Hammer In Tee Shirt Logo Idea?

[Dennis Paish]

Greetings,
I am responsible to create a logo for a hammer we are having in Southern Alberta this summer. I am not doing well with ideas. Anyone have any existing pictures of tee shirts from the past that will inspire me?

Any Ideas are also welcome.

Regards,
Dennis Paish

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Use symbols that will tell the viewer what the shirt is about. Complex images are hard to decipher.

Example one:
An anvil with icicles on it, a knife,and a hammer with large wording ( above and below) Southern Alberta Bladesmith Assn. - Calgary Hammer-in - July, 6,2011
And a simple catch phrase on the back - "Canadian Bladesmiths - Always Forging COLD Steel"

Example 2;
A mountain Gnome hammering a sword in an ice cave with all the blacksmith's tools laying around the floor. And the same wording as above.

If I saw someone wearing #1 ,I would immediately recognize that they were a Canadian bladesmith and what the event was. #2 might not be read unless I was close up.

The design questions are:
What image best displays the theme
Is there a logo for the group (CBS, ABANA,Club logo, etc.)
What is a short phrase that will be catchy and say what we do/are.
The name of the group, date of the event, location if important.

Anything more and you are wearing a pamphlet.
Remember the cardinal rule of advertising ( often ignored by advertisers):
KISS

 

[Patrice Lemée]

"Forging Knives, hey?"
And if you want people to pay attention to the t-shirt, any hockey related image will do nicely.

 

[Mike Turner]

You could even use the Canadian Leaf as a back drop for what Stacy has suggested.