How to Make Victorian Silhouettes
In the Victorian era, ladies would cut silhouettes out of black paper, frame them, and hang them on the walls to decorate their home. You can make your own Victorian silhouettes very easily and quickly. For different looks, create Victorian silhouettes of the same person wearing various hair styles. Formal updo's work best for this project.
Instructions
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1
Take a photograph of a family member, shooting their profile. Make sure you're pretty close up so you have mostly the neck and head only. Consider taking more than one shot so you can use the photograph with the sharpest focus.
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2
Print the profile out on your home computer, using transparency plastic.
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3
Use very sharp scissors to cut out the profile you want to use.
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4
Lay the transparency onto a sheet of black paper. You can use black construction paper, black scrapbooking paper or card stock.
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5
Use a light hand and a white tracing pencil and trace around the transparency, transferring the shape to the black paper.
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6
Carefully cut out the Victorian silhouette using very sharp scissors. Trim inside the tracing lines or trace on the "wrong" side of the paper so the side you want to use is free of any markings.
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7
Mount your Victorian silhouette in the center of cream or white paper and frame it to complete the portrait.
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Tips & Warnings
Try using black scrap bookingpaper that has a pattern embossed on it for an updated look.
Transparency plastic for your printer can be purchased by the sheet in most office supply stores.
