ReMastered Course – 
This course has been updated with downloadable assignments, optimized video lesson flow, new reference images, plus standardized rubrics and materials lists for a more effective learning experience.

In this lesson, Steve Huston introduces the use of gouache to create composition thumbnails for landscapes and cityscapes. You’ll start with foundational techniques in color keying, framing, and simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values. Steve guides you through the layering of opaque and transparent gouache, teaching you to experiment with edge quality, color temperature, and gradation for depth and focus. By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to capture the essence of a scene with a few well-placed values and shapes, giving your sketches clarity.

This lesson belongs to the course The Practice of Sketchbooking: Ink, Watercolor, and Gouache. In this 6-week course, renowned artist Steve Huston guides you through the essential practice of sketchbooking with ink, watercolor, and gouache. Each week focuses on foundational skills like line work, pen hatching, value, color, and composition through focused studies of figure paintings, master studies, landscapes, and still lifes. Steve’s lessons emphasize technical development and personal interpretation, encouraging you to explore your unique voice through practical exercises. You’ll discover how a simple sketchbook can become a powerful tool to hone your skills and serve as the foundation for future masterpieces. By the end of the course, you’ll have the tools and knowledge to fuel your artistic growth through a consistent sketching habit.

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