The Art of Cutting Silhouettes

Long before photography was invented, there were two primary ways of capturing the likeness of someone- portraits and sculptures. Those art forms required lengthy modeling sessions, and were typically reserved for the wealthiest of families. But for the vast majority of people, there was no practical way to remember the way their loved ones looked. That is, until the mid 18th century when 2-dimensional paper sculptures became popular- and they took just minutes to create.

The word 'silhouette' is derived from the name of Étienne de Silhouette, a French finance minister who used to cut them in his spare time. It wasn't until the 19th century that the art form actually became known as 'silhouette' art.

Not all silhouettes are created equal! Most silhouette artists cut out a basic outline of a person, and many often draw the outline on the paper before cutting. Igor's silhouettes are cut traditionally- out of black paper, using scissors, and completely freehand! Igor's style is very elegant and detailed- using intricate inner cuts to highlight details of the hair, clothes, and accessories.