Give someone a portrait sitting with one of the world’s finest silhouettists — delivered to their door, anywhere in the world
Some gifts are used and forgotten. A silhouette portrait sitting is something different: a live, handmade experience that produces a signed original artwork to keep. If you’re looking for a gift that’s genuinely unusual, personal and memorable, this is it.
Vouchers are available in two forms: a beautiful printed card sent by post, or an instant digital e-voucher sent by email. Both work in exactly the same way: the recipient chooses their own date and time from the upcoming Mays Barn Studio Days, books their sitting, and redeems the voucher at checkout.
Find out more about how a sitting works.
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Studio Gift VouchersSilhouette Gift e-Voucher
Price range: £75.00 through £240.00 Select amount This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Studio Gift VouchersPrinted Silhouette Gift Voucher
Price range: £75.00 through £240.00 Select amount This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Two Kinds of Silhouette Gift Voucher
1. The Printed Voucher
The printed voucher arrives as a full-colour folded A5 card, something worth giving and worth keeping. Inside, alongside the redemption details, there’s a short history of silhouettes from their Georgian origins to the present day. It’s a proper gift, not just a piece of paper with a code on it.
I sign and post each card personally, usually within a day or two of your order.
Printed vouchers are available in four denominations:
- £75 — one ten-minute sitting, suitable for one or two people
- £120 — two consecutive sittings, suitable for up to four people
- £180 — three sittings, suitable for up to six people
- £240 — four sittings, suitable for up to eight people
2. The Digital e-Voucher
The e-voucher works identically to the printed card, but arrives by email — either immediately or on a date of your choice. If you’ve left it to the last minute, or your recipient is on the other side of the world, this is the one to choose.
The same four denominations apply.
About the Artist
Your recipient will be having their portrait cut by Charles Burns, one of the most experienced silhouettists working today. Charles began his career as a street portrait artist in London’s Covent Garden, and has since travelled the world cutting silhouettes at some of its grandest occasions. His subjects have included the late Queen Elizabeth II (on three separate occasions), President Clinton and President Mandela.
Each silhouette is cut entirely freehand, using only paper and scissors. The process takes two or three minutes and is, by all accounts, extraordinary to watch.
Popular Occasions
Silhouette portrait vouchers are particularly popular as:
- Wedding gifts — a sitting for the newly married couple, with their portraits mounted together
- Anniversary presents — for milestone birthdays and significant anniversaries
- Thank you gifts — for someone who has everything and is impossible to buy for
- New baby celebrations — a first portrait, cut while the baby is still small
- Christmas and Easter — a family sitting as an alternative to the usual
If you’re not sure which denomination to choose, a single sitting at £75 is the most popular starting point for couples.
Already Have a Voucher?
If you’ve received a gift voucher and want to check the remaining balance before booking, you can do that here.
If needed you can also top up the balance.
