Artwork: Purple Beaded Earrings

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

I created these earrings for a friend. They're a result of several trips to the bead/art store, numerous design variations, wire-work with the pliers and presto!

Resource: Photography Tutorials

Portrait Photography Tips

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Check out video tutorials from the photography pros at Studio Lighting here (and 5min.com). It's mostly for indoor studio subjects. The videos are free, precise, and most of all, informative.

Photos: Octopus Kites at the Berkeley Kite Festival

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

These photos were taken at the annual Berkeley Kite Festival.

Artwork: Scarabs and Their Eyeballs

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

This piece was inspired by the King Tut Art Exhibition at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. I've always been fascinated by the incorporation of the dung beetle into the Egyptian mythology as a Scarab, a creature associated with the god Khepri, who pushed the sun through the Egyptian underworld. In my version, I replaced suns with eyeballs, as eyes are the windows to the soul--our own suns. The beetles are created in a bio-mechanical style and the minimal colors elude to the Ancient Egyptian influence.

Photo: Portraits from Different Cultures

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Various representations of the human form from the De Young Museum.

Photo: Playing with a Feather

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

This photo was taken at the Pistahan Filipino Festival at Yerba Buena Garden, San Francisco. I love the spontaneity and pureness in this moment.

Photo: Deer Sighting

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

This lovely creature was captured in Angel Island, near San Francisco.

Photos: Festival of Chariots Hindu Festival

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Artwork: Flower Girls

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Flower Girls is another pen/ink and digital media piece inspired by the beauty of nature. The shirt is available here

Artwork: IYTI Street Art Events

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Here are my art donations for two upcoming street art events: Southsea (United Kingdom) and Vancouver, BC (Canada). The events are part of the "It's Yours, Take It" series that have been popping up worldwide. According to the Flickr group, it's an "impromptu street gallery created in a public space"--basically free art for the public.

Video: Break Disciples, B-boy Documentary

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The opening visuals of this clip are simple, but stunning--black and white with selective coloring--creating a dynamic montage. I'm a huge fan of hip-hop, so I had to share this great video, directed by the incredible b-boy, Roxrite.

Photo: Water Lily

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Taken at the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers.

Artwork: Guns and Nature

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Guns and Nature is a decorative illustration exploring the opposing themes of fragility and aggression, represented by pretty flowers and gun silhouettes.

Inspiration: District 9 Viral Marketing Campaign

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The ad campaign for District 9 is reminiscent of the viral marketing of the Dark Knight and Watchmen with (on and offline) banners in various cities, reminding people to keep watch for subversive activity. There is an alternative website promoting the film--D-9--involving the Multinational United (MNU). Though the viral marketing isn't as extensive as The Dark Knight's, the inclusion of an alien language on the fictional blog site MPU Spreads Lies is a nice touch. The interactivity between the brand and audience strengthens the brand popularity and creates a compelling dialogue.

Artwork: Joy of Koi, Tattooed Woman

Art by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Joy of Koi is another ink drawing with digital color accents, focusing on the tattooed female form.

Photos: The Crucible Fire Arts Festival

"Fishbug" by Rebecca Anders


"Epiphany" by Dan Das Man & Karen Cusolito


Fire Dancer from "The Rootabaga Opera" by Dan Cantrell


"Fire Vortex" by Nate Smith


Fire Poi performance by Amber Garrett


"Twilight Anima Rising' by Mardi Storm




Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Here are some of my photos from The Crucible's Fire Art Festival where fire and imagination reign free. More info is available on The Crucible's site.

Artwork: Intertwining Snakes

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

This snake design shows the lovely, intricate patterns possible in nature.

Photo: Red Painted Ladies

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Artwork: Piano Woman

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Piano Woman is a mixed media illustration inspired by feathery headdresses, Cirque de Soleil, and pianos (my first love). The initial base for the girl was a candid photo I took from a few years back.

Photos: Alameda County Fair

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Photo: Honeybees

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Macro of a bee colony, taken behind a glass case.

Inspiration: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Master Street Photographer and Photojournalist

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

I've been studying Henri Cartier-Bresson's photos quite a bit lately. According to Wikipedia, he's known as a "father of modern photojournalism". With roots as a Surrealist photographer (illustrator and painter), he became a master of candid/street photography. I like the fact that his photos had roots in classic composition (golden means), yet were spontaneous and narrative at the same time. He was able to capture the essence of the moment and subject. Bresson was well-sought-after to cover historical moments as China's changing of the guard to Ghandi's funeral, but I most admire his ability to capture powerful moments in everyday life.

Artwork: Flying Monkeys of Oz

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

I had the opportunity to catch Wicked last week--a visually compelling musical with a solid story--an interesting parallel to the classic L. Frank Baum's "Wizard of Oz." The Flying Monkeys stood out to me as compelling subjects, so I viewed the original 1939 Judy Garland movie and lesser known adaptations: "Tin Man" and the "The Wiz" with the late Michael Jackson.

My version explores the displacement of the creatures. The Flying Monkeys are an unnatural evolution--torn between worlds, but expelling fear in their path. The glow from the Emerald City lights the sky. Like many of my fine art illustrations, the coloring was added through a variety of Photoshop layers after the graphite drawing was scanned. The fur was a bit challenging as there was quite a few layers of subtracting/adding graphite through the kneaded eraser and pencil.

Artwork: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Profile

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

This skin design was created for the Harry Potter profile on Bebo. It's a photo-collage/layout based on photo assets from the film. Check out the super cool site here.

Photo: Pirate of Emerson

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Halloween is year-round! Check out this horrifically lovely pirate.

Photo: Interior Patterns

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.