GENERAL INFO:
Ordering Silhouettes for Mail Delivery
Silhouettes By Hand offers a range of rare, hand-made and hand-designed products based around its signature offering: handmade silhouette portraits. Click on the above images to learn more about the products and to order easily through the secure e-commerce cart system.
Read below the video about making your order.
“I wanted to let you know the gifts sent to the Grandparents was a hit! They loved them!
Thank you not only for sharing your amazing talent with the world but for your amazing customer service and attention to details.”
Please read: HOLIDAYS 2024
Thank you to those who ordered by the shipping deadline! If you are reading this after 9am Eastern US Time, December 9, 2024, the information has changed:
Deadline for US shipping orders in time for Christmas was Monday December 9, 2024 , 9am Eastern Time.
Thanks for being interested in silhouettes!
The “package delivered by Christmas” ordering deadline has now passed - I’m so sorry. If you were meaning to get your order in, but forgot, or who came late, please read on:
Below are new information bits:
Because of the current shipping difficulties around holiday time, I had to make a deadline of Dec 9 at 9am Eastern. Why the deadline? Because each order is MADE BY HAND by your artist, checked, prepared, and sent to post — all before the general post (pickup/delivery) schedule.
No orders after Dec 9, 9am Eastern time, will be guaranteed for Christmas. I can accept orders, but they will not be promised at any time, allowing for delays in the postal system and for my schedule. They will be finished in order of receipt of all photos. Orders after this date will only be finished only as schedule allows. NO RUSH ORDERS WILL BE MADE. I am sorry.
Your artist is juggling a schedule of live national events and online orders. Please be patient. NO RUSH ORDERS.
Do not wait until the last minute. Order, and send photos within 24 hours - if not immediately after your order.
Read this entire page about ordering.
Send in GOOD photos. Read in these pages on what type of photos to send. The better photos you send in, the faster your silhouettes. Include your Order number and the name on your Order! (To women who have a different last name on your order than on your email… please help me help you!)
Watch your email for reply, and for photos of the final, cut silhouettes before mailing off. Please read your emails.
If you prefer a TEXTED photo of the final cut silhouettes, please send your text number along with your photos, and with each email. Please reply to the texts. Your artist will identify herself clearly.
This system prefer the tracking of Priority Mail in the USA. We support the US Postal Service.
Please ensure that the delivery address is correct. Your artist is not responsible for any mistakes in typing the recipient’s address, especially if the recipient is you!
“Pick up” Orders will be taken until Dec 17, 9am Eastern time.
A pick up order : if you are local to Baltimore, Maryland, USA, and will pick up your own order without going through the US postal system.
Yes, that means that you are choosing to pick up your order after it is completed.
This option will be listed on the order system. You will receive the address after the silhouette is completed.
All of the above other information applies, including: you will send good photos within 24 hours of ordering.
Please send photos
If you do not send photos, your order cannot be made for you. Please do send photos. The information about sending photos is below.
Why am I reminding people to send in their photos? Because many people many people make the order and don’t send in their photos. (Please: do be one of the people to send in their photos)
Please note that I will contact you by your email address on your order.
Please do read your emails too; this is how we will stay in contact with one another. Please reply to your emails.
How Silhouettes are cut for Your Order
Watch this video! See to see how easy it is for you to make your order - and this how your silhouette is cut from your photos:
All of Silhouettes By Hand's portraits, even Mail Order, are made in the traditional manner: by hand, with only scissors, without drawing, tracing, or any machine.
Personal Service
All orders are received, reviewed, created, mounted, prepared for shipping, and shipped by the artist herself. Please ensure that your order is detailed (when necessary) and accurate —- so you experience the best service even during busy times.
About Handmade Silhouettes Made from Photos
(A note from your artist)
I designed Silhouettes By Hand to be a live experience of a historic, heritage, traditional service: having a portrait made before photography was invented. I initially started cutting silhouettes as a way for people to experience something from the past - it was an experiential, participatory activity for museums.
People love having their silhouettes made. Equally exciting to having their portrait made in a historical manner, they are absolutely amazed when they see me cut silhouettes live - they absolutely don’t believe that I cut freehand, without drawing first. They don’t realize that I truly start with a blank sheet of paper, and don’t draw anything first.
Your silhouettes will look a little like “folk” representations of your loved one - charming, simple, but detailed. They can never be 100% photographic, but they will be remarkable and delightful, since they are handcrafted.
Send several photos exactly as described in “What to Send” (below), and also read the “Terms”, which contains the Policies and Notes.
How to Order your Silhouettes, Mats, or Frames
To make an order, click on the product-photos at the top of the page - you will be able to order Silhouettes, extra copies of the Silhouettes, and Frame or Mat. All elements are completely described. It's very easy to add items to your cart, pay securely, and send your photo - often all from your smartphone or tablet device.
Recent Fee Changes: Information and Solutions
Global supply chain, shipping, and labor shortages for suppliers and manufacturers have raised prices on all items across the world. Your artists only works with respected and quality-minded suppliers; however all businesses are encountering higher prices and delayed shipping.
Please understand that your artist does not want to raise prices; however you can shortcut some fees by ordering digital silhouettes or custom logos without the need for postal delivery. Use your digital silhouettes or logos for any digital need, or print out to make copies for loved ones, scrapbooking, or other digital desires.
Secure Online Payments
The accepted online payments are Credit Card, Paypal, Venmo, and Apple Pay. These payment methods are very secure using high-security encryption. I do not receive any credit card details; I only receive confirmation of successful payment.
Gift Certificates
New: You can give a Gift Certificate to a family member, friend, co-worker, or other lucky person. You can choose all elements of your gift - silhouette portraits, frame, and/or mat. You make the payment and choose the person, she/he receives the gift. You can announce the gift - or have Silhouettes By Hand announce the gift.
Click to see Profile Photo to send
What to send: Profile Photos
During the ordering process, you will be asked to email a profile (side-facing) photo, as seen here. Please READ BELOW and look at this image of a profile photo to show you what your photo should look like.
Please encourage your loved one to pose calmly, without making faces or smiling. I know it’s hard with young children or even pets! There are so many reason to wriggle. Try to get them to look forward while watching something in front of them, perhaps a toy or a movie. The better your photos, the better your silhouettes:
Exact Profile: exact side view.
Good contrast between subject and background
In-focus
Straight face, closed mouth (no smiles, or talking, or tongues, or grimaces)
If making a Half-Length silhouette: include the whole head in the profile photo, down to the belly button.
If making a Full-Length silhouette: include the whole body, facing entirely sideways: from above the head and include the feet.
Hair suggestion: female hair looks best in silhouettes when styled up, half-up, in bun, braid, ponytail, curly or layered style.
Send several profile photos of the person, taken a second or two apart (if possible). Taking a few photos allows the sitter to be relaxed, and also allows you to readjust your shot to get a true profile (sideways). You should not see the eyelashes of the other side of the face. Make sure you vary your position to take a photo to get the side view.
Please send your photos within 12 hours of making your order. Sending your photos early makes sure that your photos are able to be connected with your order.
Full Length Profiles are now available! You will send a profile photo for this style too.
Turnaround
The Turnaround (the time between receiving an order and shipping it out to you) varies depending on the season and the artist's schedule to receive, cut, and send out your order. The average turnaround is 7-10 days, depending on the order. Your order is custom-made by hand. If there is additional wait, you will be contacted. DUE TO SCHEDULE: NO RUSH ORDERS.
Shipping - USA
The shipping is most frequently United States Post Office (USPS), Priority Mail, insured. Every effort is taken to pack your package well for the fewest accidents. If you prefer a different shipper (UPS or FedEx), please email Silhouettes By Hand in advance of your order - we will send via the shipper of your choice, at the going rates for that shipping service, possibly at an additional higher fee.
Shipping, carbon-neutral
I support the United States Postal Service. Each US-based item is sent Priority Mail, which speeds up the shipping and also adds insurance and tracking. Your shipment also supports carbon-neutral energy production through the ship-processing.
If shipping to a different address
The order form allows shipping to a Shipping address other than the Customer (orderer's) address. This allows for you to send to yourself in a new location, or send a gift. (Your order will not be gift-wrapped as a present, however)
Silhouette portraits are stunning when framed. With every order you get two (2) silhouette portraits (more copies available for a slight extra fee) . And look at this stunning frame - this frame is also available as an option.
Sending copies to a third address
If you are planning to send your second (or third) copies to another address outside of the Shipping address, this will create another fee for shipping. The fee depends on what you are sending; you will receive an email with any new shipping fees. Your order will be cut after all fees are paid.
Shipping - Canadian, European, Australian or other International orders
If you are based outside of the United States and are interested in making a silhouette order, you’ll receive information about how your order will arrive. Note: during the pandemic, slow international delivery may be expected. Orders to countries outside of the USA have special details about ordering.
IMPORTANT: Terms, Returns, Shipping, and Notes
For questions about terms, notes, returns, or other information about purchasing or after purchasing, please visit the Terms page here.
See silhouettes freehand-cut live:
Here is the freehand-scissored silhouette experience in person - December 2017, at Fort Nisqually Living History Museum.
The video was sped up to be viewed with social media time limits (59 seconds) - however it’s easy to see that silhouettes are cut without drawing in advance or using any photographic or shadow device..