“Drawing is the foundation of the arts, if you can’t draw you can’t paint,” Steven Greenwall told a group of observers Wednesday at the Iola Public Library.
Greenwall gave a demonstration on how to draw a human face, and also shared some of his thoughts on how an artist can accurately represent something, and what steps need to be taken to get there.
The presentation was simple, or at least he made it look so. Greenwall started with simple shapes and geometric lines to split the proportions of the human head into manageable sections. By keeping the rules simple, Greenwall made something very complicated look like child’s play.
“I love to teach, I love showing someone how to draw,” he said.
Greenwall has been an artist for decades, showcasing his work across the nation and as far as Japan. He has lived in Iola for 30 years, taught briefly at the high school level and at Allen Community College for 25 years.
When all was said and done with the presentation, the audience of a dozen saw an object go from basic shapes and lines to a nearly photo-realistic woman’s portrait.
“I see things differently than everyone else,” Greenwall said.
He explained that an artist has to analyze different aspects of what he or she sees. Instead of using symbols that the brain offers — a eye, hair or lips — the artist needs to see shadow and light, and how each of them play off of the features of the body.
Before ending his presentation, Greenwall told a story of an instructor he met once.
The woman explained the difference between left and right brains — the left functions on analysis and logic, while the right focuses on emotion, theory and feeling.
The instructor had a class draw a portrait of John F. Kennedy from a photo. They did their best, and recreated “decent” portraits that didn’t have the feel of the late president. Then she had them turn the photo upside down. Greenwall said the students drew the portraits upside down, focusing on visual memory and the way light played off his features. The result? Much more accurate representations of JFK.
Wednesday evening’s presentation offered a brief glimpse into how an artists thinks and sees — a rare glimpse for most.
Greenwall will return to Iola Public Library March 19 for a demonstration on water color.
Getting a rare glimpse
