Live silhouette sittings from Mays Barn. Delivered to your door, anywhere in the world.
I cut silhouette portraits freehand, using paper and scissors. Each one takes two or three minutes. And yes, I can do this over a video call: live, while you watch.
That’s the part most people find hard to believe. But the silhouettes are real, they’re handmade, and when the sitting is over I mount them, sign them, and post them to you wherever you are in the world.
How It Works
On selected dates I open Mays Barn Studio for online portrait sittings — what I call a Studio Day. You book a ten-minute slot, join me on a video call at the agreed time, and pose in profile while I cut your portrait. You can watch me working if you turn your camera, though most people find it easier just to hold still and wait for the reveal.
The finished silhouettes are mounted on a flat card with a printed border and a certificate of authenticity on the back, signed by me. They’re posted to you after the sitting — usually within a few days.
It sounds unusual. It is unusual. But it works beautifully.
We had a sitting with Charles as a wedding present and it was amazing. Charles immediately puts you at ease and his skill is a wonder to watch. He even had time to cut a silhouette of our dog! We love them. We highly recommend having your silhouettes done or buying it as a different and fun present.
Sian R. ★★★★★ (Google review)
What You’ll Receive
Each ten-minute sitting produces up to two silhouettes. You can choose:
- Two cameo portraits — classic oval-mounted silhouettes, one per person, presented separately
- One double silhouette — both of you cut together from a single sheet of paper, mounted on a larger card
If the paper off-cuts survive the cutting process — and they usually do — I’ll include those in the envelope too. People often love these as much as the finished portraits.
How Many Sittings Do I Need?
One sitting (10 minutes): ideal for one or two people
Two sittings (20 minutes): the most popular option, suitable for three or four people. A quantity discount is applied automatically at checkout
Three or four sittings: for groups of five to eight. There’s often a little time left over for a pet portrait or a chat about silhouettes and their history
Larger groups: for twelve or more, please get in touch and we’ll arrange a bespoke sitting on a mutually convenient date
Children, Pets and Wriggly Subjects
After more than twenty years cutting silhouettes at events, I’m well used to moving targets. Small children and animals are no problem — in fact the unpredictable nature of a live sitting often adds life to the finished portrait. If you’re worried about a wriggly subject, don’t be.
Studio Days and Booking
I schedule Studio Days at different times to suit sitters around the world:
- Breakfast and morning sessions — Middle East, Far East, Australia, Japan
- Morning and afternoon sessions — Europe and the UK
- Afternoon and teatime sessions — UK and East Coast USA
- Teatime and evening sessions — all US time zones
- Evening and late sessions — Pacific and West Coast USA
All sessions run on London time. A clock on this page shows the current London time to help you work out the right slot.
One sitting: £75 — Two or more sittings: £60 each
Use the discount code scissors at checkout for a further reduction.
Give a Sitting as a Gift
A Studio Day sitting makes a genuinely unusual gift — handmade, personal, and deliverable anywhere in the world. Gift vouchers are available in both printed and digital versions.
A printed voucher arrives as a beautiful physical card, with a unique redemption code inside — something worth giving and worth keeping. A digital e-voucher can be sent immediately by email, or scheduled to arrive on a date of your choice.
About the Online Portrait Studio
I started these online sittings during lockdown, as a way of continuing to work when events came to a halt. What surprised me was how well it worked, and how much I enjoyed it. There’s something genuinely magical about cutting a portrait of someone on the other side of the world and posting it to them a few days later.
These days I run Studio Days monthly, and the sittings still feel as fresh as when I started. If you’ve ever seen me work at a wedding or corporate event and wanted a portrait of your own family, this is the way to do it.
