Silhouettes on Your Heart: Memory Keeping Made Art
As a mom who loves photographs of my children more than anything, I know what it’s like to want to remember every moment. I can recall other moms telling me, “Take a lot of photos; it goes too fast.” While I can assure you the 12,000+ photos on my phone are not enough to console me for the vicious pace at which life continues to move, I have also come to learn that even though photos can preserve a lot, sometimes less is more.
A few years ago, silhouette art of children’s profiles became very popular. You could get it framed as a Christmas ornament made as jewelry, and one day, it occurred to me that I could probably make these for myself. I had an empty wall near the stairway leading to our second floor. I wanted something meaningful there, and the simplicity of silhouettes would bode well for the narrow space. With four children, ordering custom art was not in our budget.
After a quick trip to the craft store to secure the supplies I needed—along with some carefully selected frames to add my own character and style to otherwise timeless art—I couldn’t have been happier with the result. These portraits have only become more valuable to me over time. What were once chubby little faces with double chins, baby hairs, and button noses have stretched and grown into busy, delightful, boisterous children. I walk up and down the stairs a dozen times a day lugging loads of laundry to bedrooms or finagling a vacuum up and down the narrow stairway. With every trip up and down those steps, I am reminded of the essence of who each of my children were in that moment in time. This simple silhouette gallery hanging on my walls has served as a worthy reminder to cherish what is good and beautiful in any given season. These shadows of a memory remind me time will keep moving, and it is good, holy work to create in remembrance of it all.
Make Your Own Silhouette Art
Supplies Needed:
8.5x11 black cardstock, one per silhouette
8.5x11 white/cream cardstock, one per silhouette
8x10 frame, or a larger frame matted to 8x10, one per silhouette
Glue or tape
Sharp scissors
Your phone or digital camera and a printer
Position your child in front of either a window or wall that is well lit with high contrast (I positioned my children in front of a window, so their silhouettes would be mostly shadow). You want at least from their chest up to be easily identifiable with high contrast. If needed, edit the photo to increase the shadows and blacks on the child’s silhouette. This will make cutting it out easier. I prefer to edit the image to black and white.
Print the photo on an 8.5x11 piece of printer paper. Cut out the silhouette of the child on the printer paper. Carefully hold the silhouette onto the black cardstock, or tape it in place, and cut out the silhouette of the child. Be sure to include any small details of the child’s silhouette–a chubby double chin, little stray hairs–these are the essence of what you will love to remember when you see these!
Tape or glue the black cardstock silhouette in place over the white/cream cardstock. Use scissors to size the final artwork to fit the frame of your choice. Use the frame selection to enhance the custom feel of your creations—clean lined for a minimalist style or eclectic frames to add character!