About Cardboard Cutouts
Cardboard cutouts are life-size, two-dimensional figures made out of cardboard using the image of a (usually famous) person. Intended mainly for novelty and entertainment purposes, they have nonetheless found numerous uses among individuals, organizations and businesses. As a result, they are now commonplace in many types of situations and forms of popular culture.
Function
Cardboard cutouts have no definitive purpose, and for that reason have been used in many different ways. Perhaps the most popular use for cardboard cutouts has been for advertising purposes. In-store promotions for beer with cutouts of attractive female models are a particularly common use, as are movie theater advertisements for upcoming movies using the film's stars. Other uses include political campaigning, political protest and a form of entertainment for those who want to have their picture taken beside a famous person.
Features
Cardboard cutouts are usually intended to be the same height and general size of the person whose appearance they are imitating. They are two-dimensional and usually have the image of the person on one side only. The side of the cutout featuring the image of the person is usually at least slightly glossy, and the overall figure is generally very lightweight. The cutout usually stands on its own, using a separate, triangular shaped piece of cardboard attached perpendicularly to the bottom of the figure, acting like an easel that holds up a photo frame.
Types
Cardboard cutouts are usually made using the images of famous individuals, though sometimes non-famous people are used in the case of cutouts made for advertising purposes. Politicians are among the most popular figures used for cardboard cutouts, as those who both wish to celebrate and protest the politician can easily find uses for them. Other popular public figures to use for cardboard cutouts include sports figures, Hollywood celebrities, swimsuit models and the stars of "cult" science fiction television shows and movies.
Creation
Cardboard cutouts are usually made by companies dedicated to manufacturing the figures, and are produced by obtaining a high-quality image of a famous person, increasing its size to near life-size proportions and printing it on high quality paper. The image is then affixed to a piece of cardboard, with the edges trimmed so that no cardboard overhangs the image. Sometimes, the image is directly printed on pre-prepared cardboard. Cardboard cutouts can also be made by non-professionals at home with the use of Photoshop and a professional photo center or printer.
Significance
Perhaps the most famous use of cardboard cutout figures in popular history is on the cover of the landmark Beatles album Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which featured the Beatles standing in front of dozens of handmade cutouts of famous individuals admired by the band. Cardboard cutouts have made numerous other popular culture appearances, particularly on sitcoms where it is a common joke for an intoxicated man to attempt chatting up the cardboard cutout of an attractive women.
Tags: Cardboard cutouts, cardboard cutouts, Cardboard cutouts usually, cutouts usually, famous person