Tradition dictates that after the Valentine's Day cupids come down, but before the Easter eggs go up, silhouettes of Lincoln and Washington must decorate elementary school walls. Anyone who ever spent time studying our first president's ponytail or Lincoln's stovepipe hat feels a certain sense of nostalgia for these silhouettes but probably doesn't realize that there is a rich history behind them.
The ones in the classroom are punched-out cardboard, of course, but the true, original silhouettes were cutout paper pictures. Before photography, silhouettes were a popular means of recording a person's likeness -- a fad of the early 1800s.Then as now, there are several ways to create them. One is to paste dark paper cut to a person's profile on a light background. Then there is hollowcut, which involves basically the opposite color combinations. The artist cuts out the likeness from the center of white paper and places it on a background of black paper or even black silk. Though many of the old-time silhouette artists are anonymous, famous makers include Charles Willson Peale and Auguste Edouart, both of whom signed their art.
Framed antique or vintage silhouettes are collectors' items today and can go for several hundred dollars. So why not make your own, just as American families did long ago by candlelight on winter evenings? Anyone could be the subject: your mother, a child, your best friend. You'll need paper, pen and a bit of patience. Begin by seating the subject sideways in a chair positioned against a blank wall. Position a light a few feet from the wall so that it casts a shadow. Next tape vellum tracing paper on the wall and trace the outline.
With the help of a copy machine, enlarge or reduce the profile to your desired size (perhaps you have a particular frame already in mind). Once you've gotten it to the right size, print several copies. Place the profile on black paper and use an X-acto knife or detail scissors to cut it out of both sheets.
Use a glue stick to mount the black silhouette on pale paper. Frame with a light-colored mat board. When measuring the bottom border of the mat, make it at least a half-inch wider than the other three sides. This is done to compensate for the fact that your eye will automatically perceive the bottom portion as being smaller than the other three sides. A mat's thickness also affects your perception -- the deeper the mat, the more your eye is drawn to the art within.
When displaying silhouettes, keep in mind that dark, simple frames work best. Show them off in settings that play up their black-and-white color schemes -- for instance, in vignettes with Scottie dog figurines and checkerboards. They also look just right over the mantel, interspersed with family photographs on a hallway wall, or even in the bath. Not only are you decorating your home on a budget, but you're also creating instant family heirlooms -- and perhaps even starting a new tradition.
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