James G Howie was an early proponent of photography and a keen amateur painter of miniatures and silhouettes. He worked alongside his father, the celebrated James Howie, between 1840 and 1869 in Edinburgh. However, in style and technique, his work is considered to be inferior to that of his father. Silhouettes are painted roughly in gum Arabic against a grey base colour. Detail is generally achieved with a few coarse strokes and there is no shading. The bust-line is long and curved, with emphatic points both at the back and at the front.
Source: McKechnie (Author of, British Silhouette Artists and their Work 1760-1860)
Howie, James G. (McKechnie Section 2)