How to Create Silhouette Pictures

Silhouettes make lovely gifts and they are fairly simple to make. Black and white silhouette cutouts with a white border,have a very distinctive look,that differs from photos. Any parent or grandparent would appreciate having framed silhouettes of the children.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• graph paper (2 sizes)
• black paint or
• black construction paper
• glue

1. Place a large piece of squared paper(graph paper) on the wall securely. Move a small table and lamp so that the lamp is behind your "model" and the shadow is cast on the paper on the wall.

2. Draw around the edges of the shadow on the paper. Then reduce the size of the sketch by copying it onto smaller paper. Draw the lines as you see them in each square of the larger paper, onto the smaller paper.

3. Cut out the silhouette and trace this pattern onto black construction paper or thin cardboard that you cut from a cereal box.
   If you use the cardboard , just paint the silhouette black using any acrylic craft paint.
   Glue the silhouette onto a piece of white paper large enough for the frame you will use.

4. Cut an oval shape in the center of a piece of black paper. Make sure the oval is large enough to fit around the silhouette , leaving a wide white border to highlight the silhouette.
   Display the silhouette in any appropriate size frame.

Tips & Warnings

• A framed grouping of your children's silhouettes makes a nice gift for grandparents and other family members.
• You may also want to try making silhouettes of other things and grouping them together as collages.

[ScarlettOHairy]

on 5/16/2009 I'd love to try this with my grandbabies, if I could get them to stand still long enough!