The spitting image of us

@JudyEv (323693)
Rockingham, Australia
February 28, 2017 7:14am CST
I've just commented on a discussion by Owlwings (@owlwings) about a silhouette portrait he has of his great grandfather. Here is the post: if you'd like to read it. In 2015 we attended the wedding of our nephew in Surrey, England. Four uncles were in attendance, all from Australia. Their sister was mother of the groom and, as you can imagine, a very good time was had by all. At the very flash wedding, a 'roving artist' by the name of Charles Burns was wandering among the guests and creating hand-cut silhouettes. He would ask that you stand still for a very short time then produce this incredible likeness with no more than black card, a small pair of sharp scissors and a keen eye. Once done the images were immediately stuck into a small presentation card and presented to the 'models'. Another incredibly talented individual as every example I saw was immediately recognisable. I've shown ours here.
I know very little about my Great Grandfather, John Henry Todman, but I have this rather charming silhouette portrait which was made in 1854 when he was 14. I...
27 people like this
22 responses
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
28 Feb 17
That is an admirable talent.
5 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
It is indeed. I wonder if he draws well and/or paints?
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Feb 17
I have one of myself from when I was young. I think these are an art that isn't as popular as it used to be. I hope I can find mine...
3 people like this
• United States
1 Mar 17
@JudyEv If only it was popular when my children were little. Still, my youngest is only 14, it would be nice if I can find someone who does that in this area.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
The wording on the card said it's coming back into favour. These things come and go don't they?
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Mar 17
@JudyEv Thank you, that is great, I hope I can meet up with her sometime.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
1 Mar 17
Very interesting, specially the explanation you gave in your last post.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
Thanks. I put up the hand-cut photo then realised I could have explained more. I keep thinking the Frenchman took his name from the term 'silhouette' but of course it was the other way around.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
28 Feb 17
Those figurine are incredibly detailed I admire those who can do this. Beautiful.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
1 Mar 17
@JudyEv Yes, it takes no more than 5 minutes to have the portrait done.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
He was very fast, the scissors snip-snipping away as he glanced up and down.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Feb 17
cool,
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
He did a great one of the bride and groom toasting each other. There is no doubting who the people are. Every one we saw we knew immediately who it was.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12538)
• Ireland
28 Feb 17
@judyev That's quite a talent. I'd be nervous about letting someone draw me though!!
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
No drawing involved - just cutting. :)
@allknowing (130088)
• India
1 Mar 17
You always come out with something unique each time you post here
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
Thank you. That's a nice thing to say.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
1 Mar 17
Oh, that's a nice spitting image of you and your hubby. The artist is so talented that he is able to think of doing something like this.
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
1 Mar 17
@JudyEv Wow.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
He was very clever - and very fast.
1 person likes this
@Hate2Iron (15731)
• Canada
28 Feb 17
What a wonderful keepsake!!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
It was indeed and there was no charge to us at all which was even better. :)
@Juliaacv (48236)
• Canada
28 Feb 17
That must have been a pleasant surprise to receive that! And its quite good given how many he must have had to do.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
He was very fast and every silhouette was immediately recognisable.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
28 Feb 17
oh I would so love to have one of me and J
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
Apparently in England at least there are a few who are doing this.
1 person likes this
• Centralia, Missouri
2 Mar 17
@JudyEv never seen that over here
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Mar 17
@Jessicalynnt Here's a website of a lady in Baltimore who does it. Close up the gaps obviously. silhouettesbyhand .com/about/
http://www.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
1 Mar 17
That's cool. Somewhere there is one of me that I got at Disneyland when I was a kid.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
So the craft is obviously not unknown.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53601)
28 Feb 17
Great work!
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
Thanks. It's a bit different isn't it?
1 Mar 17
That's very nice and interesting.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
Thanks.
1 person likes this
1 Mar 17
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
1 Mar 17
Several people, including you, of course, have responded to my post saying that they have seen or heard of people doing this today. Yours is a brilliant portrait and by a top-rate artist. I was intrigued and had to look him up, of course! I found that he is not 'Charles Burns' the American cartoonist or 'Charles Burns' the horror fiction writer! He is Charles Burns the (self-styled) "Roving Artist"! His web page tells a little more about the art and also contains a fascinating and illuminating video on his art and entertainment. What a brilliant and apt person to have at a wedding, where there are so many family members and friends for the new couple to remember (I do hope that your nephew and his wife received a copy of the portraits made in an album! It seems that Charles Burns does keep copies of every one he makes - I presume, as the negative image.)
In his long career as a UK silhouette artist Charles Burns has cut over 150,000 silhouettes, including two portraits of the Queen and other notable figures
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
In the middle of reading I was thinking to send you his website but you've found it so that's good. He has put all the portraits onto a single sheet although I haven't seen it. I was surprised to find that several in America have been 'done' in this way so it seems the age-old craft continues to thrive.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71573)
• United States
1 Mar 17
That sounds like a neat thing to have done at a wedding. Years ago I worked at a hospital and someone came in and did these silhouette portraits for the residents. It was very neat.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Mar 17
They are so clever - and so fast. I had trouble stopping my jaw from dropping.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
1 Mar 17
That's sooo clever, so detailed, but simple...
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Mar 17
I thought it was very clever. And a lovely memento.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40176)
• United States
28 Feb 17
I love the picture! Such talent there.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
Thanks. I'm pleased you like it. It was a lovely memento.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
28 Feb 17
Amazing how it can be done so quickly and with such talent!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
Exactly! Just snip, snip, snip and it was done. Unbelievable really.
1 person likes this
1 Mar 17
Very interesting idea........
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
Thanks. It is something a bit different isn't it?
1 person likes this