Sand sculptures on a beach are made with sand and water, and even ours tend to fall down after a day because the grains are circular and they roll off each other once dry. Professional sand sculptures can last for months. Sand artists use building sand that has angular grains and contains silt and clay, this binds the sand and keeps it together. Also, we often compact the sand to make it extra hardy.
FAQS
If you would like to know more about what we do and how we do it, then this is the place for you.
SAND SCULPTURES
What happens if it rains?
When we have finished a sand sculpture we spray it with a PVA glue solution that makes a waterproof jacket to keep even the heaviest downpours at bay.
How can you make a sandcastle that big?
Our sand sculptures and sandcastles are made with a variety of different compaction techniques that make the sand reach for the sky!
How long does it take?
A sand sculpture can take anything from between a day to a couple of weeks to make.
Is this your real job?
It most certainly is! 🙂
SAND DRAWINGS
What happens if it rains?
Sand drawings like showers, but not a sustained heavy downpour, as it can cause the sand drawing to melt away. But then again it is not the end of the world, as we can just re-rake areas or come back on another day.
How do you make the sand paintings 3D?
We achieve a 3D effect by applying a technique called anamorphosis. Simply put, this stretches the image so much that from one viewpoint our beach art stands up. But how we do that is a trade secret that we have developed through years of experimenting, and everyone we work with is sworn to secrecy!
Aren’t you sad when the tide comes in and wipes away your sand art?
Much of the joy in creating sand art is working with a lovely bunch of people and creating something together. When the sea finally takes our finished sand drawing it is somehow euphoric, beautiful and humbling.
How do you make sand drawings?
We make the sand darker by running a rake through it. However a beach painting has to be completed in between 4 to 8 hours, so there is no time for mistakes. It takes a lot of planning before the event and plenty of elbow grease on the day.
Snow & Ice Sculptures
How long will it last?
Ice sculptures and snow sculptures can last from half a day to two weeks depending on the temperature, the size of the sculpture and the weather.
What do you make ice and snow sculptures with?
Chainsaws, chisels, brushes, drills, and a drop of water here and there to keep it all together.
Where do you get the ice from and how do you get it to be so clear?
We get the ice from an ice factory and it is so clear because it has no air in it.
PUMPKIN CARVING
What tools do you use to make a Halloween pumpkin?
Professional pumpkin carvers use a mixture of hooped tools that are often used for clay work and knives for fine features, but be careful because they can be sharp! For a pumpkin sculpture we use cocktail sticks to keep things together.
Do you use a special type of pumpkin?
To our knowledge a pumpkin is a pumpkin; there are big ones and little ones, but they are pretty much the same and always ready to carve come Halloween time.
How long will Halloween pumpkins last?
This depends on how fresh the pumpkin is and whether you have pierced the skin. Generally they are fine for 5 days and we have displayed ours for up to two weeks.
Can I use the pumpkin to make something to eat?
Yes, we like to make curry, soup or pumpkin pie!
