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An Introduction to Painting with Steve Huston

Master artist Steve Huston offers you a carefully-constructed introduction to painting in this Learning Path. Whether you're new to the medium or a seasoned painter, Steve's approach to painting offers something for everyone to learn.

20 Lessons 26h 37m 19s of videos

Level 1

In this lesson, world-renowned artist Steve Huston provides an introduction to the discipline and lifelong passion of art. Whether you are a professional, or an absolute beginner, Steve’s clear and focused approach will help you explore important questions about your journey as an artist. You will also learn many important aspects of the craft of […]
In this video lesson world-renowned painter Steve Huston will paint a torso, showing how the human can be expressed in terms of basic forms, the torso being mainly cylinders and ovoid or egg forms. Steve will go on to demonstrate the use of tone, value, and rendering to create simple forms with shadow patterns, half-tones […]
Steve Huston will cover the Rub out technique using a brown school palette from a painting by Frank Duveneck on white canvas. You will learn how light can affect the tone of the painting and how to add and subtract light within the Brown School palette by adding and taking away paint. Materials Gamblin Artist […]
In this lesson world-renowned draftsman and painter Steve Huston demonstrates painting in a two-value system. You will learn how about the importance of relating parts of the painting to the whole composition. Steve will also show you how to work with positive and negative background elements in your paintings, correcting mistakes organically as you go. […]
In this video lesson world renowned painter Steve Huston will be painting a female figure from a Thomas Eakins painting. Steve will teach you how to use the symmetry of the figure as an artistic tool and how to break down the figure into a series of simplified forms, shapes, and planes upon which a […]

Level 2

In this lesson world-renowned draftsman and painter Steve Huston provides you with unique and comprehensive insights on painting technique, approaches and theory. You will learn about harmonizing full color paintings as well as critical artistic formulas. Steve will also demonstrate different approaches to painting include the Brown School and Impressionist painting approaches.   Materials Sharpie […]
World-renowned painter Steve Huston provides you with an introduction to the vast subject of color theory for painters. Steve will show you the critical process of mixing colors to achieve the desired tone and temperature of the colors you want. You will also learn mixing techniques for your palette and how to approach the color […]
World-renowned painter Steve Huston will analyze a painting by Swedish artist Anders Zorn and demonstrate Zorn’s approach to color. You will learn how to employ the “Zorn palette” to your work, using only browns for your shadows and working with warm and cool colors. You will also learn the some of the distinguishing features of […]

Common Questions

Is this Learning Path recommended for beginners?

Yes! If you are new to oil painting this is a great place to start.

Steve uses some specific colors in his demonstrations. Do I have to use the same colors?

Yes. In this case, the colors used can make a big difference. We recommend that you use the same colors as Steve.

Are assignments included in this Learning Path?

No, there are no separate sections for assignments in this series. We recommend that you paint along with Steve and copy the demonstrations to get the most out of this Learning Path.