Between 3 and 6 December 2015, a group of 15 fourth year architecture students of Kansas State University and their professor Dr. Peter Magyar were hosted by the Department of Freehand Drawing, in the frame of an international workshop. The American students were joined by 10 of our own students (both from the international and the Hungarian programs).

Between 3 and 6 December 2015, a group of 15 fourth year architecture students of Kansas State University and their professor Dr. Peter Magyar were hosted by the Department of Freehand Drawing, in the frame of an international workshop. The American students were joined by 10 of our own students (both from the international and the Hungarian programs).

The academic highlight of their visit was the two days long workshop. On Thursday, students gained an insight to various artistic drafting techniques, with the help of both lectures and practical exercises. The morning kick-off session featured three short lectures: in his presentation, Dr. Balázs Balogh showed various examples through students’ works, how simple forms of the natural and artificial environment can inspire the architectural vocabulary. Dr. Gábor Nemes gave a summary of different artistic techniques employed by known artists, and in parallel, how these techniques have been used by students in architectural representation. In the closing lecture,  Dr. Peter Magyar presented his unique drawing techniqe. These ‘space prints’ and ‘space fragments’ help explore, analyze, and articulate the shape and interconnection of space and non-space.

The afternoon session was dedicated to the presentation and watercolor exercise by Dr. James Dougherty. After the engaging and informative lecture about how watercolor can turn an impersonal CAD rendering into a more friendly and personal visual image, students had a chance to try to master the technique themselves.

During the second day students used the acquired skills and prepared their own space print interpretation of the central building of the university. They presented the completed works at a makeshift exhibition in the gallery of the department.

The weekend was spent with a series of building visits and cultural programs with the active participation of our students as well.