Baseball stadium – Gocheok Sky Dome

[By Byung Hwa Yoo, Seoul, Korea]

On last March 15, 2016 I visited the newly built dome stadium located at Gocheok-dong, Seoul. That day it began exhibition game before the main season games. Out of curiosity to see what the dome stadium would look like I went there. On the ground players were practicing before the main game began. I captured them in conte pencil.

One guy was broadcasting through his mobile phone. His voice was somewhat high. A young man next to me told him to lower his voice. He seemed to accept. Sooner later girls next to him asked him again. I heard that he said to them he would leave after 5th round. He kept his words. And he moved to the back seat behind us. I just admired his enthusiasm for baseball and guessed what his dream would be. 

The inside of the dome was really too complicated with beams crossing every way to draw. But the roof ensured us not to worry about terrible cold or raindrops.

Before the game began reporters came to us and interviewed the young man next to me(the couple wore the SK team jackets). Because it was not usual chance for me to capture the scene I rapidly drew them with conte pencil.

I went there next day again. I could see the camera man broadcasting the play. His gesture was repeated left to right. I waited to capture the same pose. I used conte pencil and pastels this time.

I saw this machine on the side of the ground.

I drew this one on the bridge to the dome on third day of exhibition games on 27 x 39 cm paper with watercolors. Though the stadium was criticized by scale it was too big for me to put it into paper. But come and go people on bridge looked happy.

Practicing players’ poses here and there were very useful for me to drill gesture sketch. And the narrow desk for the visitors to enjoy snacks was good for me to spread small painting tools including a cup of water. I may like to go there often later.

Yesterday there was a game between Doosan Bears and Nexen Tire. An old guy in front of me looked nice with his cap and jacket. He carried his small telescope. The scenery including his feature was peaceful though the players would not.

I can’t remember when I went to the baseball stadium, maybe tens years ago. Dome stadium caught my interest strongly. Regardless of weather condition people would enjoy games. I asked next man what the score was and why the people were shouting several times while sketching. By the experiences in stadium I think about sketching in other sports stadiums and rules of games.