In this lesson, Steve Huston introduces the sketchbook as a place to generate painting ideas. He discusses how artists can learn from master drawings, paying attention to gesture, structure, and design, and shows how this kind of study can inform your own creative choices. Steve also demonstrates a gouache figure painting on toned paper, exploring how value and color can be used to place the figure within a composition. This lesson emphasizes sketchbooking as a way to connect influence, experimentation, and personal direction, setting the stage for larger painting projects.

This lesson belongs to the course Constructive Figure Painting II. In this 10-week course, master painter Steve Huston takes you deeper into the creative process of constructive figure painting. Building on the foundation of Constructive Figure Painting I, this course emphasizes a structured yet flexible process for turning ideas into finished paintings. You will learn how to generate and refine concepts through sketchbook studies in ink and gouache, plan and conduct photoshoots with a live model, and transform references into both finished charcoal drawings and oil paintings. Steve also shares his personal approach by creating two long-form oil paintings from start to finish. Spanning multiple sessions, Steve reveals how a large work evolves through stages of block-in, structure, color, and detail, while underscoring the role of artistic voice and integrity. By the end of this course, you will have both the practical tools and the creative framework to carry a painting from the spark of an idea to a fully realized work.

Throughout this course, you’ll have access to the NMA community for feedback and critiques to improve your work as you progress.