Okay, so today I’m gonna talk about this little project I messed around with – making an NBA mascot in, well, let’s just say a creative way.
It all started ’cause I was bored, real bored. Flipping through channels and landed on an NBA game. The mascot was going nuts, firing up the crowd. I thought, “Hey, I could probably whip something up like that… maybe not the actual suit, but you know, a digital version.”
First thing I did was hit up Google. I needed some reference material. Searched for “NBA mascots,” looked at a bunch of images, trying to get a feel for the style – cartoony, exaggerated features, that kind of stuff. I saved a bunch of pics to a folder for later.
Then, I fired up my drawing tablet. Now, I’m no artist, let’s be clear. But I can doodle. I started sketching out some rough ideas. I was thinking maybe a lion, ’cause lions are cool, right? Did a few quick sketches, just trying to nail down the basic shape and pose.
After that, I started messing around with colors. NBA mascots are always super bright and vibrant. I went with a bright yellow for the lion’s fur, a bold red for the jersey, and some electric blue for the details. I wanted it to pop!
Next up was the jersey design. I figured I’d throw in a random team name. Went with “The Raptors,” just ’cause I liked the sound of it. Added the number “00” ’cause why not? I slapped the team name and number on the jersey, making sure it was all nice and centered.
Then, I added some details. A big, goofy grin on the lion’s face, some oversized paws, and a crazy mane. I also gave him a basketball to hold, ’cause, you know, basketball.
After that, I started using some basic animation tools to make it move, Just a simple bounce and wave. Nothing fancy, but enough to give it some life.
Finally, I added a background – a simple basketball court. And that was it! My own kinda janky, kinda cool NBA mascot. It’s nothing amazing, but it was a fun little project to kill some time.
What I Learned:
- Even with limited skills, you can still create something fun.
- Reference material is your friend.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with colors and styles.
So, yeah, that’s the story of how I made my own NBA mascot. Maybe I’ll try something more ambitious next time… or maybe I’ll just watch more basketball.
