Silhouettist

Love this one. Was it a commission?

Interesting, I quite like them as a group of not-obviously-related objects. However, I especially like the portraits: the girl holding a cabbage (C2) or the Freddie Mercury character (C4). How big are they?

These look good. Thank you for reposts today!

I had a dream the other day that Godzilla became a US president. How weird is that?

Just so long as I'm there to make a silhouette of it!

Silhouette of a bird on a twig, cut from black paper and mounted on a white postcard. Written in pencil lower left: European Crested Tit And signed lower right: Charles Burns 31/12/25

Happy New Year everybody! Here's the paper cutting I made yesterday for the #birdwhisperer project, now mounted on a 15 x 10cm card and ready to go to a new home. Let me know below if you'd like it. I'll just need a donation to cover postage + whatever you feel is appropriate. #europeancrestedtit

It coincides with my first. Congratulations!

I'd go with the Moleskine every time.

Let me know if you'd like the original.

Shape of a bird, perched on a twig, cut from black paper. The paper cutting is unmounted, lying on a bamboo table top. Below it are the scissors it was cut with and various off cuts of black and white paper generated during the process.

Paper cutting of the European Crested Tit for this month's #birdwhisperer project. Thanks for the challenge—it's not often I get to silhouette a bird! #birdsilhouette #papercutting #art

I usually start at the front and cut round to the back. Where did you start?

What do mean by “reworking”? Did you make it?

It’s an AI image. I’m
Not sure anybody thought it through that far! 😅

Sadly I do obscure art projects, not science!

First I heard of the art advent calendar. Good idea 👍

100 Years of Christmas Silhouettes 1925 – 2025 Exactly 100 years ago an unknown English artist was cutting silhouettes and pasting them onto a Christmas greetings postcard.

These silhouettes cut in 1925 formed the inspiration for my own hand-cut Xmas postcard this year.

www.roving-artist.com/christmas-ca...

Look on the bright side. Somebody, somewhere is right now being wrongly informed by AI: that’s a Jane Duke image!

Silhouette of a woman with a hat facing left on a grubby postcard. The has a printed, green, floral border, into which the silhouette has been pasted. Underneath in red: "Xmas Greetings 1925."

Exactly 100 years ago a lady with a hat posed for her silhouette, probably in a department store, somewhere in the UK or possibly the USA. Here is the result. I've no idea who she was (as she didn't add her name) nor who the artist was (as they didn't sign it). #Christmas1925

What’s a Midjourney image?

She looks very calm for somebody with just seconds to live.

This is a nice one. How large are your drawings?

Silhouette of a woman facing left in a gold, oval frame, hanging on a tree. Written in pencil under the bust line: Catherine de Bough

Silhouette of a woman facing right in a gold, oval frame, hanging on a tree. Written in pencil under the bust line: Elizabeth Bennet

Silhouette of a man facing right in a gold, oval frame, hanging on a tree. Written in pencil under the bust line: William Collins

Silhouette of a woman facing left in a gold, oval frame, hanging on a tree. Written in pencil under the bust line: Mrs Bennett

Four characters from Jane Austen’s novels. Part of a set currently adorning the Christmas tree at One Aldwych. Names are written under each in pencil.

Where is that?

You’re not at all alone. I still cling to the belief that Britain is a friendly, civilised, and welcoming country — despite constant efforts by almost all our politicians to convince me otherwise.

Thank you. I hope I get to do your silhouette one day!

Charles Burns on royal silhouettes, Covent Garden origins, and the art of performing with scissors YouTube video by The Variety Show

Out today is this episode of The Variety podcast, in which Adam Sternberg interviews me about my life and work as a silhouettist.
youtu.be/HcfrIVQ7mtg?...

This year… it should read. Come on @bsky.app why won’t you let us edit silly typos like this?

Four silhouettes on a tree branch at the bar.

Tree in the foyer at One Aldwych

Silhouette of Fanny Price in the tree.

Silhouettes on a shelf.

This I was working with One Aldwych to realise their dream of a Xmas Tree covered in #JaneAusten characters. The unveiling was this morning! So happy to see them all in place.

Thanks for the repost @markmakingmarks.bsky.social

Cut black-paper silhouette of a young man with a white shirt and tie. The silhouette is supplied with a glassine envelope, behind, and printed backing card saying: PARIS – BUTTE MONTMARTRE, Claude Marin

Silhouette of a young man with a white shirt collar in the badly-yellowed glassine envelope in which it was supplied. The silhouette is cut by Claude Marin and the artist's name is just visible bottom right.

Silhouette of a young man, by Claude Marin, lifted away from its backing card (the silhouette was never glued to this card). The silhouette has a sharp eyelash, typical of this artist's work; a cut-away white collar, cut from the front; and a lapel line, cut from the back. Head and body are joined by a sliver of paper just 2mm wide.

Silhouette cut by Claude Marin, Place du Tertre, Paris, 1920s. Like all Montmartre silhouettists today, Marin never stuck his silhouettes to the card, but supplied them loose in a glassine envelope. I'm not sure why. It seems risky when head and body are connected by just a tiny sliver of paper!