Dominic Heisdorf
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Supersonics

Graphic design and branding project for the Seattle Supersonics. Seattle Sonics Dominic Heisdorf. Jersey NBA design. Dominic Heisdorf, Supersonics, Seattle Supersonics, Sonics, NBA branding, Seattle Central Creative Academy, Seattle Graphic Design, Dominic Heisdorf Graphic Designer. Dominic Heisdorf Graphic Design.

Supersonics

 
Seattle Supersonics Graphic Design and Illustration Portfolio for Dominic Heisdorf
 

How is it possible that a city like Seattle lost its iconic NBA team? Named after a Boeing airplane project called the Supersonic Transport, the Sonics were a beloved professional basketball team from 1967 to 2008. Even though the project never took off, the people of Seattle were inspired enough to name their NBA team after it. Similarly, even though the Sonics left Seattle, the fans remain inspired to bring the team back. That is why this branding project is all about rewarding the Supersonics’ faithful fans while also captivating a new generation. Visually I remixed all the classic elements so that the brand felt as familiar as possible to the old school fans but new enough for the next generation to call it their own as well. 

 

Client—Seattle Supersonics

Roles—Branding, Art Direction, Illustration, Environmental

Timeline—11 Weeks

Tools—Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop

 
Graphic Design and Illustration Portfolio for Dominic Heisdorf
Graphic Design and Illustration Portfolio for Dominic Heisdorf
 
Graphic Design and Illustration Portfolio for Dominic Heisdorf

The colors, the jet logo and even the name are all nods to the past while simultaneously moving the brand towards the future. The colors use all the classic green and yellow, but are slightly cleaner. The iconic skyline logo is updated with the Space Needle emboldened, more central and inserted into the structural lines that make up the basketball. The linear halftone is a nod to the ticket texture of the 90’s era, and also inserts a little jet speed into the the updated skyline. The jet is a visual found in the first Supersonics logo of the 60’s and so I used it to create the new alternate logo. This is also why I brought back the original name “Supersonics” instead of the previously shortened “Sonics.” I feel like the original name is more interesting and carries the history of the team into the future. 

 
Graphic Design and Illustration Portfolio for Dominic Heisdorf
Graphic Design and Illustration Portfolio for Dominic Heisdorf
Graphic Design and Illustration Portfolio for Dominic Heisdorf