Creativity and inspiration are very important for the designers to keep their work up and going. One way to keep new waves of creativity thriving is by studying other designers’ work, so this week, we’re bringing you an adrenaline rush of inspiration. Here’s a compilation of a few outstanding sports vectors.

Jordan by kwangki

This sports graphic uses an interesting technique of rough brush strokes to portrays the speed and enthusiasm Michael Jordan brought to the game of basketball.  I also love how these same brush stroke techniques are carried over into Jordan himself so the design truly comes together as one piece.

The Black Mamba by Lordmesa

This spectacular illustration of sport vector art was created using a comic book technique where the shading and details really set it apart–check out the shading on Kobe’s muscles. It could have been even more dramatic and appealing if the Kobe was hanging on the Staples Center. 😉

Gareth Bale vector by sologfx

This is the portrayal of famous Gareth Bale –a Welsh football player who plays for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Wales national team as a winger. I love how the artist use contrasting effects on this piece, using soft brush strokes for the portrait with a sharp, angular background.

Running by Stefan Chinoff & Nikolay Ivanov

This vector sport art is created by Stefan Chinof, a Bulgarian Illustrator. In this particular art work, we can see how beautifully he has incorporated lighting, shadows, transparency and of course his imagination into one masterpiece of art.

Julie Black Belt cover by sygnin

The artist’s successful use of bright colors and clean shading effects combined with a fine details in the girl’s expression come together to create a truly inspiring masterpiece–one that just might inspire young girls to participate in martial arts.

NBA DRAFT by kwangki

This artwork presents three NBA draft players. The close attention to fine details of the players’ expressions along with near-to-perfect sketching make this piece really come to life.

Vince Carter by Vinnyvieira

The basketball player featured in this sport vector artwork shows the anticipation of a player when he is going to make score for his team. The stance of this character is truly unique, but this piece really stood out to me on account of the exquisite use of reflection and curves.  Awesome work Vince!

Tess’s Training by Makini90

This vector artwork illustrates Tess’s training who is a boxer by profession. This character is drawn in Illustrator CS6 by using Pen Tool, Gradient Tool, Type Tool, Shape Tool, Elipse Tool and Outer Glow Tool. I love how the artist used jagged shading to display the athletic build of Tess.

Hines Ward Vector by AngstromAlliance

Wow! This is by far my favorite piece as it truly look like a real photograph. This complex portrayal of Hines Ward was created with dozens of layers of mesh combined with straight line work and fine-tune details. Then the artist used a gradient fill to add texture in the Rugby ball. This piece truly inspires me to take my game of vector design to the next level!

Hockey Night by Mathieu Beaulieu

This fun sports vector features excellent usage of lighting and shadows, but what truly is commendable is the creativity behind the subject matter. Check out the teeny referees!

After Dessert by After Dessert

The creativity behind this piece is what really stood out to me. Want to play this tasty golf game?

Usain Bolt Vector Print by Monzer

Here, the artist presents the portrayal of the world-famous Usain Bolt who is considered as the world fastest person. The unique jagged color effect along with the unique contrasting color scheme conveys the energy behind this runner’s focus.