How to Make a Shadow Profile of an Infant
According to Peggy McClard Antiques, shade portraits have been popular since the late 18th Century as a way that less wealthy people could afford to have a portrait made of themselves or a family member. Children can make shadow profiles of themselves to give away as gifts to family members and parents can use them as a way to create fond memories of their children as they grow up. With a photo, some silhouette paper, and a nice background, you'll be making shadow profiles of your child in no time.
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Things You'll Need
- Digital camera
- Computer with photo editing software
- Color printer
- Card stock
- Scissors
- Silhouette paper
- Utility knife
- Colored fabric or paper, at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches
Instructions
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Photograph the infant's profile with a digital camera. Lay the infant against a background that clearly contrasts the skin so that he stands out in the photo. Someone may have to hold the infant in place to get a usable photo.
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Upload the photograph from the digital camera to your computer's hard drive. Use the USB cable that came with your digital camera to connect the camera. Follow all prompts and directions that your computer displays once the camera is connected.
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Edit the photograph using the photo editing software on your computer. Increase the contrast of the photo so that you can see the infant's features more clearly. Enlarge the photo so that it will stretch across a letter size sheet of card stock.
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4
Print the photo in color on a sheet of card stock. Make sure none of the ink on the card stock been blurred and that all of the infant's physical features can be clearly seen.
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Cut the infant's profile from the picture background with sharp scissors. Make exact cuts so that features, such as fingers, head shape, toes, and even eyelashes, can be seen in the cutout.
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Lay the profile cutout on the white side of the silhouette paper and trace around the cutout with a pencil. Trace all of the infant's physical details so that the silhouette will be recognizable once finished.
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Cut the infant's shadow profile from the silhouette paper using a utility knife. Do not make any mistakes as one misplaced cut could result in a ruined shadow profile.
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Mount the silhouette onto the background of your choosing. This can be a colored piece of paper or fabric. The background should not be black, as you will not be able to see the shadow profile of the infant on a non-contrasting background.
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Tips & Warnings
If you do not have a digital camera or a computer with photo editing software, try using a picture of your infant you may already have. The picture should feature a profile shot of the infant. You may need to have the picture enlarged to use it for this project.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
