In the June 2008 issue of The Pastel Journal, artist Chin-Cheng Hung explains the inspiration behind his bold and striking pastel portraits as a mixture between old and new inspirations. "When people think of portraiture, they think of traditional portrait sittings," he says. "I'd like my portraits to look contemporary and still maintain their classic beauty." Known for his dynamic pastel demonstrations, the artist enjoys capturing the extraordinary features and characteristics of his models, who are often students at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he teaches. "My demonstrations are usually done in an entertaining, but informative way," he says. "I talk about pastel techniques and tell stories simultaneously."

Enjoy a gallery of the artist's pastel portraits and drop in on one of his demonstrations in our exclusive online slide show by clicking here.