Inside the Studio: A Magical Week of Silhouettes & Horses

One of my favourite things about teaching is watching children light up when a simple idea

opens a whole new doorway into creativity. This past week, we explored the world of silhouettes — a project that was inspired by shapes, horses, and the magical world of South African artist William Kentridge.

Younger Children: Horses & the Magic of Triangles

We began with a simple idea: learning to draw a horse using triangles for the neck, head, and ears. The moment the images of horses appeared, the storytelling began! Many children shared their riding adventures — how strong and tall the horses were, how warm and soft. Their shining enthusiasm set the tone for the whole class.

After drawing, they experimented with torn and cut black paper, creating moving horse shapes inspired by silhouette art and beginning with the basis of a triangle form. These playful collages were full of personality and movement.

Older Students: Silhouettes, History & Kentridge

With our older group, we explored the difference between a shadow and a silhouette, and learned the fascinating origin of the word. The term comes from Étienne de Silhouette, an 18th-century French finance minister—whose name became associated with inexpensive black-paper portrait cuttings popular before photography existed.

We then studied the artwork of William Kentridge, the artist known for his stop-motion films made from torn black silhouettes of people and animals. His process inspired our own approach: composing shapes without gluing, so students could keep adjusting their images, just like an animator.

They also created personal silhouettes by tracing profile photographs I had taken earlier, adding dynamic pastel backgrounds if inspired. These portraits were delicate, expressive, and very individual.

Why We Loved This Lesson

Silhouettes teach children to see form, movement, and character through the

simplest of shapes. They also remind us that art can be both playful and deeply expressive. It was a joy to share this technique and the work of a great contemporary artist with the children. I hope your child came home excited to tell you about their horses and show you their silhouettes — they were beautiful!