Silhouettes are always lovely, but there’s something about a baby’s that is extra sweet. I’m using Eleanor’s for her first birthday party.
I used Illustrator, but here is a silhouette tutorial using tracing paper. Have you ever made one? How did you use it?
50 comments
vana
I am all about silhouettes.
http://www.lepapierstudio.com
everything in my website has silhouettes written all over it!!
Tasha
I did one of my dog after seeing your inspiration! I’m technologically challenged and couldn’t even get an exacto knife to work, so I just used scissors!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmw715/4578456527/?rotated=1&cb=1272995841449
Cynthia
I did this as a Cub Scout project with my den for Mother’s Day Gifts.
My 25 year old son still loves his!
Kari
This inspired me to try it out in Illustrator. I’m just learning the program, so I’m pretty proud of myself. Here’s the link if you care!
http://mkhobson.blogspot.com/2010/04/beck-illustrated.html
Gorilla is my friend
A whole new world of silhouettes has just opened to me! Why have I never thought of this before? I am so doing my Kaden’s! Great blog!!!!
Terrah
I have a little fetish for silhouettes as well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabulousterrah/4317481977/
Love that I stumbled across your blog again after almost a year. :)
viva cindy
i love silhouettes too! I just completed a cut out for a jewelry bust out of wood and they turned out so cool.
you can see here:
http://cindyjespinoza.blogspot.com/2010/04/jewelry-bust-project.html
Bron
Hi Nicole – I have never made one but this is a gorgeous example and am definitely inspired to try now. Their little heads are just too cute. Can’t go past that lovely pink either :)
Buttercup
My preschool made silhouettes of each child. Since my brother, sister, and I all went to the same pre-school (although three years apart), my mom had a silhouette of each of us at the same age and kept all three framed in our home until Hurricane Katrina. But still–at that point my younger brother was 20!
Miss B
I agree baby silo’s are precious and of course Eleanor’s is tres adorable, love the pink:)
HollyP
I love silhouettes. My family has a tradition of having them done for all the children. Currently we have silouhettes of four generations, from my grandparents through my kids. My kids love to visit my grandfather’s house and guess which silhouette is which aunt, cousin, great aunt…
We have them done for each child’s first trip to Disneyworld, by the cart on Magic Kingdom’s Main Street.
Lucky Elinor to have such a souvenier. And she looks more like you by the day.
shalini
That’s so darling….she looks so adorable. Thanks for the links.
wini
What a gorgeous idea! Eleanor looks adorable and her silhouette is soooo cute :)
tiina
Oh, that is just precious. She’s such a cutie!
Viv
How sweet does her little nose that silhouette. I might have to give this a go.. if Robert would sit still for the photo that is.
Audrey
I’m doing the same thing for my daughter’s 1 year birthday as well- it’s just too fun and darling!! Happy (early) 1st to Eleanor!!
Natalie
So cute! What a fun DIY project and great keepsake :)
Amanda Fuller | Calico and Co
What a wonderful Silhouette! Eleanor is so beautiful! I created one a few months ago of my niece and painted it onto a small canvas. You can see how I did it here on my blog: http://calicoandco.blogspot.com/2010/01/diy-silhouette-canvas.html
susan
Classy, a smart twist on traditional, and perfect, just like she is! And just like her name, too ;)
deanna
That is so cute! and *of course* it’s pink.
I did two silhouettes as a Christmas gift for my husband:
http://applesandorange.blogspot.com/2010/01/before-and-after.html
Natalie
One Esty designer does silhouette necklaces. You might be interested as a 1st birthday gift for yourself.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/luckymebeads
Shannon
Just devine…and what a lovely idea for her birthday. I may have to steal that one. My little girl has a birthday coming up soon and I was wondering about a theme to run with….decision made. Nicole I have to tell you it is so lovely every morning {I live in Australia} when I turn on the computer and see your posts, it is my interiors/design fix for the day, I love it because with 4 young children the hour I have to myself before they wake is prescious, thankyou for being a part of it and constantly putting a smile on my face…xxxx a kiss from all my kids for making their mummy soooo happy.
Celia
Our whole class did them in 5th grade using a projector to make a shadow on the paper and our teacher traced our silhouettes with a peice of chalk. She used them as a party game for a party our class had, we all had to walk around and figure out who the silhouette was of.
Kristen
I made silhouettes of my husband and I by hand (the overly laborious way) and used them on our wedding invitations. They turned out rather lovely!
sarah
love love your blog!
tho i’ve been reading it for a long while, this is my first comment!
i drew & designed one in illustrator of my daughter holding 2 balloons for her 2nd birthday invites, custom stickers on treat bags, water bottles etc. it turned out darling and now i’m hooked!
i’ve seen an adorable idea on another blog {i can’t recall which one} where they drew a pink silhouette of mickey mouse’s head rather than using all the cartoonish invites and decor on the market. i think i’ll be doing that for her 3rd! what a great idea!
magnoliatreephotography
She is beyond perfection–your heart must melt daily. Thank you for the idea! I don’t have Illustrator, but I do have Photoshop–I’m sure this is something I could include in my packages, as I’m positive my clients would love it!
Amy
I had a silhouette brooch made for my mother for her birthday. It was made from an antique optician’s eyeglass from a medical kit that was the “frame” and the silhouette was printed to fit inside and she used an antique paper as the covering for the back. It was so lovely and I wish I would have ordered one for myself!
kandice
omg that is so cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!
Adrianne
I love silhouettes! I bought a silhouette christmas ornament for baby’s first christmas last year from le papier studio, and my husband’s silhouette from when he was a baby hangs in our baby’s nursery now. I did the “floating head” for Mason’s first birthday party last month (http://bit.ly/bHWVdx). Eleanor’s is adorable!
Kathleen
Agreed – the baby silhouette is extra sweet. My husband and I used silhouettes as a very tiny graphic detail on our wedding invitations. It gave the design a little extra oomph and vintage vibe we were going for.
I remember having silhouettes done as a kid using a projector like to create a shadow on paper board taped to the wall.
Mrs. Priss
That’s precious! I adore how it looks in pink! I made one of my daughter using the tracing technique and it turned out pretty sweet. You’re totally right about baby heads being the best. I’d be too paranoid of how big my head would look anyway, lol.
casey
her profile is so cute! i have always loved silhouettes, i have one of me and my husband in our living room, and i made my little boy’s as part of his birth announcements: http://www.flickr.com/photos/caseybaudoin/4378557701/in/set-72157622790193636/
Nuit
this one is soooo cute!!!
Stacie
Here is a link to the silhouette I made for my daughter, Violet!
http://gingibersnap.blogspot.com/2010/01/little-something-extra-for-saturday.html
kari s.
very sweet and great idea!
A Jill of All Trades
P.S. What font did you use for “Eleanor’s Silhouette?”
A Jill of All Trades
I love it!!!
I would love to have made one when Aidan was a baby, but I never thought about it. At least I did take lots of amazing photographs!
You’re inspiring!
kari
so darling! any tips for creating a good silhouette in illustrator? want to make a cute baby announcement for my sister that just had twins but im still feeling my way around illustrator! thanks! cute blog, keep it up! :)
Karrie
So cute! I’ve made silhouette’s using pencil rubbing technique. I printed the picture I wanted to use on regular white paper, cut it to size and rubbed the back of it with a pencil. Then I placed the image onto a piece of wood and traced the silhouette. I then painted the image. It was pretty cute and easy!
Lucia
I recently created a silhouette (also using illustrator) to make my third daughter’s birth announcement. It’s pictured in this post, several photos down. I like how you styled Eleanor’s hair in yours.
Lucia
Might be nice if I included the link for the post! Here it is:
http://wilkefamily.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/week-14-apr-2-8/
Ludmila {CreamyLife.com}
I just read the tutorial on Design Sponge and realized it’s very similar to the one I was telling about in the previous comment, which I saw on Style at home: http://www.styleathome.com/how-to/simple-projects/how-to-create-silhouette-art/a/21692…funny!
Licia
My son Andre is turning 1 shortly. Thank you for the tips on how to create a silhouette. I think I will use this for his birthday party invitations.
Ludmila {CreamyLife.com}
Oh Eleanor is just so adorable! Today I went through all your pictures on Flickr related to E and would do it again! this cutie is a treasure! About silhouettes: I read once a tutorial and it was saying to take a picture of the person, print the picture and then cut it. Use adhesive paper (otherwise apply glue to the back of the silhouette)and affix it onto a background paper. That’s it! I still didn’t make one, but I’ll certainly do it one day! xo
P.S. It’s official: I’m obsessed with your blog and work, Nicole! http://www.creamylife.com/interior-design/4473/pink-loves-brown.html
Holly
SO CUTE. I just love silhouettes, and I agee that baby silhouettes are even yummier!! :) Your daughter is just too sweet!!
xoxox Holly
Kristin
I used Illustrator to make my daughters and use it on our blog-header. It’s time to update and add number two! Eleanor’s is precious.
sarah
oh, this is such a cute idea for a 1st birthday theme!! :) she is so cute! i love all of the ideas on your blog!
btw- i am having a FUN GIVEAWAY on my blog & it will be ending soon! head over to enter:
http://www.thebrightsidestudio.blogspot.com/
thanks!!
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