Silhouette heads: silk on linen made by Mary Addison
Children’s heads are so attractive with their wonderful cushiony roundness and squidginess of feature that we thought it would be fun to make a silhouette head of the littlest person in the family – to rememberate him as my only son used to say in a happy elision of remember and celebrate (economically linking and enhancing both word and concept). Remecognisation (remembering and recognising) also entered the family lexicon at about the same time from the same source and both words have become invaluable – if occasional – expressions in family conversations. Should any members of the family be switched for an imposter, we would know what to ask them (unless of course they had read this blog first. Oh dash!)
Silhouette head: silk on linen made by Mary Addison
Over Christmas, lots of sneaky photographs of the small person’s profile were attempted. Few were successful as what at first appears to be a full profile with clear features doesn’t always look so impressive when rendered in silhouette when it becomes apparent that the head wasn’t fully at 90 ° to the camera. In the end there were three or four shots that I thought were good enough.
Silhouette head: silk on linen made by Mary Addison
To give the silhouette a bit of a twist, I decided to use ivory silk for the head and grey linen for the background, being a fabric not paper person and using what bits I could find. Fusible Bond-a-Web ironed on to silk enabled me to cut out a nice clean lined profile and this I then fused to the linen backing. In fact a silk backing would have been preferable because linen doesn’t fuse particularly well – cotton on cotton would have worked better too. In consequence, to counteract head parting company from background I slip stitched the head down. Fine stitching was called for round the nose and lips and a few prototypes were consigned to the littler bin as these bits frayed disastrously. In truth I’d probably have slip stitched the head on anyway as that’s the sort of thing I can’t resist doing … but there are easier ways … (And paper is certainly one of them.)
Silhouette head: silk on linen; rejected because of fraying around the mouth and nose. (Mary Addison)
Polite and slightly quizzical, daughter No 1 tried hard not to express disappointment but I could see she wasn’t especially impressed and was perhaps even unsure that the profile was even that of her child. Understanding her point of view but also knowing this was indeed what the small person looks like in bland profile, with no features and no animating personality, I’ve spent the last few days pulling her sleeve at pertinent moments to draw attention to the prominence of his top lip, the tilt of his nose or the shape of his head. Unsure as to whether I have converted her, I have gone ahead and framed up a couple of silhouettes in the hope that the finished article might convince her of its similarity to the little head she loves so dearly. (Fingers crossed!) I all else fails, I shall next try cotton and if that doesn’t work may yet resort to paper!
Silhouette head ( close up of the one framed in white above): silk on linen made by Mary Addison
6 Comments
Ah, a tricky project Mary… what do they say – children and animals – and yes, so hard to catch the vibrancy of their little faces…… and they are so sweet aren’t they….
Too true and fraying fabric is certainly not the easiest medium.
I think the silhouettes are very successful, but bear in mind that such absolute simplicity is always incredibly difficult!
Well yes, and you know yourself Rachel how difficult fabric can be for fine details. But there is just enough resemblance to make the attempt worthwhile.
A great idea, but Mary embroidery isn’t much different from drawing. Try a 2B pencil outline on watercolour paper and a soft black wash, I think silhouettes are all about the contrast.
Umm Louise, I’m not sure I agree with you – a painted silhouette, as you suggest, or a paper cut out would give a much more stable profile as the problem with fabric is its devilish desire to unmake itself. I just couldn’t resist trying – if the whole thing unweaves itself in the frame, I’ll repeat the image in paper.