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From the scenery of Spain to their own backyards, university faculty captured the world around them through hand-drawn sketches.

At the School of Design and Construction gallery in Carpenter Hall, the new exhibit features sketches by both WSU and University of Idaho faculty. In the theme of landscape and interior design, these drawings strive to capture the subtle beauty of the world around us.

Starting out as an idea years ago, the showcase demonstrates the value of hand-drawing in self-expression and communication. Especially in the digital age with technology taking over, celebrating work done by hand is growing in importance, explained Carrie Vielle, assistant professor of design and construction, who organized the exhibit.

Landscape and places tend to be the area where artists shine. We can learn about a location by sketching from life, Vielle said. Each faculty member was originally limited to ten pieces, but as more art was submitted, it became hard to narrow down the choices due to the high quality of the work, she said.

Associate professor of the interior design program, Robert Krikac, has sketches from 1997 Spain to present day Paris on display in the travel portion of this exhibit. The travel sketches are used as a way of recording the sights he has seen and capturing the feeling of the place, Krikac said.

“I get to engage the sight — slow down and really pay attention to what I’m looking at and experiencing going on around me,” Krikac said.

As a form of communication, hand drawings provide valuable insight into someone’s ideas, and in some cases, go beyond the limitations of a software program, said Mona Ghandi, assistant professor of interior design. As an essential part of the design process, sketches help develop the designer’s ideas into reality. In drawing, the artist must really take the time to think and explore their ideas, Ghandi said.

“The imperfections embedded in those sketches are directly linked to creativity,” Ghandi said. “You can think bold, crazy and creatively using hand drawings.”

Not limited to basic pencil and paper, each faculty member has individual preferences on mediums, such as pens, markers or watercolors. For some, it all depends on the subject at hand. For example, Professor Krikac prefers pens with waterproof ink and an occasional watercolor wash. While Professor Ghandi typically uses Flyer pen and marker, she found certain subjects get better results with other mediums, and it really depends on how the designer wants to see their creation turn out.

“By seeing their work here, it validates the program in interior design and architecture,” sophomore of interior design Ivan Yuñez said. “We’re being taught by people who know what they’re doing.”

Featuring a space designated for extra submissions, students can display their own creative designs for a chance to win a bag filled with art supplies, valued at least at $100. The faculty sketch exhibit will be on display through Oct. 13 in Carpenter Hall.