Sziluettet

Sziluettet is a term used in some languages to denote the silhouette—the visual representation of an object defined by its outline, typically filled with a solid color and containing little or no internal detail. The shape is usually presented against a light background, emphasizing contour over texture.

Etymology: The concept derives from the French silhouette, borrowed into many languages; the name is linked to Étienne de Silhouette, an 18th‑century French official associated with simple profile portraits. In languages with definitive forms, the word may appear as sziluettet.

In art and design, sziluettet refers to representing subjects by their outer edge. Common characteristics include a flat area of color, strong contrast, and the absence of shading or texture.

Techniques range from traditional papercutting and ink silhouettes to modern digital vector silhouettes created with graphic software. Silhouettes can depict full figures, profiles, objects, or scenes, and are valued for clarity and stylistic economy.

Historically, silhouette portraits were a popular accessible alternative to painted portraits in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today silhouettes appear in logo design, branding, fashion illustration, animation, and visual storytelling.

See also silhouette, vector art, papercut, negative space.