Leaf Helmet Stickers (Green or Black?)

[Bucky Katt]

Originally Posted by BB73

I used to think they were green, but I changed my mind and I'm sure I'll never change it again.

Because once you go black....

Oustanding setup! Perfect delivery! It doesn't get much better than that!

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by BB73

I used to think they were green, but I changed my mind and I'm sure I'll never change it again.

I'm sure they use both colors and every variation of black/green in between, which is why there is so often a disparity in photographs and why this question keeps getting kicked around.

The helmets are stripped and repainted every single game, then fresh new stickers are reapplied. The colors of the leaves themselves, as well as their size/shape probably change from game to game based on printing batch, let alone season to season due to planned changes in the design, much like the uniform.

Also, the stickers are thick, almost like buttons, with a high gloss white undercoat. The leaves could very well be forest green, and the combination of the depth and the gloss finished print would cause the leaf to appear a brighter green when viewed directly in sunlight but appear gloss black in artificial light or when viewed at an angle.

[Thump]

Bump

[Thump]

Originally Posted by Dryden

I'm sure they use both colors and every variation of black/green in between, which is why there is so often a disparity in photographs and why this question keeps getting kicked around.

The helmets are stripped and repainted every single game, then fresh new stickers are reapplied. The colors of the leaves themselves, as well as their size/shape probably change from game to game based on printing batch, let alone season to season due to planned changes in the design, much like the uniform.

Also, the stickers are thick, almost like buttons, with a high gloss white undercoat. The leaves could very well be forest green, and the combination of the depth and the gloss finished print would cause the leaf to appear a brighter green when viewed directly in sunlight but appear gloss black in artificial light or when viewed at an angle.

Wow, I'll file that under the too much inane information file!

[Deety]

Much better, Dryden.

[3yardsandacloud]

The ones show from the link hayn provided are (no doubt at all) black. This assumes that the coachtressel.com site is providing a picture of a standard Buckeye helmet.

Here's the picture. If you agree that the stripe on the helmet is black, then the buckeye leaf is black as well. If you think the stripe is green, then we need to party sometime!

The stripe lists (where the finger points) the 4 Color components as:
C=44%, M=48%, Y=47% and K=98%

The leaf lists (where the finger points) the 4 Color components as:
C=45%, M=48%, Y=47% and K=97%

I used the lightest portion of both the stripe and leaf so that shadowing effects would be limited and not skew the results towards black. Both formulations of color are as near identical as could be expected. Finally, the colors are listed as C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black). The value for black is almost 100% ... a dead give a way that the color could ONLY be black. Any amounts of C, M or Y added to the formulation would only make the black "richer" ... in essence, darker.

[MililaniBuckeye]

If you look closely at the pic HAYN posted, they're dark green and could easily appear as black. The only final proof will come after we beat Michigan on Nov 18 and I'm on the field to take a couple photos of our victorious helmets up close and post them for all to see. Also, the stickers do indeed fade. I have a couple on my car (both license plates and on my windshield next to my base access stickers) and they leaves are near black although they were originally a medium dark green.

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by Thump

Wow, I'll file that under the too much inane information file!

That's pretty funny coming from you, toaster boy!

What? They change the jersey, pants, shoes and helmets every single year, but you think they never change the stickers?

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by 3yardsandacloud

The ones show from the link hayn provided are (no doubt at all) black. This assumes that the coachtressel.com site is providing a picture of a standard Buckeye helmet.

Here's the picture. If you agree that the stripe on the helmet is black, then the buckeye leaf is black as well. If you think the stripe is green, then we need to party sometime!

The stripe lists (where the finger points) the 4 Color components as:
C=44%, M=48%, Y=47% and K=98%

The leaf lists (where the finger points) the 4 Color components as:
C=45%, M=48%, Y=47% and K=97%

I used the lightest portion of both the stripe and leaf so that shadowing effects would be limited and not skew the results towards black. Both formulations of color are as near identical as could be expected. Finally, the colors are listed as C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black). The value for black is almost 100% ... a dead give a way that the color could ONLY be black. Any amounts of C, M or Y added to the formulation would only make the black "richer" ... in essence, darker.

Thank you, Oliver Stone.

[3yardsandacloud]

Originally Posted by Dryden

Thank you, Oliver Stone.

Oh, there is still room for argument. Is that an official OSU helmet with the SAME stickers used during a game? Only the man on the grassy knoll can answer that question ... and I'm am NOT going to CanesTimes to ask him!

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by 3yardsandacloud

Oh, there is still room for argument. Is that an official OSU helmet with the SAME stickers used during a game?

Well, let's look at a game helmet, shall we?



At the back base of his helmet, compare the black stripe to the leaves next to it...not even close, clearly green. The stripes value is R=1C G=1C B=1E which show it to be black (or in this case a very dark grey because of the screen capture) while the leaves' value vary widely buy always have a "G" (value) significantly above the "R" (red) and "B" (blue) values, indicating shades of green.

[BB73]

Sounds like a stickery situation.

[3yardsandacloud]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Well, let's look at a game helmet, shall we?

At the back base of his helmet, compare the black stripe to the leaves next to it...not even close, clearly green. The stripes value is R=1C G=1C B=1E which show it to be black (or in this case a very dark grey because of the screen capture) while the leaves' value vary widely buy always have a "G" (value) significantly above the "R" (red) and "B" (blue) values, indicating shades of green.

Inconclusive Mili. I fully agree with the stipulation that we don't know until we KNOW we are looking at a helmet from game conditions. While your picture has some elements that support your argument we need to look at something with a higher resolution AND preferably something that wasn't originally rendered by a TV camera (read, we need a photo). Without getting into a long discussion, the leaves on your photo don't have enough definition OR resolution to determine their true color. I CAN find Black values that are very close to what I see on the stripe (within 5%).

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by 3yardsandacloud

Inconclusive Mili. I fully agree with the stipulation that we don't know until we KNOW we are looking at a helmet from game conditions. While your picture has some elements that support your argument we need to look at something with a higher resolution AND preferably something that wasn't originally rendered by a TV camera (read, we need a photo). Without getting into a long discussion, the leaves on your photo don't have enough definition OR resolution to determine their true color. I CAN find Black values that are very close to what I see on the stripe (within 5%).

OK, I just asked eight people here at work what color the leaves are. Six said they're green, one said they look grey (and she admits to not being able to differentiate between dark colors and shades of black), and one says they look grey in the picture but he knows they're green because he has seen the helmet in person (his fraternity brother took him to a practice a few years back and got the whole facility tour). Not one said they're black.

Check out this photo from the Buckeye Leaves page at the OSU.edu site:

[fourteenandoh]

i decided the best way to find out is talk to a player so i just got off the phone with a friend of mine who was on the 2002 NC winning team and he says they are dark green. his helmet is in his room. i'm sure this won't settle it once and for all but it's good enough for me.