Ballet dancers shadow box SVG
Three dancers under a full moon: one in an arabesque at the front of the stage, two more behind her, blossom trees for a backdrop and flowers along the foot of the stage. 5 sheets of card, cut and stacked with a gap between each, make the picture. The files are free, and every part of the scene can be moved, swapped or resized below before you download.
5 sheets at 8 × 10 in, zipped, with a note on putting them together.
Free for personal and commercial use, no sign-up. What you can do with it.
The 5 sheets
Sheet 1 is the back and sheet 5 is the front. Each one is a single piece with the same frame round its edge, so they line up when stacked. The colours shown are the “Blossom” set; cut them in any card you like. Cut sheet 5, “Flowers”, the slowest: at 0.8 mm it has the thinnest part in the scene, and sheet 5, “Flowers”, fills the most of the view, 34% of it.
| Sheet | What is on it | Narrowest part | Seen from the front |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Moon and stars | A whole sheet with holes for: 6 × Plain disc | over 2 mm | 19% |
| 2. Blossom trees | Rolling ground, with: 2 × Cherry blossom tree | 1.9 mm | 15% |
| 3. Two dancers | Flat ground, with: Ballet dancer silhouette on pointe and Ballet dancer in a pirouette | 2 mm | 10% |
| 4. Dancer in arabesque | Flat ground, with: Ballet dancer in arabesque | over 2 mm | 10% |
| 5. Flowers | Flat ground, with: Three wildflowers on stems, Tulip border and Flower silhouette with stem | 0.8 mm | 34% |
Measured from the files at 8 × 10 in. The narrowest part is the thinnest neck of card that holds anything on; sharp tips are not counted. “Seen from the front” is the share of the picture that sheet fills once the sheets in front of it are in place.
Will it cut at your size?
The download is 8 × 10 in. The scene maker above makes the same scene at any of these sizes; the thinnest part scales with it.
| Frame opening | Each sheet | Narrowest part | Depth needed | Fits a 12 × 12 in mat | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 in | 203.2 × 254 mm | 0.8 mm | 17 mm | Yes | Fine detail: sharp blade, slow speed |
Depth needed allows 3 mm of foam between sheets and 5 mm for the card itself and the backing.
Making this one
The arched window makes the stage. The dancers stand on one leg, so each joins her sheet at a single shoe, about 2 mm wide: lift the third and fourth sheets from the mat starting at the frame, not at the dancer. The flowers on the front sheet are the finest parts.
- Cut all 5 sheets from 160 to 220 gsm card at the same size.
- Lay them out in order, sheet 1 at the back.
- Put strips of 3 mm foam tape round the border of sheet 1 and press sheet 2 onto it with the edges level. Carry on to sheet 5.
- Fit the stack into a deep frame with the front sheet against the glass. For a light box, run a strip of warm white LEDs round the inside of the frame behind the stack.
The zip includes these steps as a text file, each sheet as its own SVG and all 5 side by side in one SVG. More on paper, frames and lights is on the shadow box page.
The parts, on their own
Everything in the scene comes from the free SVG library, where each has its own page and file:
Questions
How strong is a dancer standing on one foot?
At 8 by 10 inches no dancer is narrower than about 2 mm at the ankle, which holds well in card of 200 gsm or more. Choose a larger size if your card is thin.
Can I use it for a recital gift?
Yes. Cut the front dancer’s sheet in the colour of the dancer’s costume, and write the date on the back sheet before you close the frame.
Can I sell boxes I make with it?
Yes. Finished pieces are yours to sell. The files themselves may not be sold or shared; send people to this page. See the licence.
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