I arranged this virtual studio day as a tribute to the London-based silhouettist Mr Charles
Silhouette cutting takes place online. All my studio days consist of a series of 10-minute portrait sittings, which take place over Zoom.
After booking your sitting(s) you’ll receive an email ticket containing a Zoom link and further information. I’ll also send a reminder shortly before the event.
On the day you’ll be asked to log in to the Zoom event two minutes before the time you chose. I’ll cut silhouettes of you and your family and pop them in the post afterwards.
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What was Mr Charles?
If you were to take a walk down Strand, London in the 1790s you’d be likely to come across a boastful character who called himself “Mr Charles RA”. He claimed to be able to paint a silhouette portrait in “3 minutes, by the watch”. Little is else is known about him, not what the letters “RA” stood for, as he was never a Royal Academician!
Looking at the tangled sword of lines in one of his watercolours it’s hard to imagine it could really be painted so fast. Yet, as an artist I’m ware it’s rash to make such a claim unless you can live up to it, at least most of the time, so I’m inclined to take him at his word.
But how on earth did he do it?
Studio Day Tributes
This Studio Day is a tribute to Mr Charles. As a self-taught artist Charles owes a huge debt to the work of past silhouettists – he has leaned so much from studying their work – so naming studio days after them is his way to pay tribute.
Charles normally cuts silhouette in his own style (there are many examples all over this website). However, if you’d like your portraits cut in the manner of this artist please do ask. Such challenges are always welcome!
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