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Before the time of cameras, families used to have their portraits painted; but this was very expensive and most families couldn't afford it. A cheaper alternative was to have a shadowgraph made by a "shadowmaker". These shadowgraphs or silhouettes were traditionally drawn in black and white, and were usually less than three inches high.
Making silhouettes at home can be a fun family project! You only need a few simple items:
masking tape
flash light
pencil
large sheets of paper- one dark and two light for each project
light box or carbon paper
small scissors or craft knife
glue
frame
Have your child sit in a chair that is in front of a blank wall. Have your child face either the right or the left, and then have someone else turn off the lights and shine a flashlight at your child. You can then tape a white piece of paper on the wall and trace your child's profile shadow. It's fun to exaggerate certain details like the eyelashes or a curl in the hair.
Have everyone take turns so you can trace each family member. Next, transfer your drawing onto the black piece of paper using a light box or carbon paper. You may want to smooth out your lines, or add accents before doing this. It looks great with part of the shoulders drawn also. With small scissors or a craft knife, cut out the drawing from your black paper; and then glue the profile in the center of a white piece of paper. You can then frame your piece for a wonderful wall hanging. These would make great gifts for Grandparents!
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