A Sharpie Silhouette
Posted: September 8th, 2009 | Author: Katie | Filed under: Simple Solutions |When I see silhouettes, I think back to elementary school and standing sideways, in front of the projector, while my profile was traced - anyone here with me?
Sadly, I have always admired how clean and classic silhouettes look but I have been intimidated by the process of how to create them. I don’t really know how to use an exacto knife, I’m really bad at tracing, and I don’t own a projector - not like I would even have a chance for stillness with a toddler and an infant! So I have stored some fellow bloggers silhouette links gaga-ing over them and their tutorials until I came to the last one. And when I found out ALL I needed was a profile picture, a pair of scissors and a SHARPIE…she had me at Sharpie.
Yes, you heard me correctly, a Sharpie.
Here is how my inspiration developed...
The Nester shared about a professional silhouetest (in my vocabulary that is a person who does silhouettes professionally) Lena Bengtson who can trace your child in person or through a picture for you. Beautiful work would be an understatement!
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Kari and Kijsa held a silhouette class. If only I could have attended and brought diet cokes to share with the ladies. They could have taught me how to make mine look this amazing!
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And then I admired these pictures on my friend Grace’s photography site:
Are they not stunning? I can’t choose my favorite so I included all of them!
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But it was the cherry on top when I saw these in a Real Simple Magazine:
I just loved how the paper made it pop and added some whymsical touch to a timeless piece.
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Then I read about the host herself of Frugal Fridays, Wendy, at The Shabby Nest and her 5 minute silhouette. I was captivated. I could do this and yes, it is this easy!
The process is this:
Take a profile picture and print off, use scissors to cut out and a sharpie to fill in.
A few of my tips:
✄ Getting a good profile might take some preparation. I snapped my four year old while he was engrosed in a tv show, I held a remote in front of my 10 month old, and a dog treat in front of Lucy.
✄ I did take a couple pictures of each just incase one worked better than the others.
✄ I actually ended up using a 5×7 for my older son and then kept the 4×6 for my younger one.
✄ If you do scrapbooking or journaling, I even used an extra to stick in their journal.
I used an old frame and matte that I already had and bought a sheet of scrapbooking paper for .29¢ and yes that too was ironically 50% off at the wonderful Hobby Lobby! So .19¢ per photo and .15¢ for the paper. A whopping total of .55¢ for a Clean and Classic Silhouette that I will cherish forever!!
And I couldn’t forget the girl in the household…
♥ Katie
Ahhh…I’ve been waiting for this! You told me something cool was coming up. You were right! I love the boys little round heads and cheeks! And Lucy…what a pretty girl. Very cool. I’ll have to try it out.
Those are so cute…I plan on doing those one day. Did you see Living With Lindsay’s glass etched one on a mirror. Oh my…gorgeous
Great work! They turned out wonderful. I also want to try this kind of paper crafting.
Kamee wants to do something like this for MOPS this Christmas… I will make sure she reads this!!!
Katie, these are so special! I love this idea!!!
How darling.
My blog has just been growing like a crazy weed and I haven’t been able to get by for as many visits. I miss all my blog friends.
Come for a visit and see both of my new parties for the week. They are up every week and I hope you will participate.
Cheri
Its So Very Cheri
Shoot now I am obsessed with this Lena lady!!! Is it worth the money or is your version just as good!!…???.
We are on the same page, I don’t know why it always surprises me! I just took the pictures last week to do this!
Wow, they all really pop… certainly clean & classic. Fabulous job!
So glad I inspired you! Are these not the easiest silhouettes on the face of the planet? And I’m right there with you on remembering standing in front of a projector in elementary school while my teacher traced my silhouette…I think my mom still has them up in her house.
I seriously was just looking on blogs on how to do this. thank you for this simple, simple idea! im gonna attempt it this weekend.
Thank you thank you, for this step by step and great pointers for capturing a tot on the go. This is now my NEXT project…and guess what the grandparents are getting for Christmas…awww yeah!
How cute! I will have to try this! I love them, but they are always so darn expensive.
I have been wanting to do some of these of my kids. What a great, simple way to do it!! I want to do some larger ones, I wonder if I could do am 8×10 this way? I might need a few sharpies, huh?
LOVE this! I’m doing it this weekend - I already even had a three-opening frame ready. What a great way to make something so refined be so simple!
Wow!! This is awsome! I am definitely going to try this with my 2yr old (during the Curious George Show) Thank you for passing on this great idea.
I love this because it’s actually something I could do as well!! And I LOVE that you got one of your pooch!!
Hi there! I just stumbled upon your blog and OH my gosh! I have been wanting to do one of these for a while and couldn’t figure out how to! I just whipped one up of my dog in 10 minutes! Thanks for the tutorial!
Oh, those look fabulous! I, too, have been wanting to make some silhouettes to frame of my kids but was scared to try. Thanks for the encouragement! I might just actually try it now. You did a great job!
They turned out great!! I am getting ready to try & make some.
[...] But they are hanging now and they are not only exactly what I first imagined, like Carrie’s Buffalo Check, but they also tie in beautifully with my sharpie silhouette frame: [...]
This is such a great idea!! I’m gunna have to do these of my kids!! Thanks for sharing
[...] I started playing with ideas. I used my silhouettes that I had from my sharpie silhouettes and sent them to a friend that did her magic. Yes, that is really all I can give you because other [...]