Sherriffs was born in Arbroath on 13 February 1906. An arts medallist at Arbroath High School, he studied arts and heraldic design at Edinburgh College of Art. His first published caricature was spotted in the 'Bystander' by Beverley Nichols, who asked him to illustrate the 'Woad' series of celebrity profiles he wrote in the 'Sketch'. Sherriffs went on to contribute to the Sketch and the Radio Times as a caricaturist and was film caricaturist for 'Punch' from 1948-60.