Barça Moves to the Estadi Olímpic: Camp Nou Still Under Construction
FC Barcelona has confirmed it has not obtained the necessary permits to reopen the Spotify Camp Nou, so it will play its next Champions League match against PSG at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuïc 🏟️. This change is due to the ongoing construction work at the Camp Nou and the fact that UEFA regulations require group stage home matches to always be played in the same stadium. A temporary move that, while logistical, does not dampen the blaugrana fans' excitement for a key European match 🔵🔴.
Illustrating the Change of Venue in Inkscape
Inkscape allows you to design a scene showing the Camp Nou under construction—with cranes and tarps—and in the background, the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys ready to host Barça 🎨. Through vector illustration, the forced transition can be contrasted using blaugrana colors, shadow effects for unfinished areas, and symbolic elements like flags or fans. This representation not only documents a temporary fact but captures the adaptability of the club and its people in the face of administrative and sporting challenges.
Barça will play in Montjuïc due to lack of permits at the Camp Nou, complying with UEFA's fixed home venue rule for the group stage.
Project Setup and Initial Sketch
Starting a canvas in Inkscape at 4000x3000 px in landscape orientation provides space for architectural details 🖌️. The initial sketch outlines the semicircular structure of the Estadi Olímpic, its athletics track, and the centered football pitch. Separate layers—Stadium, Pitch, Crowd, Details—organize the work. The color palette prioritizes blaugrana for Barça, green tones for the pitch, and grays for the structures, with contrasts that guide the eye to the main action.
Defining Shapes and Characteristic Architecture
Using vectorization tools like Bezier and Shapes, the unique architecture of the Estadi Olímpic is defined—lighting towers, open stands, and the athletics track 🏗️. The goals are created with rectangles and fine lines for nets, while the pitch shows alternating stripes with green gradients for realism. The crowd is schematized with simple figures in blocks of color, using blaugrana tones to emphasize the home side. Each element should be clear but stylized, balancing detail and vector simplicity.
Coloring and Match Atmosphere
The pitch is filled with vibrant greens using radial gradients to simulate night lighting 🌙. The stands use gray tones with soft shadows for volume, while the sky receives a dark blue to black gradient with subtle stars. Spotlight beams are added with circles in "Screen" or "Overlay" mode, creating cones of light over the field. Barça and PSG flags are distributed in the stands, with contrasting colors representing the European rivalry.
Lighting and Effects for Drama
Key lighting effects include:
- Main Spotlights: Cones of light over the field, using white gradients with transparency.
- Stand Lighting: Faint points of light in aisles and access areas.
- Uniform Highlights: Glints on schematized players to suggest movement.
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