Questions people ask, and some they’d like to ask….
Online Portrait Studio
How many sittings do I need?
One ten-minute sitting is enough to cut traditional, cameo-style silhouettes for two people.
You can choose between two individually-mounted silhouettes or one double silhouette.
However, if you are new to the virtual studio, or want to try any kind of complicated or unusual pose, do consider booking two consecutive sittings. This will give you twenty minutes in the virtual studio.
Longer sittings allow more time to chat, experiment with different poses and perhaps to squeeze in a silhouette of the cat! I can generally do more than twice as much cutting in twenty minutes than in ten.
How much does a sitting cost?
One sitting at a Mays Barn Studio Day costs £75. If you book two or more sittings at the same time, the price drops to £60 each (discount applied automatically at checkout).
You can also use the discount code scissors at checkout for a further reduction.
What if there are three of us?
For three people, I recommend booking two consecutive sittings.
To do this choose your best time from the list, click Select sitting, then add a second sitting – immediately next to the first – and select that too.
So, what if there are five of us? Or more?
For this number you can either book two or three consecutive sittings.
Bear in mind that if you want anything more complicated than simple cameo-style silhouettes, a longer sitting would be better.
In general the rule is two people per sitting.
It will just be me. Can I book half a sitting?
No, I don’t book five-minute sittings.
I do a surprising number of single sittings though. If it’s just you, why not consider posing for a full-length silhouette? We’ll need to think about light and position, but it’s very much possible. With just one subject you’ll be surprised at what can be achieved in ten minutes.
What should I wear?
Whatever you like. Some people wear their everyday clothes, while others dress up for the occasion or even wear historical dress.
There are no rules about dress. In general I prefer to see people as they are, since this is what makes the most convincing portrait in the end.
This won’t work. My child can’t sit still for two seconds!
I hear this a lot. It’s almost never true.
In my experience, most children can pose better than adults if they want to. The important thing, of course, is the wanting to! It’s all about psychology.
For family groups I’ll offer to cut the children’s silhouettes first; usually they’re the first to volunteer. However, if they seem at all reluctant then it’s better for the adults to pose first while they watch. This is usually enough to put them at ease.
Very young children can pose while sitting on a parent’s lap, perhaps distracted by a favourite toy or video.
So if you would like silhouettes cut of your children during their formative years, please do suspend your disbelief. You’ll be amazed at what can be achieved!
What about pets?
You’d be surprised (and so might your pet…). Cats and dogs can make wonderful silhouettes, and I’ve cut many of them over the years. Quite often I add them to use up spare minutes at the end of a family silhouette sitting.
The trick is to catch them in a moment of stillness: looking out of a window, sitting upright, or watching something intently. If you can arrange this, the result can be extraordinary.
Do bear in mind that animal silhouettes may use up your sitting time, so if you do want me to cut a portrait of a family pet it may be worth booking an extra sitting.
Gift Vouchers
Can I buy a sitting as a gift?
Yes, and it makes a wonderful one. Silhouette sittings are available as gift vouchers in two forms: a printed card, or a digital e-voucher.
The printed card is a full-colour folded A5 card; something worth giving and worth keeping. It will be posted personally by me, usually within a day or two of ordering.
The digital e-voucher works in exactly the same way but arrives by email, instantly, or on a date of your choice. It’s the ideal option if you’ve left things to the last minute, or if your recipient is on the other side of the world.
Gift vouchers are available in denominations of £75, £120, £180 and £240, corresponding to one, two, three or four online sittings respectively.
Do gift vouchers expire?
Vouchers are normally valid for just over a year from the date of purchase. If you find an unused voucher that has passed its expiry date, please get in touch. I’m always happy to extend it to give you time to book a sitting.
Bespoke Events and Online Parties
None of your virtual studio days are suitable for me. What can I do?
Please do let me know; your feedback helps me to shape the schedule.
I run studio days at different times of day each month to suit people in different time zones. If nothing currently works for you, get in touch and suggest dates and times that might.
I belong to a club. Can you arrange a bespoke studio day just for us?
Yes, depending on my availability and as long as there are a reasonable number of people. There will be a minimum charge.
I can either arrange a full day just for your club or society, or (for smaller numbers) post the event on this site while reserving a block of sittings for your group. It will be your responsibility to make sure enough tickets are sold to cover the minimum charge.
Please get in touch to discuss these options.
Can I book a private sitting for my team or group?
Yes, if you’d like to arrange a bespoke online event for a larger group, I’m very happy to discuss this. Such sittings are popular as a reward for teams of people working remotely and I can work with companies and private groups of varying sizes.
There’s a minimum charge of £360, or 12 people at £30 per head. This is equivalent to booking six consecutive sittings in the online studio, making a one-hour session. I can offer discounts for groups larger than 20.
Can I book Charles to attend a corporate event or private party?
Yes. Please contact me with details of the date and location for a quotation.
Joining the Online Studio via Zoom
Do I need a Zoom account?
No. You can join a Zoom meeting as a guest without creating an account. You will need to download the Zoom app if you don’t already have it, but this is free and takes only a moment.
If you have strong feelings about Zoom, do get in touch. In some circumstances we can make alternative arrangements.
How will you send me the Zoom link?
After booking your sitting you’ll quickly receive a number of emails:
- An order acknowledgement, sent immediately
- Shortly afterwards (once I’ve processed the order), three further emails:
- an e-ticket with your sitting times, the link for the day, and an “add to calendar” link
- a registration acknowledgement from Zoom, also containing the Zoom link
- my “all set” email confirming that everything is ready for your sitting
The most important of these is the e-ticket. Please save it somewhere safe.
I recommend adding the event to your Apple or Google calendar and copying the Zoom information into it. You can ask your calendar application to give you reminders before the event.
Note that the email from Zoom will include the times of the whole 6-hour studio day! Please ignore this and log in at the time you booked, as stated on your ticket.
I used the “add the calendar” link and it saved a six-hour event!
This can happen sometimes.
Your calendar has saved the times of the whole studio day, not just your sitting. This is because I use a single Zoom event to run the whole day, which is much easier for me to manage than switching between multiple Zoom appointments.
After adding the event, please edit it to reflect the times of the sittings you booked (see your times on the e-ticket). This will make sure your calendar reminds you of your correct log-in time, wherever you are in the world.
I can’t find my e-tcket, what can I do?
Please send an email including the date of your sitting. I’ll check the time of your booking and resend the Zoom link manually.
If I log in early, will I disturb the previous meeting?
No. Studio days are protected by Zoom’s waiting room.
When you click the Zoom link you’ll arrive at a screen saying that the host will admit you shortly. This is the waiting room. I can see a list of those waiting there, but you can’t see me or the current sitting.
If you arrive very early I may send you a message in the waiting room reminding you of the time you booked. But if you don’t mind waiting, you’re welcome to log in whenever you like.
Will I need to enter a Zoom passcode?
No, I don’t use passcodes for these studio days.
The booking system registers you in advance to join the meeting, and the waiting room keeps each sitting private. These two measures mean passcodes aren’t necessary and would just make logging in more complicated.
Can I use the Zoom link to join any Mays Barn Studio Day?
No, for security reasons each studio day has its own unique link, which stops working once the day is over.
If you’ve booked sittings at more than one studio day, or have rescheduled from one day to another, please make sure you’re using the correct link on the day.
Can I share the Zoom link and passcode with a friend?
Yes. Sharing the link will give them access to your online sitting, so please share with care.
There are several reasons you might want to do this:
- The people you want silhouettes of are in different locations
- You bought the sitting as a gift for somebody else
- You want to invite a guest to watch
Note that anyone you share the link with won’t be pre-registered on Zoom. This means they’ll need to enter their name and email address on a registration screen before reaching the waiting room. It’s worth warning them to expect this.
Missed Sittings and Cancellations
I’m worried I’ll miss my sitting. What can you do to help me?
I hope you’ll be so looking forward to it that missing it is unthinkable! But there are several practical safeguards in place.
- Your e-ticket contains an “Add to Calendar” link. I recommend using this straight after booking, and then editing the event to reflect your booked login time. You can set your phone to remind you at intervals as the day approaches.
- Zoom will send a reminder as the studio day starts. Again, you’ll want to adjust this to your own sitting time.
- You’ll also receive my own reminder and preparation emails in the run-up to the day.
It is, however, your responsibility to log in a few minutes before your first sitting.
My time zone is several hours different. It’s complicated!
Time zones can be complicated. I know this from experience!
Modern technology makes things easier. If you save the event to your calendar correctly your phone can remind you when it’s time to log on, wherever you are. You can also check the real-time studio clock on this page.
If needed, you can also use this handy Time Zone Converter. I’m on London time.
I’m running late. What can I do?
If there are any problems on the day, please send a WhatApp or SMS (using the number on your ticket) and let me know.
If at all possible I’ll try to reschedule your sitting later the same day. I don’t want you to miss it any more than you do.
What happens if I do miss my sitting?
If you miss your sitting I’ll send you an SMS and/or email asking whether you’d like to reschedule later in the day. This is the reason I ask for a mobile number during the booking process. It’s not obligatory to provide one, but can be useful in these situations.
If that doesn’t work, or you don’t respond in time, I’ll send you a coupon code to rebook on a future date. Please note I can only do this once.
What if my schedule changes and I can’t attend on the day?
Please let me know as soon as possible. I’ll cancel the sitting and send you a coupon to rebook on another day.
What happens if I don’t like my silhouette?
Thankfully this is very unusual, but it can happen.
If you feel the silhouette doesn’t look right, please say so on the day. It’s far easier to put things right then than afterwards.
Adjusting a silhouette is rarely practical, so I’ll usually offer to make a second cutting. You can then choose which you prefer.
If we run out of time because the next client is waiting, I may ask you to log back in later in the day. There are usually quiet moments when this is possible, or I’ll add time at the end of the day.
My aim is always to make sure you’re happy with your silhouettes before I send them out.
Questions about the Silhouettes
Is two cameo silhouettes per sitting the only option?
Not at all. My repertoire as a silhouettist is wide and I always love a challenge.
All over this site you’ll see photos and examples of a wide range of poses: people holding glasses and books, as well as half-length, three-quarter-length, and full-length silhouettes. Two people can also be cut from a single sheet of paper as a double silhouette, either face to face or back to back.
If you’re not sure what’s possible, or have an idea for a never-before-cut format, please send an email describing what you’d like to achieve in the time.
Can Charles see me properly over Zoom?
Almost always, yes. I run studio days from a desktop computer with a large screen, which makes it easy to see you clearly.
To help me see you well, please log in somewhere with good lighting and a reliable wifi connection. You don’t need any special lighting, a well-lit room is all that’s required.
How will you deliver the silhouettes to us?
Delivery is included in the cost of your sitting, wherever you live. UK sittings are sent by first-class post; international sittings are sent by international post.
If you’d like extra security, you can choose a tracked delivery option during checkout: either UK Special Delivery or an international tracked service.
Can you send the silhouettes to a different address?
If you book more than one sitting, yes. During checkout you can enter details for each sitting separately, including different delivery addresses in the notes for the artist section. Otherwise, you can simply clarify this at the end of the Zoom session itself.
For a single sitting, only one delivery address can be specified.
What happens if the silhouettes get lost in the post?
Please be patient, delivery can occasionally take longer than expected. They may still turn up.
If the silhouettes are clearly and irretrievably lost, please let me know. I keep a duplicate copy of every silhouette I cut, so as long as you know the date and time of your sitting I can retrieve the original from my albums and cut another copy to send to you.
Please note I can normally only do this once without charge. If you’re concerned about the risk, the tracked delivery option at checkout is well worth considering.
These are long days. Can Charles keep cutting that long?
Thank you for your concern — tea breaks are important! I always keep a few sittings spare so I can take a break when needed. If a studio day looks like selling out, I’ll reserve the last few slots myself for this reason.
Can you supply copes of the silhouettes?
Yes. Following years of tradition, I keep a duplicate copy of every silhouette I cut. My albums now carry archives going back nearly thirty years.
Every silhouette I have ever cut can be reproduced, either as a scan or a hand-cut copy. Each silhouette cut at a virtual studio day is mounted on a card with a certificate of authenticity on the back, carrying a unique silhouette number and the date it was cut. Using these details, I can retrieve any silhouette from the archive and supply a copy.
Can you replace a lost silhouette?
Yes, in the same way as I supply duplicate copies.
Ideally you’ll need the silhouette number from the back of the card. If that’s also lost, please let me know the approximate date it was made. Be as accurate as you can, and I’ll search the duplicate albums to locate the original. This may involve sending you a photo of all the silhouettes cut that day for you to identify your own.
Why Zoom? Can you cut a silhouette from a photograph?
Good question.
The honest answer is that I enjoy my work more when I can see and talk to you. After years of working at events in all kinds of conditions, I’m used to working with “moving targets.” I prefer it that way.
Whilst I can cut a silhouette from a well-taken photograph, for me, the experience is simply not the same.
I always recommend a live sitting, no matter how squirmy the child!
You’ve done me before. Does anybody need more than one silhouette?
Of course they do!
Once you experience silhouettes you’ll soon want to come back for more. There are so many variations and possibilities: different poses, different groupings, full-lengths and doubles. Parents with young children often like to have silhouettes made every year or two to mark how they’re growing.
If you have any questions not answered here, please do get in touch.