She Illustrates.

Sketches and doodles, with an inclination towards that of a scientific nature. | Portfolio | (c) Justine Shih 2024

[sheillustrates]

Austin coffee shops zine 💛

[sheillustrates]

I’m narrowing down recent trip photos from Austria and Switzerland, but this sketch is from the last day! Much of the days were overcast, and this one was no different with a forecast of rain and thunderstorms starting in the early afternoon. Thankfully, it was held off 🙏— after exploring the garden grounds and touring the @schoenbrunnpalace , the sky was still clear. I found myself wandering over to the Palm House greenhouse, sketching with an eye on the sky until the wind picked up and the rain clouds closed in. Color was added afterward with gouache!

[sheillustrates]

Local coffee shops sketches ☕️❤️

[sheillustrates]

I’m considering framing some prints for the holiday art fairs ahead so they’re ready to gift! There’ll be a few select options for different decor styles. This might also give a better idea of how the art would look in your home.

What do you think? Would it be more or less approachable?

[sheillustrates]

Who’s watching the Doctor Who specials??

Stickers are arriving later this week, but I’m too excited to wait to share! I designed the majority of this a while back, but it seems even more fitting now that we have the return of David Tennant as the Doctor, and Donna! No spoilers, but I may have inadvertently also hit another reference relevant to the specials, we’ll see…! 👀

Find them in the Etsy shop! https://www.etsy.com/listing/1612072186/preorder-wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey

[sheillustrates]

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Another sticker! A geeky one :)

This idea has been in my head for a while, sitting stuck at the first draft stage. I’d wanted it as an enamel pin, but finally figured to simplify it into a sticker first, then adjust for a pin later (more colors = more $$).

I feel one aspect of design/illustration is knowing how much to simplify and the right amount of detail to leave in to still get the idea across. My style tends to lean either very realistic or icon-simple, so to me a sign of growth is being more comfortable making decisions when the illustration calls for something in-between. There’s not necessarily a “right” or “wrong” but executing the design in a style that best fits it is a thing and that can still be tricky, it’s an aspect which the “taste-skill gap” concept applies to, too.

Anyway, this is from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It makes me happy. :)

[sheillustrates]

Pothos do well enough under fluorescent office lights, but every so often I bring mine home for a long soak in some actual sun. This time it was also repotted for room to stretch out and strengthen its roots. The extended stay also made for good sketching opps and keep a record of how much it’s grown. 🪴 #sketch #draw #timelapse #pothos #plant #ipad #procreate #digitalart #ink #moleskine #fabercastell https://www.instagram.com/p/ChgWB5OOlD4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sheillustrates]

Attending the #gnsi conference is always a wealth of knowledge and inspiration! Everyone’s work is wonderful and diverse. I’m finding the motivation to turn drawings that have been waiting a while into stickers, prints, and other fun things! #lifelonglearning #scienceillustration #gianthornet #americanhoneybee #illustration #sticker #gnsiconf #vespa #apis #entemology #coloredpencil #continuingeducation #guildofnaturalscienceillustrators #art https://www.instagram.com/p/ChQkagqOQBG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sheillustrates]

Checked out Balcones Canyonland National Wildlife Refuge a few weeks back on my birthday, and commemorated with a watercolor+goauche sketch! #painting #sketch #art #balconescanyonlandsnationalwildliferefuge #doeskinranch #balconescanyonlands #usfws #texas #watercolor #goauche #moleskine #creation #creative #hillcountry #landscape #outdoors #nature (at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd3yIW2OTYA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sheillustrates]

A long weekend in the wild, pt 2! - 30-sec exposure bursts, the limit of my camera. Can you spot the fireflies?✨ - direct river access from my campsite - palmettos and swamp, a feel of the tropics - a quiet yet alive forest that seemed to go on forever and whispered a secret only to you #palmettostatepark #texasstateparks #nature #camping #explore #palmetto #stars #astrophotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CbwBsTRus0k/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sheillustrates]

Freehanded gouache sketches and making use of this gold pen. Pretty freeing compared to my usual work! #art #gouache #seaweed #nature #leaves #draw #sketch #painting #sakura #sakurapentouch #gold #freehand https://www.instagram.com/p/CayHqWdOIoS/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sheillustrates]

Moss mindfulness moment, with babbling brook bonus. The trees on this hike were the mossiest I’ve ever come across in Austin. Grateful to encounter the unexpected that transports as if to a different place. But also, have I been choosing the wrong trails all this time…! #bryology #touchallthemoss #hiking #nature #explore #hike #moss #trail #austin #outdoors #creation #atx #wander https://www.instagram.com/p/CZx8XaqOZwd/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sheillustrates]

Hawkeye sketch concept inspired by the show, but moreso David Aja whose comic art greatly influenced the series! If you’ve seen some of my geeky art or vector work you know I’m a fan of such styles, so picking up a comic with it was a treat! It’s also been forever since drawing people. Proportions turned out decent enough. 🥳 https://www.instagram.com/p/CYaRzsFNACL/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sheillustrates]

No photos, they said. So I sat and drew while others read and the twinkling keys beneath deft musicians hands drifted through the shelves and leaves. And in the strokes and words and songs, those moments carried together along the created, the creating, the old yet every time new—of a touch *beyond* now bridged into our own stories too. (All made even better, accompanied by the resident cat’s purrs.)

I had hoped to squeeze in one more museum my last night in Paris, with ticket all paid, but the atmosphere in this bookstore held me captive. As I started sketching, it was one of those moments when you knew you had to linger; to leave would be a regret. And then the piano started playing, and the above magic happened, and I was so thankful to have stayed. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMP-PEOMft/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sheillustrates]

These seasons greeting cards are going fast!! To help you also beat delivery delays and the holiday rush, get yours in the shop or pick up some gifts this week with 20% off all orders over $10! Find these designs and more at jshihillustration.etsy.com, or link in bio. #smallbusinesssaturday #shoplocal #greetingcard #snailmail #smallbusiness #illustration #draw #nature #animal #bat #raccoon #holiday #christmas #merrychristmas #art #austin #atx https://www.instagram.com/p/CWylNJkpAm_/?utm_medium=tumblr

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“Opposumology” and “underappreciated” combined! This little one is about to enjoy a jam-filled lemon poppy seed scone. (#ifyouknowyouknow) Opposums are this strange mix of weird and cute, but they have reason to be appreciated as well! They are North America’s only marsupial, have prehensile tails and opposeable toe thumbs to help them climb. Opposums help keep tick populations down. They are immune to rabies, and also some snake bites because they eat snakes for breakfast! Valuable research for antivenoms is being done because of this. Definitely just had fun on this one, while attempting to shift towards a different technique. #gouache #illustration #paint #art #sketch #creation #nature #sciartober2021 #sciartober #drawlogies #drawlogies2021 #opposum #opposumology #scone #ologies #ologiesart #inktober #underappreciated #paint #marsupial https://www.instagram.com/p/CU3KlgrpLw1/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sheillustrates]

“Leafy” is today’s #sciartober2021 prompt! Leafy seadragons (Phycodurus eques) camouflage themselves among the seaweed in the coastal reefs of south Australia. #gouache #illustration #paint #art #sketch #creation #nature #sciartober2021 #sciartober #leafyseadragon #seadragon #marine #inktober https://www.instagram.com/p/CUqT1wXpnnJ/?utm_medium=tumblr