How to Draw Silhouettes

One principle in good drawing is the silhouette. A silhouette is essentially the image of an object, person, or scene that is being depicted as a solid shape in a single color typically black. Silhouettes are usually featureless and on a light background. If a drawing can be colored in so that all you see is the shape and the image is still readable then you have made a good silhouette. The simpler the silhouette, the better it will be at revealing important information intended for the viewer. 

Silhouettes are easy and simple to create. Here are two beginner friendly ways for you to get started.

1)      Set up a camera and take a picture of something against a white background then outline the image and fill it in.  

2)      Set up a light that hits directly onto the object that will cast a shadow then outline the shadow and fill it in.  

For examples, I used a couple of images taken on my phone and turned them into silhouettes.

chipmunk silhouette

deer silhouette

Until next time, let inspiration find you!

A. Cornelia