Artwork: Doodling with Patterns and Faces

. Posted by Sherrie Thai by Shaireproductions.com



Freehand pen drawing is always very therapeutic, but horrible on the eyes :)

Escape into Life: Sketches and Doodles Showcase

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

One of my sketches was included on Escape Into Life's blog post on various artists' sketchbooks (which I recently discovered). It's an interesting and inspiring look into different artistic minds and styles.

Artwork: Layout Sketches and Notes

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

These concept sketches were originally created in pen/ink on paper. I then scanned and repeated a vertical column to create "endpages" on my handmade book portfolio.

Sketch: Abstract Pattern

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

A visual meditation from my sketchbook.

Artwork: Bird Sketchbook

Dabbling with figurative sketches--birds and decor. You could View Larger

Artwork: Skull Mountain Sketch

Here's a sketch I did a while back called Skull Mountain. It was inspired by a few horror films and a microbiology book. Random creativity.

Artwork: Orchid Sketch

This sketch was inspired by the Pacific Orchid Expo at Fort Mason. The pen/ink illustration was created in a couple of hours, during my commute.

Photo: Weapon of Choice & My Sketchbook

This is by far my favorite pen and of course, weapon of choice for all the microscopic sketches and concept designs. View larger image here.

Artwork: Sketches 01/16

Another image from my sketchbook. This was an ongoing mini-project during my daily commute to/from San Francisco. I may use the dragon for a future project. He's camouflaged in there with some eyeballs and such. View Larger

Inspiration: Doodlage & My Sketches

A few months ago, I came across a very inspiring site, Doodlage, a place devoted to doodles, sketches, and preliminary art. Leo/Rashell graciously invited me to be a guest contributor, so here's a bit of my intro: "Sketching has always been a huge part of my art (and life)–as subconscious expression, use in final art, conceptualization, or as its own art-form. My sketches have been described by others as intense, odd, insane, neurotic, but in the end, it’s part of me and I love creating..." Check out the rest here.

Doodlage also has some items on Etsy, fun artworks on rocks and collages on paper.

Artwork: Sketchbook Pages

My sketchbook is a personal art sanctuary: a place of meditation, simple wanderings, and exploration. This sketch was inspired by my trip to Mexico, complete with Aztec influences, mountainous terrain, and church steps.



Here is a random page from the sketchbook. Creatures sometimes emerge from the patterns. Take a closer look.

Artwork: Faces and Decor Sketches

After work, I usually catch the train and start adding to my sketchbook. It's a solitary act and a form of meditation. I've been told that it looks pretty intense, so I may extend it to other mediums.

Click on the image to view a larger size. The actual image is 5x7in.

Blogging Adventures

Hey hey. Thanks for stopping by. This is my very first blog (aka. Public CyberDiary). Let me start off by telling you a bit of myself. My name's Sherrie Thai. I'm the art director of my venture, Shaire Productions, where I produce graphic design and illustration for clients. I also hold down a full-time job as a designer, but in true freelance mentality, I never believed in putting all your eggs in one basket, so I still keep side projects going (it could also be the workaholic in me too). My background is in the fine arts (drawings, glass etchings, lettering, photography and book arts)--self-taught, but have always kept it separate from the commercial design, and it eventually fell on the back-burner. For many years, I've only focused on the commercial aspect of design--mainly for survival--but now, my outlook has become more introspective. The fine arts mentality of "do what you will" has been peeking through more steadily and has fueled me to straddle both commercialism and fine arts expressionism. I've been searching for alternative creative outlets; this blog is one method.

Another is my website. I've been so busy for the last 10 years working away on client projects that I've never had a chance to work on my personal site. Right now, I only have a free site through Coroflot. . . but with more time available, I've decided to concentrate specifically on my website, and although it leaves less time for other things, it's been very fulfilling . . . so stay tuned for an interactive book portfolio in the coming months!

There has been encouraging news within the last couple of weeks that I just can't contain. I was involved with the design of an online eldercare site (AGIS) which has received an Honorary Nomination for a Webby Award this year. Whoohoo! The same day, I received word that one of my photos would be part of a California Tour Guide. I've always enjoyed taking photos, but never thought it would be published. Check it out: Schmap California Events

One of the most encouraging news was a mention in a design tutorial and an inclusion of my sketchbooks. Role of Sketching in the Design Process by Sean Hodge is a discussion on the importance of conceptualizing through sketching. I was honored to have discovered my inclusion in the article, as I wholeheartedly agree with the importance of sketching during the design process. Unfortunately, I've noticed a decline with some designers when it comes to developing ideas on paper. It's not all about having the best and cleanest drawings as it is about working through and developing your ideas. I have tried going straight to the computer to knock stuff out, but I'd have a creative block and struggle with the work for hours. I started changing my routine and spent some time sketching out ideas and noticed I was able to cut down on the production time. Art is about experimentation and experience; conceptualizing at the start helps to organize thoughts in a more linear fashion. I suppose I may be a purist in upholding the design process.

Anyway, hope to update this blog with something new each week. . .