BETWEEN TRADITION AND INNOVATION: THE SYNTHESIS OF DRAWING, PAINTING, AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FORMATION OF ARCHITECTURAL THINKING

Abstract

The theme of synthesizing drawing, painting, and digital technologies in shaping architectural thinking reveals the deep transformation processes taking place in contemporary art and design education. The changes occurring in architectural training reflect a desire to connect the traditional visual experience with new media that alter the perception of space and composition. Drawing and painting, which have long formed the foundation of the academic school, acquire new significance in the digital age – not as obsolete components of education, but as sources of visual logic, analytical thinking, and aesthetic harmony essential for architects. Architectural thinking is developed through observation, analysis of form, understanding of proportions, rhythm, and color relationships. Traditional drawing fosters awareness of structure, balance, and spatial logic, while painting refines the sensitivity to color, light, and materiality. Digital technologies, in turn, open new tools for spatial experimentation: 3D modeling, VR/AR visualization, and digital painting enable the creation of complex virtual compositions and interactive environments that merge analytical precision with artistic expression. This interaction between analog and digital modes of thinking becomes the foundation of a new pedagogical paradigm in architectural education. The preservation of the traditional art school does not contradict technological renewal but rather forms a strong basis for its development. Professional architectural training depends not only on mastering digital software but primarily on cultivating a deep understanding of form, color, and spatial relationships – qualities that can only arise from direct artistic practice. Creativity that combines hand-drawn graphics with digital interpretation fosters holistic thinking – flexible, analytical, and adaptive to new conditions of design. A modern architect must think not only constructively but also visually. Their task is to transform ideas into form, merging the sensitivity to material with an awareness of technological processes. For this reason, artistic disciplines remain a central component of architectural education, while digital tools become a natural extension of traditional practice. The interaction of these domains forms a new culture of architectural creativity, where innovation is rooted in tradition, and technical mastery coexists with artistic intuition. The synthesis of drawing, painting, and digital technologies opens perspectives for understanding space as a harmonious unity of aesthetic and constructive elements. This approach transforms not only the educational process but also the very nature of architectural thinking, shaping a new type of professional – an artist, an analyst, and a researcher at the same time.