Like in her human portraits, Tara Joy uses a wide variety of techniques and mediums for the different animal portraits. Sometimes the simplicity of coffee is her preferred medium for a rustic, monochrome effect. Then for more vibrant, detailed portraits she might choose spices, watercolour, oil, aquarelle or gouache. She selects a medium and style according to the subject and desired effect. Vibrancy of colour is particularly important to her and she often accentuates colours and lighting in order to create atmosphere and contrast. When using oil paints she takes advantage possibly for creating of the texture and luminosity. She paints from both life studies or from photographs and chooses carefully poses  and settings that carry a lot of expression and atmosphere.

The kind of portrait that Tara Joy most enjoys is one where she is able to combine a realistic representation of the subject along with including some elements of fantasy, especially in the backgrounds and scenery. Although these may not have been present in the original scenes yet somehow these added elements have the capacity to carry some of the subtle feeling, background stories and atmosphere in a way that a photo replica cannot achieve. It is very common to look at one of these paintings and to see numerous faces peering back at you from the scenery or folds in the fur or fabric. Many of these may only show themselves after looking at the picture several times.

Tara has created a number of oil on canvas portraits for the Kangra Royal family in India. Most of these were made from old black and white photographs because the subjects had passed away long ago and their living relatives wished to have large oil portraits in remembrance them. Tara particularly enjoys working with oil paint because of the texture, vibrancy of colour, subtleties of skin tones and luminescence that can be achieved when using oil paints. She has often included other materials relevant to the subject such as in the case of the Indian portraits she included pulses and grains into the surface of the paint to make the texture of the fabrics and jewellery. She used these because they are so important in the Indian diet and way of life for Indians of every class. Tara likes to make her artwork a feast for the eyes and particularly enjoys taking advantage of the thick consistency of oil paint in order to recreate the rich textures and patterns of textiles. By scratching patterns and marks into the wet surface of thick paint she has achieved striking effects and created a unique style.

Tara experiments with a wide range of mediums including coffee, spices and natural vegetable and mineral pigments. She often selects particular materials that are relevant to the subject or ones that create a specific effect that highlights the mood of the portrait. She particularly likes to use coffee as a painting medium because of the warm, timeless monochrome tones and shades that it creates.

Tara experiments with a wide range of mediums including coffee, spices and natural vegetable and mineral pigments. She often selects particular materials that are relevant to the subject or ones that create a specific effect that highlights the mood of the portrait. She particularly likes to use coffee as a painting medium because of the warm, timeless monochrome tones and shades that it creates.

If you would like Tara Joy to create a portrait to help you to preserve memories of special moments, people, animals and/or places then contact her on the contact page to discuss your ideas. This page gives a glimpse of some of the portraits that she has created and her diversity of styles but it is just a sample of her work. She is very happy to work with your particular ideas in order to create the right portrait for you. Whether that is a life like portrait or one where the subject is blended into a fantastic setting surrounded by mythical beings Tara is ready for the challenge and to work with you to make your ideas visible.

Sketching people going about their ordinary and extraordinary activities is something that Tara really enjoys. She loves to capture a precious moment in time, a person or interaction between people. Life is full of so many wonders that each of us passes by everyday. Sometimes we notice them and they make us smile or cry. Other times we don’t even see them. Tara makes portraits of people that she sees along her travels in order to share some of these precious moments and to encourage people to look a bit closer next time. Through these portraits she shares some of the humour, diversity and depth of human emotion that she encounters along her travels.