Joy Taney

I’m so thrilled to see @notpi doing so well in Dragula and bringing that silly Philly energy to the stage and screen! This is the third piece to premiere so far that I worked on for Pi—the first was the wispy Ghost Train blue bodysuit, followed by a black-to-white gradient on the arms of the Black and White tickle monster. Pi wowed us all with another top placement and impeccably embodied Orc Warrior—and I was one of many hands on this piece, to create a convincing warrior bodysuit. Normally I start with a couple midtones and add my lights and darks in last, but as you can see here I started with my shadows and highlights, then worked in a world of greens and pinks to bring out the skin texture and scarring. Pi has played across the entire spectrum of gender during this season of Dragula, and like many artists I love the chance to show off my anatomy skills when the specs call for a muscle babe. Extra special thanks to @ebonymalaika , who put up with SO many drag-tv-antics which came in and out of the home studio in the last year, for the patience and kindness as this project took up half the front room so I could paint and still get a little sun in my eyes. This Orc Warrior landed in the top placement and is sharpening his axe to slay another day! 🎨🎨🎨 #dragula #dragulaseason6 #piqueen #notpi #dragulapi #pidragula #airbrushartist #airbrushart #orccosplay #orccostume #bodysuit #bodysuitstyle #bodysuits #musclesuit #orcwarrior #dndcosplay #dndcostume #dndcosplayer #airbrushpainting #airbrushpaint #airbrushed #airbrushartist #wip #workinprogress #process #processvideo #progressvideo #phillypainter #phillypainters #phillyairbrush #phillydrag

Let’s talk about @sapphiracristal ‘s Drag Race finale eleganza dress! I designed this piece and Sapphira designed the staff/spear. Unlike the other pieces of this project, I didn’t have hands on the piece beyond that— the incredible @geoffreymac made the dress; @abrahamdlevy made the corset; and @edithwigglesandgiggles and @greg_laut made the staff/spear! And we all won when she stepped out on that finale runway to the gasps, not just of the audience, but people watching around the country and world. Privately I called this look the Blue Valkyrie, because valkyries herald victory and no warrior can take them down. It was an honor to design for any runway in my friend’s Drag Race package; to make her feel so beautiful in such a special moment was even more wonderful. And yes, there is a peekaboo butt moment in the back of the dress! 👑👑👑 #costumedesign #costumedesigner #dragrace #rugirl #rugirls #sapphiracristal #dragracefinale #draglook #dragdesign #dragdesigner #eleganza #eleganzafashions #valkyrie #dressdesign #dressdesigning #digitalpainting #digitalpaintings #phillydrag #phillyartist #phillyartists #dragqueen #dragqueens #dragfashion #dragrunway

It’s so vindicating to see @thecrystalenvy in the top once again, and have the wonderful conceptualization, fashion references, and hard work in making this puffer fish look shouted out! @sabinedream13 was the brilliance behind sewing this magical inflating dress and @edith made the shoes, spikes, and earrings. I painted the whole thing, starting with the inflatable spikes and ending with the shoes—and if you look at the shoulder on Crystal’s right you’ll see I even hid a CE in the patterning to make sure everyone was very clear on just who was knocking them dead on the runway with every look! Honoring Crystal’s desire to make the many browns of the puffer fish beautiful, interesting, and “fashion” was a fun challenge, and the total square footage in painting such a three dimensional look was quite surprising. As a little visual pun, and fun way to infuriate my seascape-science friends, I intentionally mixed the patterning and coloring of the puffer fish with the blowfish—two distinctly different fish—and wound up learning a lot about both of them in order to honor the concept and final look. I’m so proud of, and proud to know, Crystal and the creative team and everyone who is working their butts off on delivering drag excellence to the runway every week—and what a week for airbrush, it was so cool to see how many looks used one of my favorite art tools so beautifully. Swim on, you sultry sirens! 🐡🐡🐡 #crystalenvy #dragrace #dragrace17 #dragraces17 #dragraceseason17 #seasickening #seasickeningball #dragball #dragraceball #dragfashion #costumedesign #costumepainting #airbrushartist #airbrushartists #airbrushed #airbrushart #airbrushpaint #iwata #iwataairbrush #iwataairbrushes #dragcouture #jerseydrag #phillydrag #phillyartists

Austin Horror FX workshop complete! Up next is the Atlanta Horror FX workshop on April 4, you can still grab tickets at tinyurl.com/horrorfxatlapril4 ! Our class full of Austin monsters, makers and soon-to-be-monsters at @coco_coquette really fed my soul not with brains but with brainy, enthusiastic people who weren’t afraid to really play and get into the supplies and techniques I shared with them! We broke the ice with the traditional mouth blood capsule technique and took it from there with wounds, bruising, blood effects, zombie contours, latex buildups, rapid fire makeup Q&A and more! @sir.beau.elliot stopped by to say hi to everyone before the class; I had a great time getting to know Allyson, the magician behind Coco Coquette, and you have one more chance to see me in the rotting (maybe) flesh TONIGHT at @oilcansatx for @alexander.great.king ‘s #tdov celebration show! I’ve got my body glue and dancing shoes ready, how about you?? 💪🏻💀💪🏻 #monstermakeup #fxmakeup #sfxmakeup #teachingartist

This is a Timelapse I made the night before I started teaching the 5 day pneumatic sprayer course at @cobatstudiosbackdrops Using the HVLP sprayer and detail sprayer to share some of my approach, including working big to small; messy to clean; pushing and pulling my painted sections; and moving my hand and spray gun through the depth of space in front of my painted surface to change the mark making technique! #airbrush #airbrushart #phillyartists #airbrushartist #timelapse

ATLANTA, GA! Your tickets to my horror FX class are LIVE (or undead) at tinyurl.com/horrorfxatlapril4 ! This is the FINAL STOP for my two week teaching tour through New York (this week), Austin, TX and Atlanta, GA (next week)! Austin and Atlanta artists have their shot at learning a spread of FX makeup techniques and take home custom latex prosthetics which students will learn to build and paint—among the many other skills in this two hour workshop including blood capsules, zombie contours, wounds and more. Austin and Atlanta class sizes have an upper limit and can sell out, so get your tickets before the opportunity passes you by! This week I’m teaching pneumatic sprayers for scenic painting with focus on HVLP and detail guns in New York, Mon-Fri, with @cobaltstudiosbackdrops and that class is already SOLD OUT! Check my Stories and the Cobalt Studios pages for the magic and madness we’re up to as I travel the country sharing tips, tricks, techniques, and how the sausage gets made so any student of mine can do what I do too! 🎨🫟🎨🫟 #horrormakeup #atlantaclasses #makeupworkshop #teachingtour #horrorfx

I think I forgot what the sun looked like this winter, but sitting outside on a glorious Philly spring Sunday for a couple hours, capturing some downtown architecture on toned paper, helped me remember. I’ve had a lot of reasons to reflect on where my life was at a year ago, and everything that’s happened since. I’m incredibly proud of the art I’ve made; the connections which have formed and strengthened; but so much of it has been indoors by necessity! What a revelation, to go outside on a warm day and remember the animal pleasure of existing in a body. #sketchbookart #architecturedrawing #sketching #markerart #artistdate

Let’s flash all the way back to lockdown era 2020, when @beardedladiescabaret brought me onto their FEAST video cabaret to play with some truly luscious and trippy colors. I had the best time making weird fruit and airbrushing this fake iridescence onto this tv set and other props, and the textures I achieved are ones I’m still proud of to this day. If you need something to look like your eyes and possibly brain are melting, well, you know who to call…! #airbrushart #airbrush #behindthescenes #airbrushartist #videoart

My two hour FX & Horror Makeup workshop has only haunted Philadelphia… UNTIL NOW! Get ready for class locations, dates, and signups to haunt the shadowy corner of your bedroom and jump out at you when you least expect it. It’s time to share the tools, techniques and applications which will move your monstrousness to the next level, so I’m packing my blood, latex and gore and I’ll see you on the road… unless I see you in your nightmares first! Stay tuned for further announcements! 💀👻💀 #fxmakeup #horrormakeup #sfxmakeup #makeupworkshop #teachingartist

Another way I’ve been getting back to making art for myself is… making art for myself! This sketchbook exploration of Henlo being reclaimed by nature reminded me that a major way I’ve processed my emotions, my entire life, was by exploring the mood in my doodles, sketches, illustrations. I’ve sought peace more than ever while resisting the things I know which actually bring it. I’ve sought perfection and completion in art that didn’t require it, wasn’t meant for that purpose. This piece isn’t finished, and it’s far from perfect according to the standards I hold for myself, but it exists successfully. I was, and am, able to feel the peace and relief that it invokes. That can be enough to justify its existence. And that can be enough to share my unfinished, imperfect, moody art—when I feel like sharing, which not all art is meant for—with people it might speak to as well. #sketchbookart #wip #watercolorart #inkart #sketching

I’ve done a lot of animal paintings over the years, and there is a special pleasure in stepping back to see that you’ve nailed a likeness, or portrayed a pet so happy or at peace that the emotion resonates within the viewer too. Whether in watercolor, acrylic, airbrush or beyond, putting more animal art into the world never seems like a bad idea! #petportraits #animalart #watercolorart #airbrushart #petsofig

The last 10 years have been life changing in ways I never could have predicted, but would never change. Sometimes you think you have a plan and a path all laid out for you, but the only constant in life is change. I love who I am now, and learning to ride along the unexpected delights and losses was a big part of becoming someone beyond my own wildest imaginings. For better and for worse—this too shall pass. #2016 #2016trend #throwback #bodypaint #skinwars