In this article, the author expresses concern that art educators and art teachers frequently lack sufficient and tangible understandings of the processes that distinguish artmaking activity. An open-ended situation directed by ongoing dialogue make for an elusive process that is difficult to get one's hands around; however, substantive knowledge about this process is needed to guide effective planning for artmaking instruction. This article addresses this concern by describing and analyzing the results of a 10-week art education studio methods course that sought to develop graduate and undergraduate students' abilities to plan meaningful studio instruction. A major strategy for accomplishing this objective was engaging the graduate students (who ranged from highly to less experienced practicing art teachers and the undergraduate students who were preparing for future practice) with the artmaking process in a highly conscious and reflective manner. The artmaking process, presented to the graduate and undergraduate students, evolved from this author's study of the artistic practice of numerous contemporary artists including sculptors, installation artists, photographers, and painters. The study of these artists' practices was motivated by two questions: what is it that artists do when they create artworks? and, in particular, how do artists pursue meaning? The goal was to understand conceptual approaches to artmaking and comprehend how specific artistic practices enabled conceptualization. (Contains 6 figures and 4 notes.)