How to a Create a Sports Jersey Design in Illustrator

In the following tutorial, you'll learn how to create your own sports jersey design.

If you don't have the time to learn how to create a sports jersey design, you can always try Envato Elements, where you can find a massive collection of sports jersey designs, sport text effects, and sports fonts. This collection of jersey designs is just one of the many examples.

What if you prefer videos for learning new skills? We've got you covered. You can watch this new video from the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel to learn how to create your own sports jersey:

What You'll Learn in This Sports Jersey Design Tutorial

• How to set up a grid


• How to create an American football logo


• How to stylize college varsity letters


• How to create your own sports jersey design

What You'll Need

You will need the following resource in order to complete this jersey design:

• 
  Norwill sports font

1. How to Create a New Document and Set Up a Grid

Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, set the Width to 850 px and the Height to 600 px, and then click that Advanced Options button. Select RGB for the Color Mode and set the Raster Effects to Screen (72 ppi), and then click the Create button.

Enable the Grid (View > Show Grid or Control-") and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid or Shift-Control-"). You will need a grid every 5 px, so simply go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, and enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. Try not to get discouraged by all that grid—it will make your work easier, and keep in mind that you can easily enable or disable it using the Control-" keyboard shortcut.

You can learn more about Illustrator's grid system in this short tutorial from Andrei Stefan:

• 
  Graphic Design
  
  
  Understanding Adobe Illustrator's Grid System
  
  
  Andrei Stefan

You should also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Don't forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Units. All these options will significantly increase your work speed.

2. How to Create the Logo

Step 1

Focus on your toolbar and pick the Ellipse Tool (L), and then focus on the color settings. Select the stroke and remove the color, and then double-click the fill and set it to R=26 G=26 B=52.

Move to the Swatches panel (Window > Swatches) and click that New Swatch button to save the fill color. You'll need again this color in the next steps, and having it saved will save you some time.

Make sure that your shape stays selected and focus on the control panel. Set the alignment to artboard, and then click the Horizontal Align Center and Vertical Align Center buttons to easily move your ellipse to the center of the artboard.

Step 2

Continue with the Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C), and let's use it to adjust the roundness for the left and right anchor points that make up your shape. First, click the right anchor point and drag the handles 30 px down, and then click the left anchor point and drag the handles 30 px up.

Step 3

Select your shape using the Selection Tool (V), press Control-C to copy it, and then press Control-F to add a copy in the same place.

Move to the Layers panel (Window > Layers) and turn off the visibility for the bottom shape. You'll need it later.

Step 4

Reselect the Ellipse Tool (L) and use it to create a 270 x 120 px shape. Place it as shown in the following image, remove the fill color, and apply a 4 px yellow stroke.

Step 5

Make sure that your yellow path is selected and add a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F).

Keep this copy selected, replace the yellow with blue, and then go to Object > Path > Add Anchor Points twice.

Step 6

Keep focusing on your blue path and pick the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select just the anchor point highlighted in the first image and press Control-X to cut it from the path.

Press the Delete key to delete the remaining path, and then press Control-F to paste the path that you just cut.

Step 7

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create two 5 x 15 px shapes.

Switch to the Selection Tool (V) and hold down the Shift key to select both shapes, and then click the Blend Tool (W) from your toolbar. Select Specified Steps from the dropdown menu, set the value to 8, click OK, and then go to Object > Blend > Make to create a simple blend, as shown in the second image.

Step 8

Reselect the Selection Tool (V) and hold down the Shift key to select your blend along with that blue path, and then go to Object > Blend > Replace Spine to move your blend across that blue path.

Step 9

Reselect the Ellipse Tool (L) and use it to create a 190 x 450 px shape. Center this new ellipse, remove the fill color, and apply a 20 px yellow stroke.

Step 10

Using the Selection Tool (V), select your blend along with the two yellow ellipses and go to Object > Expand. Make sure that all the boxes are checked and click OK.

Select the resulting shapes along with the darker one, open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder), and click the Minus Front button. Press Control-8 (Object > Compound Path > Make) to turn the resulting group of shapes into a single compound path.

Step 11

Focus on the Layers panel and turn back on the visibility for the bottom shape.

Select it and focus on the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance). Select the fill and change the color to white (R=255 G=255 B=255), and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to 10 px and click OK.

Step 12

Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and use it to create an 860 x 610 px shape. Fill it with R=255 G=182 B=19, center it, and press Shift-Control-[ to send it to the back.

3. How to Add the College Varsity Letters and Stylize Them

Step 1

Pick the Type Tool (T) and open the Character panel (Window > Type > Character). Select the Norwill font, and set the size to 70 px and the tracking to 140. Click on your artboard and type in "CAMPUS".

Step 2

Keep your text selected and start by clicking the [None] swatch from the Swatches panel to remove the current text color.

Move to the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance) and add a fill using the Add New Fill button. Select it and set the color to white (R=255 G=253 B=245).

Step 3

Make sure that your text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Select the stroke and apply your saved color from the Swatches panel, and then increase the Weight to 2 pt and go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to -1 px and click OK.

Step 4

Make sure that your text stays selected, keep focusing on the Appearance panel, and add a second stroke using the Add New Stroke button.

Apply your saved color for this new stroke and increase the Weight to 4 pt, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. This time, set the Offset to 4 px and click OK.

Step 5

Reselect that white shape and add a second fill. Select it and set the color to red, drag it below the white one, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to 28 px and click OK.

This fill won't be part of the final design—you'll only use it as a reference to perfectly bend the text around the logo.

Step 6

Reselect your text and go to Effect > Warp > Arc. Check the Horizontal box and drag the Bend slider to 46%, and then click OK to apply the bend. Now use the Selection Tool (V) to place the text roughly as shown in the following image.

Step 7

Make sure that the Selection Tool (V) is still active, hold down the Alt key, and drag a copy of the text to the bottom of your logo.

Double-click this new text and replace it with "LEAGUE", and then press the Esc key to easily switch back to the Selection Tool (V). Move to the Appearance panel and click the existing Arc effect to edit it. Drag the Bend slider to -46% and click OK to apply this new blend, and then return to your design and place the text roughly as shown in the following image.

Step 8

Finally, reselect the shape with that red fill, select the red fill from the Appearance panel, and remove it or make it invisible.

Congratulations! You're Done!

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future sports lettering projects. Feel free to adjust the final jersey design and make it your own.

Once you've created your design, you might want to check out how it would look once it's applied. You can go to Placeit's custom jersey maker and apply your final design to a mockup with just a few clicks.

Popular Jersey Design Resources From Envato Elements

Envato Elements is an excellent resource for jersey designs, sports fonts, or sports lettering. Here's a short list of some of the most popular sports jersey designs that you can find.

Basketball Jersey Mockup (PSD)

Besides the one from Placeit, you can also use a custom jersey maker from Envato Elements to check out how your design would look once it's applied.

Sports: Editable Text Effect, Font Style (AI, EPS)

Make your design stand out with this colorful sport text effect. The text is fully editable, so you'll be able to create your own sport text effect with just a few clicks.

College Font Family (OTF, TTF)

Check out this sports lettering font and use it to create your own sports jersey design. This would be a good solution if you're looking to create those classic college varsity letters.

Skull American Football Jersey Design (AI, EPS, JPG, PDF, PNG, PSD, SVG)

Take it to the next level with this intricate sports jersey design. You can always edit the text to make it match your project.

Houston Sports Font Family (OTF, TTF)

Here's another sports lettering font that you can use to create your own sports jersey design. It could be the perfect start for a sports lettering design.

Want to Learn More?

We have loads of tutorials on Envato Tuts+, from beginner to intermediate level. Take a look!

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