How to Make a Silhouette Charm from a Drapery Ring

Silhoutte charms can be added to bracelets, necklaces or strung on a satin ribbon.

Silhouette portrait charms originally became popular in 18th Century France, but they remain popular today. In the Victorian era, silhouettes photos were a method for those who could not afford paintings to obtain a likeness of themselves and their family. Today, they can be a creative way to capture a portrait and transform it into a piece of antique-style jewelry. The portraits can be placed into empty pendants, but you can reuse drapery rings for the same purpose. Silhouettes were traditionally created with shadows and cut freehand, but are now more commonly achieved using a digital editing program.

Things You'll Need

• Digital camera
• GIMP 2.6 software
• Drapery ring
• Scissors
• Container of non toxic craft resin
• Glue stick
• Super glue
• 2 sheets of white card stock, letter size

Instructions

Create Your Silhouette Portrait

1. Place your subject at a 90-degree angle from the camera against a white wall. Take a photograph of your subject’s profile with a digital camera. The contrast of your subject with the white wall will make it easier to outline when you edit the photo.

2. Transfer the photo to your computer and open the photo in GIMP. Click the "Fuzzy Select Tool" in the toolbox and set the threshold to "150." Select the white background, right-click and select "Edit," then Cut."

3. Press "Ctrl" + "A" to select the remaining area, which should be just the profile of your subject. Under the menu bar, go to "Colors," then "Brightness/Contrast" and lower the brightness until the profile is completely black. Adjust the silhouette to your desired size and print onto card stock.

Create Your Silhouette Charm

1. Cut the silhouette into a circle equal to the inner circumference of the drapery ring. Using the glue stick, apply a layer of adhesive to the silhouette to protect the image. If you do not apply the glue stick, the resin will soak through the paper and give a different look to the silhouette.

2. Apply a single layer of craft resin over the adhesive. Allow 10 minutes to completely dry.

3. Cut a circle of card stock with a diameter that 1/2-inch longer than the silhouette card stock. Using the glue stick, glue the silhouette face up onto the center of the second circle of card stock. Allow the silhouette and second circle of card stock to dry.

4. Apply a thin line of super glue to one side of the drapery ring. Press the ring glue-side down onto the outer ring of the card stock.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider using your children as the subject for your silhouettes; charms can be strung together on a necklace and make a great keepsake for family members.

References

• The Beading Gem: How to Make a Silhouette Portrait Pendant
• Ornamentea, Fine Craft Ingredients: Silhouette Sweetheart Necklace

Resources

• The Beading Gem: As Time Goes By Necklace Tutorial