength, passion and fierceness.

I've also had a look at a few other logos including the London Pride drink brand:

London Pride Logo provided by http://www.poringlandroyaloak.co.uk/sites/default/files/london%20pride%20.jpg via Google.

I felt the shield and royal look might be suitable for the Tunbridge Wells team as I know the town is famous for its royal visits over the centuries and therefore felt it would be suitable. I don't want it looking too posh though. The shield is a nice touch as that represents strength and durability. It's an idea which could be incorporated into a design.
What stands out in this design is the white, which is shown through the text 'London Pride' and 'Fuller's' which I think are the two most important aspects for a beer pump/label and all anyone wants to know when buying a drink is the name of the brand and the brewer, so this stands out well and will make people see it at first glance.

Team Names.

In result I nailed the ideas down to Lords, Sovereigns and Stallions. I felt they were the most appropriate with the town's history and the British heritage.
After more thinking I have decided to stick with Sovereigns because I felt it was the most interesting and striking word. It means ultimate power and taking control. Therefore I can have freedom to experiment with lots of ideas to make sure I create a suitable icon that I feel happy about.

The next step now is to start researching some existing logos from the NHL and other suitable logos and generate some ideas from them. After that some sketches and designs to get ideas off their feet.

Research: Tunbridge Wells History.

Tunbridge Wells started its fame with the chalybeate (meaning it contains iron) spring. Rainwater would fall on the ground containing iron deposits, soaking through them they would rise up into a spring. These iron deposits in the water stained the ground which would turn to a rusty colour.


In the 17th Century a nobleman, Lord Noth, came across the spring and drank from it, he was suffering from tuberculosis however after drinking from the spring he claimed to have been healed from the water. He then told his wealthy friends over London who then came down to drink from the water.


Tunbridge Wells had its first royal visitor in 1630, Queen Henrietta Maria who gave birth to the then future Charles II. Within that same future a chapel was built in 1678 called the Chapel of King Charles the Martyr. Houses were built soon after and Tunbridge Wells increased at a fast pace.


Tunbridge Wells had a population of 1,500 in 1725 and in 1736 a rich noble and socialite, Richard 'Beau' Nash came to town and appointed himself master of ceremonies where he would arrange balls and various other social events.


By the early 1880's Tunbridge Well's population rose to 25,000 and it gained it's royal borough in 1889. Soon after in 1909 Edward VII allowed Tunbridge Wells its Royal prefix to its name.
(Information provided by http://www.localhistories.org/tunbridge.html)


There is a rich history of Tunbridge Wells and I feel that it is most suitable to focus on the royalty aspect of the town. I have coloured the key moments which I think could reflect my ideas of what sort of imagery to choose.
I like the spring but it doesn't hold any appeal to the game's nature of being fast and physically challenging. You can however play around with names to do with royalty as it suggests power and dominance. I think this may be quite challenging however to make my designs fierce and not elegant. I think the use of colours will be reflecting its elegant history and wealth and not having to rely on a simple and soft style.

Plan.

Week 1: Ideas, general research (history and stuff), Logo ideas and sketches
I need to hit the ground running with this project and so I will focus on getting some general research, make a plan about what to prioritise first, decide on paper types etc. In addition to this I will need to decide which site to use for the printing of the puck, badges and iPhone case.
Getting some logo ideas will also be helpful to get my motivation going and keeping my ideas generation in overdrive.

Week 2: Photography of team, Logo designs and finals, Kit sketches.
This week will be about getting the photography that I need. I have already contacted 2 teams (Surrey Sharks and Kent Knights) asking if I am able to take some photos. I'll only need one team but I thought in case one didn't get back to me I still have another team in my contingency plan. Saying that perhaps I'll go to both so I have more photos that could potentially be better. In addition I will focus on logo designs on screen and finals ready to show the tutors for opinions. Kit sketches to keep my project going.


Week 3: In depth research, kit designs and finals:
More research where ever needed if possible. The kit design I feel will be quite time consuming and therefore want to focus on it that week. If I get it finished then I will move onto the next week straightaway. I won't stick to this plan too strictly if I finish something early. I want to make sure things are done so I am able to make changes in the time I have if friends and tutors have any ideas/opinions.

Week 4: Sketches of each thing, Puck, badges and iPhone case designs and finals.
I want to create some sketches for all the aspects of the promo pack and it will give me a solid idea of what I want to do but give me a while to mull on it for extra ideas etc. I am going to prioritise the puck, badges and iPhone case first because I will need to send of the designs off to get them printed and also get them delivered to me. This process will take time which is why I am prioritising them.

Week 5: Timetable and flyer designs and finals. Promo Package ideas and sketches
I will focus on the timetable and flyers here but also the promo pack ideas and sketches. I want to think of something unique for the packaging and so need to devote quite a lot of time to it.

Week 6: Poster designs and finals. Car stickers and tickets sketches and finals.
The poster shouldn't take too long and neither should the car stickers and tickets as they are little aspects but this gives me time to focus on the promo package.

Week 7: Promotional Package designs and finals.
This week will be completely devoted to the promo pack as I want to make a good job of it and make sure it's a very high quality piece of work which works well.

Week 8: Promo package continued? Print.
Additional time for promo pack if needed but hopefully not. If not then I can be sure to fit something else in if there is time. This will also be the time for printing if everything is fitting.

Week 9: Additional Stuff and print.
Same again another week for additional things and printing.

Week 10: “ ”
Changes to work might carry me onto these weeks and so therefore I have saved them for any additional time needed. I am planning this so I don't any last minute rushes which could potentially harm my grade.

Week 11: “ ”

Week 12: “ ”

Final Major Proposal.

For my final major project I am going to produce an identity project for a fictional Ice Hockey team. The reason why I think this is a good subject is because it's different, interesting and I think it deserves more recognition through out the country. I want to promote the sport so it will help make it more popular.

Ice Hockey is a fast contact sport played on an ice rink. The teams are of six skaters who essentially try to hit a rubber disk (puck) into each other's goal using long sticks with a flat/curved blade on the end. Ice Hockey is most famous in Canada where locals would play on frozen lakes instead of having to use a rink. In addition it is also very popular in the US, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Sweden. I have noticed that Ice Hockey in the UK has become a little more popular but not enough to make it a well renowned sport here, hence why I want to do this project.

I want to produce the team's logo, kit and a promotional package which will include a poster, badges, a puck, fan shirt and various pieces of information about the team. I want to involve little things that people can wear, this way if they choose to wear these items it will promote the team where ever they go.

There are a lot of areas which I need to improve on. I want to make sure I revisit the course tutors about my work and make sure they are kept up to date a lot more and gain their input for the project. Also I will carry out the course's learning outcomes as requested. I need to try and make sure everything works and not just making something look nice.

Another thing that I need to improve on is dealing with people to get the right photography etc. I will aim to ask a local ice hockey team if I can take some pictures of them playing which will provide my photography for the project.

My experimentation is also something I need to work on. As I am involving a lot of various items within the promotional package then this gives me the opportunity to try different things. Photography is something that has a big impact on design and I feel it brings things alive. I want to improve my skills in this area and so the experimentation of photography will be involved. This includes aperture and exposure tests etc. Also I aim to post my designs on a design forum (yet to be decided on which site) and get advice from other people/designers and ask whether they think my designs work and are suitable.

I will aim to create an organised schedule for my work so the work is steady. I will make sure to try and show the tutors something new in my designs every week or two. This will grant me good time management and also a sense of direction with the advice from my tutors.

I will give each aspect of design in the project a certain amount of time with plenty of time in between/at the end of the project just in case things take longer than I would have thought. This will also give me the chance to change anything from feedback from tutors/friends.

For the contingency plan I realise that the local ice hockey team requires some travel and I may not get the right photography that I would want, therefore I need to make that a priority so I have plenty of time to get any additional content. I have other teams planned to take photos of if my primary team do not want to be involved for what ever reason.

Proposal Guidelines.

Aims: You must show what it is that you intend to create, why you intend to do it and how you intend to complete it. At this stage your aims may be embryonic and will almost certainly alter slightly when you re-focus after your research and experimentation.

Specific Individual Outcomes: What specific outcomes do you intend (at this stage) to produce? What material pieces will you have at the end of the project? Again, these might need to alter slightly after you re-focus, but do not expect to dramatically change your project into a whole new one! Try to set outcomes for yourself that will be appropriate and have scope for being effective and perhaps innovative.

Research & Methodology: Give an overview of where and how you intend to research (be specific) and how you intend to generate ideas from this. Book titles, primary sites and so on should be listed. Clearly you will need to do a literature review and to arm yourself with information about the topic before you begin to draw up your proposal.

Learning Outcomes: Carefully read the learning outcomes for the module before you start – see Moodle. Consider how will you make ongoing checks that you are providing work that will meet the learning outcomes at BA(Hons) level? You also need to organise your schedule and your practical work in such a way that you are allowing yourself opportunities to evidence achievement of the learning outcomes. Do not ignore any – build chances to complete them into your programme.

Testing Outcomes: Show how you will apply a method to test the appropriateness and effectiveness of your work in progress. In other words, how are you going to demonstrate that you are evaluating and then acting upon those evaluations to improve the work? You must apply some critical theory to your work at all stages, from deconstructing and concluding from your research, right through your developmental and realisation work. You might want to use semiotics or the gaze, or bring an ideological investigation to bear upon your work. You can use as many theories as you want, but make sure that they are appropriate, useful and that you are using them fluently.

Experimentation: At this stage, where and perhaps how do you envisage that you might carry out experimentation and exploratory work? How do you think this will help you?

Reflection: How will you evidence continual reflection upon your practice? This can be linked to your evaluations of your work, but should also be trying to understand how and where you have learnt about yourself and your practice.

Professional Practice (Portfolio): How will you account for professional practice, including backing work up and creating portfolio pieces?

Production Schedule: draw up a schedule of work, with dates. You must include dates or stages when you will evidence your on going work to your tutors.

Contingency Planning: Show how you will account for revisions to your plan in the event of problems or challenges to your schedule and the smooth accomplishment of work. Be prepared!