Drawing the View - South Bank AU

The exercise is about exploring the visuals of Brisbane's Water Ways from a variety of viewpoints using the bridges that overlook them from different spaces and places.

South Bank Parklands is a conglomeration of cultural adventures in one accessible location.

The waterway transport, train linkages and bus ways all intersect at this leisure destination. The beach is in walking distance from the city and this means the scene depicts differently from the seaside.

To go over to the city from South Bank a pedestrian can walk across the

• Grey Street Bridge which is a pedestrian, road and train link.
• William Jolly Bridge a road and pedestrian link.
• Goodwill Bridge. This is a pedestrian and cyclist bridge. It links South Bank Parklands to the Gardens Point Campus of the Queensland University of Technology.
• These bridges all cross the Brisbane River in very close proximity.
• You can also see The Story Bridge form the waters edge of the South Bank Parklands.

Over the holiday period

1. Take the students to the parklands and go walking.
2. Walk across each of the bridges so that the students experience the differences between the types of bridges, their uses and their scenic outlook.
3. With their Visual Diary in hand and a selection of pencils, erasers and sharpeners invite them to draw what they see from the vantage points.
4. If the students want to photograph the panoramic views have them use this resource material later in the studio.
5. They can work solely from their drawing as this is about capturing a charicaturistic, panoramic impression of the life and lifestyle of the area.
6. However, if they take photos they can even include these in their collages.
7. Invite them the exercise to draw what they see from each bridge.
8. Encourage them to draw

• the water
• draw the bridges from a distance
• draw the briges from a close perspective
• draw water paraphernalia (keep in mind particularly the patterning peculiar to implements and tools one finds at the waters edge)
• the plants they see along the way (don’t forget water lilies)
• the people and their actions
• the boats (both industrial and leisure)
• the shore line (both the beautiful and the marsh swamp lands)
• the artworks (sculptures, murals and museum heritage)
• the birdlife
• and the sea life

1. Drawings at this stage should be very impressionist and simply be a quick means of gathering data.
2. The students should be prepared before they go so that they know they will use this material to create larger painting or sculptural pieces upon their return.
3. When students return to the studio, have them layout a large roll of paper.
4. This could be a group exercise or a personal exploration.
5. Have students pretend they are a seagull.
6. Take them through a guided exercise so that they enter the feelings of freedom associated with flying above the panorama.
7. Take them through stress release exercises that will take apprehension away.
8. Have them map the terrain that they have just explored.
9. This will done be quite sketchily at first.
10. Once they have positioned the bridges on the birds eye view description of the terrain have them begin to firm their lines
11. Make sure there are all sorts of Art Materials available to them.
12. Allow them to use paint and collage as it occurs to them.
13. When students move from this sloppy, planning, dreaming sheet, their canvas will be personal and experiential.
14. Help then to integrate painting and collage techniques.
15. If this painting is on a canvas that is stretched, frame the work by using one of the patterns collected from the waters edge.
16. This will look very authentic as well as finish the work.
17. If you try out this idea please do let us know about it on the discussion boards. It is always fun to receive feedback.

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