A teenage boy’s portrait using the art of paper cutouts, in what is known as  “drawing with scissors,” a method and words attributed to Henri Matisse, who enjoyed cutting directly into color paper with his scissors, instead of first using a line drawing as a template or pattern. Unlike a photograph or perhaps a more traditional portrait that is a photograph, color pencil or charcoal drawing, a watercolor or oil painting, paper cutout portraits give a likeness of the person being depicted with less detail, with a more direct approach.

In this portrait, Jake  asked his mother “ Why did Grandma put blue paper cutouts in my black hair?” Her answer, “Because she is an artist – and the portrait is a likeness of you, not a photograph.” Those who order a personalized paper cutout portrait provide  a few photographs that I use for reference. My first models for my new paper portrait commission work were my grandchildren; soon after, I began creating paper cutout portraits of other members of the family – their pet dogs!

Collage; 11″ x 14”