Professional silhouette artists are an endangered species!
How to cut a silhouette portrait, How to hire a silhouette artist for an event
http://silhouettesforsurvivors.orgWhen researching for a silhouette artist one may not know that there is a difference between what your school teacher did tracing a shadow of a reluctant student, and a master silhouette profiles, who is a real artist who looks directly to creates a likeness. The artistan who is skilled in silhouette portraits take any sized sharp scissors and cutout a miniature portrait in eight minutes or less. The faster they are the better they are and the smoother the quality will be. That is how you know quality in a silhouette artist. It is by speed, details, and accuracy. Silhouettes are prized to be framed in 5 x 7 or 4 x 6. You can choose any color for your silhouette at a party (if you tell the artist ahead of time to bring colored paper other than black) and you can get them as large as a matted 8 x 10. All silhouette artists can do them larger and they all could paint your silhouette larger. However the fun of a silhouette artist at an event is to watch the skilled professional create psychic accurate likenesses of your guests to the tune of 12 to 30 people per hour, depending on how skilled they are (faster are better), or how quickly your crowd moves, or how great the artist's personality is, to attract a huge crowd around him/her as they work!http://silhouettesbycindi.com
True silhouette artists (once called Shade artists) don't use a shadow, which is a distortion, they don't sketch it first (which means they can not draw freehand with scissors), they don't use a computer program to black an image, they don't trace a profile photo to do a silhouette. However, this is what you can do to make your own somewhat silhouette image! A professional silhouette artist examines your energy and profile, and will cut your profile by looking at you., your pet, or your loved one. They can also draw your profile and were first portrait artists. It is nicest if they have authentic silhouette paper which is white on one side and black on the other. This lasts longer than craft paper and will not fade in color. If you are doing a home project I would suggest you do not use craft paper, go for a higher quality. You can find real silhouette paper at school supply stores and Blick on-line or in Chicago. Most silhouette artists work in the USA, Canada, Europe, Bali, Australia, Japan, and Dubai. Silhouette artists are normally entertainers and can entertain guests as they work. Below is an example of fine art museum silhouette by Kara Walker, who uses her imagination to create a narrative that is provoking and spellbinding.
For a home do it yourself, it is fine to use the wall for your craft project, with a shadow, just don't confuse the minimal look of that with that of a master silhouette artist. Both are special no matter what. If you create your family's likeness from a photo, computer image, or shadow, it is a good treasure, and is easy to do.
The best silhouette artists worked for Disneyland and Disneyworld and have cut many profiles out, and are quick. The faster the silhouette artist is, the better they are. Speed is important for a silhouette artist! Quality is speed in silhouettes! A person who can do silhouette art correctly is a dying species! The computer ones are normally not in proportion, although they are great for story books, logos, and invitations images. In this photo I am with a European silhouette artist, Charles. Silhouette artists travel anywhere they are commissioned.
Silhouette artists are great at school fundraisers, weddings, corporate events, private parties, business events, and celebrations. They make a lasting treasured gift. Here are two silhouette artist, Cindi Rose of Texas and Varin of California. Cindi is holding the silhouette Varin did of her, and Varin is holding the silhouette Cindi did of her. Both artists work continually, travel, can do art illustration, interior details, couples together, and are personable. These are the traits you need to look for if you want to hire a silhouette artist for an event. You can contact silhouettesbycindi.com for other silhouette artists should she not be available. She shares New York with her silhouette sister, Kathryn of Orlando in their duo blog, Silhouette Sisters Kathryn and Cindi. You can see more information about them on that blog, or SilhouettesbyCindi.blogspot and http://silhouettesbycindi.com