Joy Thomas' first time

[Joy Thomas]

I've been reading these postings for years, but was uncomfortable with computers. Now that I've finished writing a book "The Art of Portrait Drawing" I've had more practice - tho' still pretty awful with computers... but doing it anyway! I'm including a recent self portrait in charcoal. It will appear in my book...(available from North Light Books, May 2006)

Please be gentle with me this is my first time to forum!!!

[Anna Wakitsch]

Joy,

Wow, your charcoal is beautiful.

I'm so glad you're going to participate on the forum, and congratulations on your book!

Anna

[Joy Thomas]

Thank you Anna, you are my First Forum Friend!

This is a big step for me...I actually have tears in my eyes...(how ridiculous!)

I enjoyed your website and respect your obvious commitment to drawing and painting from life...(that's what it's all about...what a rush...right?)

Joy Thomas

[Richard Monro]

Joy,
Welcome aboard. Always a delight to have a new artist on the forum. I envy your charcoal skills. Whenever I touch charcoal, I always seem to make a hash of it.

[Joy Thomas]

Thank you Richard... I'm happy to finally be here... I was one of Cynthia's first artists -- having joined A Stroke of Genius in 1996...I have her to thank for helping me overcome my computer anxieties so I could finally join the forum. I hope you will visit my website www.portraitartist.com/thomas

There's no need to envy my skills, I'll be happy to teach them to you! I take a painterly approach to charcoal (even using brushes to move the material around) and have designed a new workshop "The Art of Portrait Drawing" in response to my years of teaching, and based on my book and DVD by the same name. The workshop is about drawing for painters...(because I've taught lots of painting workshops, and have concluded that drawing is the real problem confronting most portraitists, including me!)

It is a wonderful class-- designed for, and in conjunction with, my advanced students.

[Mary Sparrow]

Hi Joy! I have admired your work for quite sometime. I look forward to getting your book and hope you post here often!

[Olena Babak]

Hello,
I noticed your works about a year ago when I was searching internet. They are beautiful. I

[Alexandra Tyng]

Hi Joy! Welcome! So glad you are joining in the discussion here. I admire your work very much. Your books sounds very interesting indeed-- I'll have to pick up a copy. Don't worry too much about computer skills; all you need is the basics. I'm not too good either with fancy stuff like value posturization and drawing on top of images to show mistakes, so I leave that to the experts.

Alex

[Mischa Milosevic]

Hello Joy! Visited your webpage, excelent work! It's a pleasure to meet you.

[Mark Youd]

Welcome, Joy. I do think it will be our joy to have you here, especially if you're willing and able to teach your methods!

Good luck with the book.