Doodles to Design Will Henson

Doodles

My love for drawing started early on. Before I could even write, I would draw on just about anything that was put in front of me. I drew because it was fun.

My love for baseball blossomed in the same way. It was rare to find me without a glove or bat in my hands. I played baseball because it was fun.

Decisions

As I got older I became more conscious of my passions. I decided that both baseball and art were things that I wanted to be part of my identity.

In baseball, I dedicated more of my time and effort with the goal of playing in college and the hope of playing professionally.

In art, I made an effort learn new styles and mediums and began to research careers in which I could apply and exercise those abilities.

Progression

Below is my final project for my first graphic design course in high school where I designed the logo and uniforms of a fictional baseball team. After seeing my work, my teacher joked that I should design the school's uniforms... So I did.

This proved to me that I could combine my sport experience with my artistic experience. I was introduced to the world of design within sports and how valuable those skills can be when they are combined.

Application

My first design internship came by way of the Normal Cornbelters, a collegiate summer baseball team which I both played and interned for. My summer consisted of mornings with the media team and nights playing on the field. I even got the opportunity to design a specialty uniform for the team.

OSF HealthCare "Strike Out Cancer" Specialty Uniform
My sport has provided many opportunities for me in the world of design that would not have been possible otherwise.

Future

I plan to continue leveraging my position as an athlete to provide more opportunities in the world of design and create unique experiences.

I see this internship as a valuable opportunity to make further connections in both the world of sport and the world of design.