How to Make a Kid's Silhouette

Trace a silhouette of your entire extended family.

Preserve your child's profile with a copy of his silhouette. No sketching or cutting skills are required to make a large image of your child. This craft uses only basic tools, but the results are suitable for framing. The process works best in low lights, so set up a "studio" in a long hallway and allow the kids to trace their friends at their next sleepover.

Things You'll Need

• Chair
• Desk lamp
• Large white paper
• Masking tape
• Pencil
• Markers or paint

Instructions

1. Place a chair in front of a blank wall so the back is perpendicular to the wall. The end of a hallway is a good location because you can place the lamp at a distance from the sitter.

2. Have the "subject" sit in the chair facing sideways to the wall. Place a lighted desk lamp so it projects the person's image on the wall. For best results. the lamp should be on a small table so it is at the same height as the subject.

3. Tape a large piece of paper to the wall so the subject's shadow is projected onto the paper.

4. Trace the shadow on the paper with a pencil.

5. Take the paper down and fill in the outline with markers or paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Move the lamp closer to make the image larger or further away to make the image smaller.