In this lesson, Steve Huston demonstrates how a figure painting in oil can be brought to resolution in a single session using a full color palette. From the outset, color is handled as part of the painting’s structure, with value, temperature, edges, and surface working together rather than in separate stages. Steve emphasizes confident color decisions, abstraction, and expressive brushwork as ways to shape meaning and develop a personal voice within the image. This lesson shows how a complete painting can be guided by clear intent and design, while setting the mindset and visual language that will continue into the multi-session paintings that follow.

This lesson belongs to the course Constructive Figure Painting II. In this 11-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.