Architecture is a creative craft within certain limitations of program, technical requirements, environmental aspects, etc. and every project comes with a vast number of challenges that have to be tackled, giving the designer endless possibilities for solutions. A design tool used by many architects throughout the centuries to explore these possibilities has been painting. What is essential to consider is that architectural paintings can help architects stimulate their creativity and imagination. Despite this, the ways in which architectural paintings can be used in the design process and the process of making an architectural painting is rarely explicitly investigated. Therefore, the aim of this research is to understand the implicit creative process of architects who use painting as a design tool. The project "Elbetitsa" is an example of how architectural paintings can be used as a tool during the design process to stimulate creativity and create meaningful projects by addressing the multidimensional character of architecture.