MARTINS FERRY — Third-generation silhouette artist Erik Johnson held a pop-up shop at Deluxe Toy and Hobby in Martins Ferry on Wednesday.

The Charlotte, North Carolina, native travels the country showcasing his artistry and providing families with silhouette cuttings of their children.

He said that his family has been cutting silhouettes for more than six decades, traveling and creating keepsakes for families throughout the country.

“I mostly travel the East Coast, but I do probably 100 to 120 venues a year,” Johnson said.

He added that he started his journey into learning his craft 38 years ago and said it took him nearly six years to fully learn how to properly do the artform.

“It took about two to three years before I thought I was good, and then about another two to three years to actually be good,” Johnson said.

Deluxe Toy and Hobby co-owner Constance Yeso said there was a steady flow of traffic throughout the entire time Johnson was operating at her store on Wednesday.

Johnson uses the technique of silhouette art called “hollow-cut” silhouettes, meaning that the shape of the subject sitting for the portrait is cut from an unmarked piece of paper.

The positive cutout of the silhouette is discarded, and the remaining paper bearing the negative outline of the subject is mounted on a dark background, according to Indiana University’s website.

According to Colonial Williamsburg’s website, only about 20 people in the world do the work “freehand,” meaning using just scissors and paper without the aid of shadows, drawings or photographic devices.

Silhouettes of people, generally in profile, were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries because they were a more affordable alternative to miniature portraits. On Wednesday, silhouettes were sold for $30 each, with duplicates of the same person being $15.

Johnson said he appreciates the people of Belmont County who took the time to come to purchase a silhouette from him.

You can find Johnson on Facebook at Silhouettes by Erik Johnson, @silhouettesbyerik on Instagram or email him at silhouettesbyerik@gmail.com.