At the beginning of the year, I made silhouettes of all three of us. While I'm not super big fan of framed pictures in my own home, I think silhouettes are such a darling way of personalizing a space.
I googled a few 'how-tos' on the topic. This one was particularly helpful. And if you want a super classy, professional version, Cutouts By Karl is the place to hire. But, I thought I'd give it a try myself, since I wasn't certain silhouette art (dating back to the Victorian Era) would blend in with the other decor in my house, since I usually lean towards farmhouse/cottage style. But, the finished product turned out so fun!
Here's the steps you need to follow to make your own!
Step One:
Snap a few close-up digital photos of your profile. Upload them to your computer, and crop the picture until you think it's as close-up and magnified as you want your completed silhouette to be. (Remember that you'll want to snap your profile pictures in the opposite direction you want your profile to be, since we'll be turning your cut-out profile over and painting the back of the picture.)
Step Two:
Get your profile picture(s) developed in a 5x7 size. (You can pretty much print them in whatever size you want.) If this is your first try, I'd maybe develop a few extras, just in case you're a perfectionist like me and want to start over if you don't have super-scissor-ninja skills.
*If you have a Costco membership, you can upload your photos right from your computer and send them to have them printed. Most Costcos have a one-hour photo lab and once uploaded and submitted, your pictures will be ready to be picked up.
Step Three:
With sharp scissors, carefully (and slowly) cut out your profile. The more details you cut, the more life-like your silhouette will be. If you're doing a silhouette of a child, I think it looks best if you cut the exact waves in their hair, and even the pudges of skin on their chin and cheeks.
Step Four:
Turn your cut-out profile picture over, and use a small sponge brush and acrylic craft paint (Walmart: $0.97) to paint the BACK side of the picture. I used dark brown paint, but most silhouettes are done in black. Black looks more vintage to me and while I love that look, I intended to hang my silhouettes in an area where I had mostly brown decor.
Once the paint is dry, your silhouette may need an additional coat of paint.
(this is my mess-up one. the paint looked too grainy to me!)
Step Five:
Frame your silhouette. I found used frames from the thrift store. I made sure the glass was still in tact, since the pressing of the glass against the silhouette helps it lay flat in the frame. I cut cream cardstock to the size of my frame and mounted the completed silhouette to the cardstock by taping it. (You could also use craft glue, or even a thin strip of hot glue.) Once the silhouette is mounted, carefully press the frame's glass over the top. Lay the glass and silhouette in the frame.
*Once the silhouette is painted and dried, be extra careful handling it, as the paint has a tendancy to chip and flake.
Oval frames give silhouettes more of an original, vintage look. I've done my best to collect frames in that shape, but they are hard to come by (I only have one right now). So mine are hanging in our entryway in matching square frames for now!
Questions? Tips? Is Stephanie Nielsen anyone else's hero, too? Leave a comment!
Happy Tuesday!
Xoxo,
Hollie Rae
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