One of the most famous silhouette artists was John Miers. He has been called one of the finest and most widely known profilists in the history of art, and was one of the few artists that painted silhouettes on plaster. A native of Leeds in northern England, Miers sold paints as did his father, but by 1781 he expanded his business to include painting coaches, gilding, and making profiles. He was so successful in making silhouettes that in 1791 he opened a studio, employed several artists and had a very good business. He continued making silhouettes until 1800.
Students create a silhouette of a friend in the classroom.
There are several ways to create one. One is to paste dark paper, cut to a person s profile, on a light background. Then there is hollow-cut, which involves the opposite color combinations. The student will cut out the likeness from the center of white paper and place it on a background of black paper or black fabric. Materials needed are paper, pen and a light source.