Continuing Education at PAFA

Thursdays, 1 - 4 p.m. 
Instructor: Peter Van Dyck 
Twelve-Week Course (36 Hours) 
Note: No class during Spring Break, March 2 - 8.

Register by December 15 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSPRING2026 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Winter/Spring classes and workshops only. Fall 2025 courses, studio rental programs, Fifteen-Week Extended Studio Courses (special programs), gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.

This course will focus on creating paintings of the human figure from poses ranging from one to five days. It will provide an opportunity to explore the development of a figure painting over multiple sessions, emphasizing the accurate drawing of large forms and gestures, the translation of those forms into structured color relationships, and the depiction of the color of light that defines the environment. Through the extended duration of the poses, students will have the time to refine their observations, deepen their understanding of structure, and build more nuanced and cohesive paintings. Technical topics such as oil paint handling, surface preparation, and color organization will also be addressed. Students will leave the class with an enhanced ability to construct complex figure paintings that are both formally sound and personally expressive.

This course is excellent paired with Figure Drawing: Intuition and Analysis for students seeking intensive full-day figure study.

Image: Peter Van Dyck

Register by: January 15 
Materials List - Coming Soon 
Please review CE's Winter/Spring 2026 Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies, prior to registering.