as you discover this feature, where you right click an object, choose properties, and set the smooth slider to 1, 2 or other greater than zero, you get the ability to model using simple polygons, but see the result after the object as been smoothed (don't click 'commit' until you are largely done modeling).

However there is sometimes a problem with this method: on the inside curves and angles, the points, edges and faces become buried, making them difficult to select, as you can't see them through the 'smoothed' preview.

Here's a way around the problem.

Change to the materials menu, choose a color you are comfortable working in, but set your transparency to a positive number, such as 20 or 30. Grab the bucket fill on the right tool bar, paint the object.

Now you can see the points, edges, and faces as you select them, and still see the result of the model. When you are done modeling, re-texture/paint as you like, setting the transparency back to zero (or not, if you want it transparent)