I was tasked to create custom pickleball paddle designs for Pickle for the People, translating iconic Fort Collins landmarks and culture into playful, production-ready artwork that resonates with the local community while maintaining broad appeal.
Capturing Fort Collins' Spirit through Pickleball
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My Role
Freelance Product Designer
Team
1 Designer (Myself)
1 Owner (Pickle for the People)
Design Timeline
1 week
These are my final designs for a custom pickleball paddle
A local Colorado pickleball company hired me to develop a custom order to transform Fort Collins' distinctive landmarks and culture into visually striking pickleball paddle designs that balance local authenticity with commercial appeal, while working within strict production constraints and established brand guidelines.
How might we capture the unique spirit of Fort Collins in a pickleball paddle design while maintaining client needs?
What design elements will resonate with both locals and visitors while meeting production requirements?
The challenge was to balance Fort Collins' rich visual identity with the practical constraints of paddle design to create designs that would authentically represent the community while appealing to a wider pickleball audience. By incorporating iconic landmarks and local culture thoughtfully, I aimed to create designs that would connect deeply with the Fort Collins community and have a Colorado spirit that encompased 'Always Outside' (Visit Ft. Collin's trademarked phrase) while remaining accessible to pickleball enthusiasts everywhere.
Visit Fort Collins wanted to have locally-themed pickleball paddles that authentically represented the city's culture and landmarks for hand out gifts. We needed to create paddle designs that would resonate with the community while meeting production requirements and brand guidelines.
Core Objectives
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Create visually striking designs incorporating Fort Collins landmarks and culture
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Balance iconic local imagery with playful, accessible aesthetics
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Develop production-ready designs within manufacturing constraints
Project Stakeholders
Internal
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Pickle for the People Owner
External
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Visit Fort Collins
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Research & Visual Development
Creating successful sporting equipment design isn't just about aesthetics - it's invovles a thoughtful vision and approach:
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Immersed myself in Visit Fort Collins' brand guidelines and color schemes to ensure design alignment
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Studied local landmarks, particularly Horsetooth Reservoir and Mountain, to capture their essence in simplified forms
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Analyzed production requirements and constraints for paddle printing
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Explored ways to incorporate local cultural elements like craft beer, cycling culture, and CSU spirit
This is a collage of landmarks and points of interest in Ft. Collins
These are icons I created for the backside of pickleball paddle
Iconography Development
The back of the paddle features a carefully curated collection of icons that represent Fort Collins' distinct culture and character. Using a refined color palette of navy, teal, and golden yellow, I developed a system of simplified icons that capture the city's essence:
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Recreation icons showcasing outdoor activities (hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding)
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Urban culture elements (craft beer, hops, music)
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Transportation symbols reflecting the city's bike-friendly nature (bicycles, trolley)
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Natural landmarks (Horsetooth Mountain, pine trees)
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Local wildlife (dogs representing the city's pet-friendly culture) Each icon was thoughtfully simplified to ensure clarity at paddle scale while maintaining its recognizable form. The arrangement creates a cohesive pattern that tells the story of Fort Collins' vibrant community and outdoor lifestyle.
This is the front designs of the paddle I created
Scenic Graphic Capturing Horsetooth
For the paddle's primary face, I created a bold, retro-inspired illustration of Horsetooth Reservoir that speaks to Fort Collins' outdoor spirit. The design employs a dramatic art deco style with:
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Radiating sunburst pattern creating dynamic energy and movement
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Simplified yet striking representation of the reservoir and surrounding landscape
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Strategic use of Visit Fort Collins' color palette (teals, golds, and navy)
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Integration of "Always Outside" typography that reinforces the outdoor lifestyle
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Layered composition that draws the eye from the dramatic sky through the mountain ranges to the reservoir This approach transforms a local landmark into an artistic statement that works both as a functional piece of sporting equipment and a celebration of Fort Collins' natural beauty.
Takeaways
The owner of Pickle for the People expressed enthusiasm for the designs: "Super pleased with what you've created. Your use of VFC's color palette and incorporation of iconic elements like the Horsetooth rocks really bring it all together."
Want to see more?
I am happy to talk through my research and design work of this pickleball design during a scheduled call.