Two years ago, I bought an iPad Pro as a professional designer, I was excited to see what I could do with a digital pencil drawing directly on screen. I got it in the summer and had just gone to a New York Mets game with my dad and uncle at Citi Field so baseball was top of mind. I spent about 20 minutes doing a very rough drawing of Citi Field (which can still be found on my Instagram page) and then decided to try and do all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums.
Unfortunately, that did not happen, and I only completed 8 stadiums. Although I love my iPad Pro, I just could never truly get comfortable creating anything other than rough sketches on. Maybe it’s that my hand alone takes about half the screen, but I kind of shelved that project.
Last summer after 3 months of researching, I took the plunge and invested in the computer of a designer’s dreams; the Microsoft Surface Studio 2. When I started out as a graphic designer, I always used Wacom tablets, which were great, but there was always a disconnect between using a digital pen on a pad while seeing things take place on the screen. I always thought “wouldn’t it be great if they had a screen you could just draw right on” and the Surface Studio 2 does exactly that. It is the single most expensive technology product I have ever purchased, but it is an investment in my professional career. It has a huge 28” screen, but unlike most computer monitors it is not widescreen but more a 4:3 ratio, perfect for designers, it comes with a digital pressure sensitive pen. But the coolest feature on this device is that the screen can easily be angled to almost a flat surface, basically anywhere between an upright monitor and a drafting table.
With baseball season approaching, I decided to try my hand at completing my baseball stadium architecture project. I am not what you could call a super baseball fan, I don’t have allegiance to any one team, but I love visiting stadiums and seeing the different architecture each has to offer. Being in the metro New York area, I have several professional baseball stadiums all within a 20 minute to 4-hour drive. I am closest to Citi Field, about 20 minutes away, but it’s an easy enough drive to Yankee Stadium, Citizens Bank Park or even Fenway Park or Orioles Park at Camden Yards.
"I haven’t been to every single baseball stadium in the league, but researching each one has been one of the most fun things I’ve done as a designer."
Both this time and two years ago I started out with the stadium most familiar to me, Citi Field and then worked my way through the National League East. I haven’t been to every single baseball stadium in the league, but researching each one, (including the ones I have been to) has been one of the most fun things I’ve done as a designer. For me it was important to try and get the details as accurate as possible while trying to incorporate some of the elements around the stadium.
One of the best things about having friends scattered throughout the states is that people were able to help me with key details. My friend Martha is a huge Los Angeles Angels fan and pointed out the big A Homerun Halo in the outfield. My buddy Mike is a huge San Francisco Giants fan and he mentioned that they changed the stadium up this year by moving the bullpens. I also tried to incorporate a statue of a historic player where possible, like Ken Griffey Jr. at T-Mobile Park or the iconic slide pose of Pete Rose at Great American Ball Park.
It was my goal to complete all 30 baseball stadiums before Opening Day, but as the COVID-19 situation got increasingly worse, it became apparent there would not be an Opening Day any time soon. I had been posting each design on my Instagram page as I completed it and had about 25 complete with about 2 weeks before the originally scheduled Opening Day. With everything going on in the world, I didn’t really think posting baseball stadium designs was something anyone would want to see.
I finished the last 5 stadiums, at it was a bittersweet moment. I was excited that I completed the project I set out to do, but wasn’t motivated to promote my designs knowing there would be no Opening Day, there would be no games played, no National Anthems sung, no 7th inning stretches and no peanuts and cracker jacks.
At least for now, but myself, like most, are probably eager to hear the sound of those 2 famous words…
Play Ball!
Rogers Centre Print, Artist Drawn Baseball Stadium, Toronto Blue Jays Baseball
T-Mobile Park Print, Artist Drawn Baseball Stadium, Seattle Mariners Baseball
Wrigley Field Print, Artist Drawn Baseball Stadium, Chicago Cubs Baseball
Oracle Park Print, Artist Drawn Baseball Stadium, San Francisco Giants Baseball
Oriole Park at Camden Yards Print, Artist Drawn Baseball Stadium, Baltimore Orioles Baseball
Great American Ball Park Print, Artist Drawn Baseball Stadium, Cincinnati Reds Baseball
Nationals Park Print, Artist Drawn Baseball Stadium, Washington Nationals Baseball
Citi Field Print, Artist Drawn Baseball Stadium, New York Mets Baseball
