Fang Sullivan, PSA
Pastel Portraits from Life: Drawing and Expressive Color
PSA Studio, National Arts Club, New York City and on Zoom
Wednesdays, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Eastern Time
Bring your portraits to life with the rich, luminous magic of pastels while working from a live model, either in studio or remotely.
This class strengthens drawing skills while encouraging artists to explore bold, expressive color through layering and broken color techniques. Students develop accuracy in likeness, structure, and value relationships while also being encouraged to experiment and work with creative freedom.
Through demonstrations, guided exercises, and individualized feedback, artists build confidence in portrait drawing while exploring color relationships, temperature shifts, and expressive mark making. The class encourages artists to develop their own personal approach while working from direct observation.
What You Will Learn
How to:
• Work from a live model both in studio and via Zoom
• Build accurate drawings, likenesses, and strong value relationships
• Use a variety of soft pastels and surfaces effectively
• Explore skin tones, color relationships, and temperature shifts
• Apply layering, broken color, and expressive mark-making techniques
• Develop a personal approach through guided instruction and critique
Tuition:
Location:
PSA Studio Class, Weekly Hybrid, In Studio and Live on Zoom
Instructor Bio
Fang Sullivan is a contemporary figurative artist known for her vibrant and expressive work in pastel and oil. Raised in an artistic family, she began studying art at a young age and later earned her degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York, continuing her studies at the Art Students League. Her work blends Impressionist influences with a modern sensibility, exploring light, color, and emotion through expressive mark making and broken color techniques.
Her work has been exhibited nationally and has received numerous awards. Fang is a Signature Member and Board Member of the Pastel Society of America, an Artist Member of the Salmagundi Club, and a Signature Member of both the National Association of Women Artists and the American Artists Professional League.
As an instructor, Fang guides students with patience and encouragement, emphasizing strong drawing foundations, sensitivity to color, and creative exploration to help artists develop both technical skills and a personal artistic voice.
Materials and Studio Setup
• Soft pastels in a range of approximately 24 to 48 colors including lights, midtones, darks, and skin tones
• Hard pastels such as NuPastels recommended
• Pastel paper or boards approximately 9 by 12 inches or 12 by 16 inches
• Suggested surfaces include Pastelmat, UART 400 grit, Art Spectrum Colourfix, or other textured surfaces
• Toned surfaces such as gray, tan, or cream recommended
• Vine charcoal
• Charcoal or pastel pencils in black, brown, and white
• Kneaded or plastic eraser
• Paper towels or soft cloth
• Masking tape or clips
• Glassine or tracing paper to protect artwork
• A stable camera setup positioned to clearly show your artwork while you work, for Zoom participants
• Adequate lighting, preferably daylight balanced lighting
