Artwork: Freedom Illustrations

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Both Girl Textured and Freedom were created by hand with pen/ink, then digitally colored. They are about freedom of mind and spirit. Maya Angelou's book "I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings" was a major inspiration as it was about a constant struggle and trying to rise above one's circumstances.

The top piece is a experimentation into combining intricate patterns with a simple tribal style.

Photo: San Francisco Carnavale

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

San Francisco's Carnavale Parade (May 24th) is a convergence of cultures, music, and dancing. The chilly 50 degree weather didn't put a damper on spirits. . .

Artwork: Skeletal Piano

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Skeletal Piano is a mixed media piece inspired by the biomechanical style of H.R. Giger and Beksinski. The initial drawing was created on vellum with graphite. It was then scanned and colored in Photoshop.

Photo: Bay to Breakers

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The San Francisco Bay to Breakers event was host to both runners and many colorful revelers.

Inspiration: Swarovski Crystal Palace

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The Swarovski Crystal Palace is a great collection of original crystal sculptures by various designers. Some border from jewelry design to sleek industrial products.

Photo: Rainbow Hat

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Why not add a bit of color to your life?

Resource: New Papers and Printing Techniques

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

As technologies change, so do the materials and techniques involved with printing. Spectrum Lithograph offers a Lithofoil printing, where foils are printed with the 4-color process, adding depth to most artworks.

For durable products, Polyart papers are the practical choice. A unique clay coating keeps the paper from tearing, yet is smooth enough for writing.

New Leaf Paper has nice recycled paper stocks that any environmentally-conscious designer can appreciate. They seem to be the leaders for recycled stocks since they don't bleach their materials and have experimented with non-wood papers.

Artwork: Gothic Beauty

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Gothic Beauty is a classic portrait inspired by Roman busts and vampire movies. The medium is mixed--graphite on paper and digital coloring. A tribal dragon is tattooed onto the shoulder. The teardrops represent a perpetual sadness and loneliness from a life as an undead. (This concept stems from a Zulu story of how a cheetah got her tears).

Photo: Hoola Hoop Girl

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

This candid photo entitled Hoola Hoop Girl was taken on the streets of San Francisco at the How Weird Street Faire (great event of music and pageantry).

Photo: Masquerade Ball Masks

Masquerade Ball Masks
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

San Francisco's How Weird Street Faire was a fun outdoor event (much like the Love Parade), encouraging costumed revelry with an electronic twist.

Artwork: Fashion of Pollution

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Fashion of Pollution is a pessimistic view of climate and environmental change. This mixed media piece uses subtle colors, highlighting the seriousness of the subject.

Sketch: Abstract Pattern

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

A visual meditation from my sketchbook.

Artwork: Dragon Crest and Tee Fury Charity Tee Collab 09

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

My dragon crest design was part of a TeeFury.com charity tee collaboration with 44 other artists on May 8th. Wotto collaged and curated the project and a percentage of the proceeds was donated to "Team Eagle", a disabled parasailing team campaigning for the 2012 Olympics.

Inspiration: Cyptography and Art

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

I've always been fascinated by the mystery of crytography. Art is a bit enigmatic to begin with, but infusing cryptography enhances its power. Artist James Sanborn is best known for his CIA sculpture Kryptos and is referenced in Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" book cover design. His work is highly conceptual, but simple in presentation. I love the Bauhausian quality of his structures, particularly his typography. The work speaks for itself, so additional decorations are unnecessary.

Inspiration: Monica Dengo's Calligraphic Works

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The calligraphic works of Monica Dengo is an inspiration into the possibilities of the written word. I took a class from her a few years back while she was in San Francisco. My interest in lettering stemmed from graffiti and her techniques helped me understand the traditional aspects of lettering.

On Monica's site, she has a small, fascinating article on the "differences between graphic, calligraphic and gestural free approach of handwriting." Read more.

Artwork: Origami Cranes

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Origami Cranes is a vector t-shirt design of Japanese paper cranes and floral blossoms atop a tech pattern. It's a homage to tokyo-pop culture. See more of this shirt here

Artwork: Doomsday and Musma Street Art Exhibition

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Doomsday is a handmade poster for the Stick Me Hard 2 International Street Art Exhibition at Musma Gallery in Brussels, Belgium. The topic is "The Worst Case".

My rendering was created with pen and markers (about 9in. width x 17in. height) to be wheatpasted to the gallery wall. My vision was apocalyptic, where death and destruction reigns free. A nuclear explosion breaks from a skull, positioned above a burning city. The red pattern is a montage of abstract faces done in a Cubist-influenced style.

Inspiration: Custom Sneaker Art

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

SneakArt is another means of DIY promotion and expression with a street vibe. You could create a custom pattern, upload to their site, and perhaps get a sticker/skin for your shoes. Not sure how long it would last with normal wear and tear, but it's a cool concept.

Photo: Koi

Koi Kite Design
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

This is an image of a Japanese kite design. Would make a great robe or even a wallpaper, eh?

Inspiration: Paper Toys and Mail Art

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Matt Hawkins' blog site Custom Paper Toys is a great collection of constructed characters. Paper toys are an emerging, affordable method of art promotion through DIY methods.



Mail Me Art by Darren Di Lieto (Illustration News Portal) is an interesting project where artists submit art through the postal system. You could check out the book for the initial project here.

Inspiration: Art and Technology, The Eye Graffiti Tags

All Eyes on TEMPT from james powderly on Vimeo.

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Tempt One (Tony Quan) was a L.A. Graffiti Writer who has been suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease (ASL), where he has become a quadriplegic for the past six years. The Ebeling Group and Graffiti Research Lab teamed up to create the technology for Tempt to create art once again--through eye movements (ocular-recognition technology) and lasers! View the full article on Creativity here.

Artwork: Mythos Dragon and the Peterborough Young Carers Art Charity Exhibition

Mythos is a mixed media piece by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions. A digital print with gold accents has been donated to the Peterborough Young Carer Art Charity Exhibition, organized by Kaine Kulczak, aka Korp.

The Peterborough Young Carer Charity is a great project as it provides educational, emotional and financial support for "children and young people under the age of 18 whose lives are in some way restricted because of the need to take responsibility for the care of a person. This person may be ill, have a disability, be experiencing mental distress or affected by substance abuse or HIV/AIDS" [taken from their site]. Ultimately, Young Carers provides the means for a childhood--a most worthy cause.

This is Sherrie's first art show participation!! There will be two exhibitions: Key Theatre and Coca-Cola Lounge in Peterborough. Will post the dates when more info is received.

Photo: Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

Abstract selection with the use of a remote and tripod.

Sketchbook: Abstract Skulls

Sketchbook: Abstract Skulls
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

This is an exploration of intricate patterns and skulls from Sherrie Thai's sketchbook. Decor galore!

Photo: Urban Beauty

Corporate Building Reflection
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

Corporate offices never looked so cool.

Photo: Pink Orchids

Pink is the new black, at least for today.

Inspiration: Happy Earth Day!

Happy Happy Earth Day! Relax to the beauty of Typolution (Kalomnie Design with music by Ratatat).



Don't forget to support Greendom with this shirt from Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions on Zazzle.

Free Music Download: Talcum (Vintage) R&B and Soul DJ Compilation

Take a trip back into time. . .

The J-Boogie Inferno Video from last year was inspired by the old funky gems from the 50s-70s, much like Talcum's collection of rare soul. Download the happy vibes here.

Photo: Japantown Landmark

Japantown Landmark
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

© Photo by Sherrie Thai of ShaireProductions.

This photo was taken from the seldom-seen interior of the pagoda landmark in San Francisco's Japantown. I love the urban ruggedness amidst the strong geometric shapes.

Photo: Dancing Feet

Dancing Feet
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

Another image from the Cherry Blossom Festival. Kimonos have amazing graphical qualities.

Photo by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Photo: Geisha

Geisha
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

She was waiting offstage to perform at the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Artwork: Gaia, Earth Goddess

Gaia: Earth Goddess is a mixed-media piece inspired by the mythologies of ancient Greece. She was believed to appear in courtyards and bore several mutant offspring, including Cyclops. This was created in pen/ink and colored in Photoshop. Artwork by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Inspiration: Dr. Woohoo's "In the Mod" Color Extractor

In the Mod is a nifty tool by Dr. Woohoo which extracts colors from images into usable palettes for Photoshop and/or Illustrator. Dr. Woohoo is a very engaging artist who uses algorithms to produce amazing digital art. You could see his creations on Flickr.

Inspiration: Direct Mail Comeback

Direct Mail as "cutting edge" promotion? Brandweek posted an interesting article on how direct mail (postcards, newsletters, and other printed materials) is a hot item again since we seem to be overrun with online clutter. More here.

Photo: Traditional Japanese Dancer

Traditional Japanese Dancer
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

This was taken at the 42nd Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco's Japantown.

Since the sun's out and Easter is arriving, I thought it was time for a Robo Sumo Bunny shirt. The plump character was inspired by KungFu Panda--with his clumsy awkwardness, but loveable personality.

Artwork: Face Patterns

I created Face Patterns as a background for another piece, but I think it's rather interesting on its own. This was created in pen/ink on bristol, then scanned and digitally colored.

Photo: Albino Alligator

Albino Alligator
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

Taken at the California Academy of Sciences. Rare, menacing, and exquisite creature.

Photo: Fire Hydrant

Fire Hydrant Closeup
Originally uploaded by shaire productions

This fire hydrant was just asking to be photographed.