We all fondly remember making sandcastles at the beach when we were kids, and indeed some of us may even still dabble from time to time with our own children. However, there are some people for whom a simple bucket-shaped sandcastle just won’t do, and instead use sand to create some of the most incredible, unbelievable and unfathomable sculptures that you may ever see outside of, or even within, an art gallery.
Sand sculptors use a simple mixture of sand and water with which to create their fantastic artwork, which can sometimes reach many metres tall. The sand and water are mixed together thoroughly and then compacted, either by hand or using a shovel, before being painstakingly sculpted from the top down.
Trowels, paint knives, spoons and brushes are just some of the tools that a sand sculptor may use to carve the form of their creations, although some of the most highly skilled sculptors may use only their hands! It’s truly fascinating to see a sand sculptor at work, as well as admire the finished creation, so let’s take a look at just some of the most impressive sand sculptures that have appeared on beaches across the world.
Photo Credit: Gertrud K http://www.flickr.com/photos/gertrudk/3921871101/
Like most artists, sand sculptors begin by just playing around with their chosen materials for fun, and that’s precisely how world-famous sculptor Sudarsan Pattnaik discovered his talents for crafting beautiful things out of sand. As an impoverished child Sudarsan would spend most of his time at his local beach, making ever-more elaborate shapes from sand and perfecting a skill that would one day make him very wealthy. Above is his sculpture called ‘City of Peace’, created in his home country of India.
Photo Credit: Ali Eminov http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliarda/6032124334/
Does this sand sculpture, spotted on a beach in Bulgaria look a little familiar? Of course the Lord of the Rings logo is a dead giveaway, but the likenesses of Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins and Christopher Lee as Saruman, not forgetting Gollum the goblin, are nothing short of stunning.
Photo Credit: Mark Bridge http://www.flickr.com/photos/markbridge/160238205/
This magnificent Greek mythology-inspired sculpture rose from the sands of Brighton beach as part of the 2006 Brighton Sand Sculpture Festival. His flowing beard and intricate details are a testament to the skills of accomplished sand sculptors.
Photo Credit: Lee Kelleher http://www.flickr.com/photos/leekelleher/124743634/
The only limit to what can be created out of sand is the artist’s imagination, and the sculptor of this Last Supper tableau on a Benidorm beach certainly wasn’t lacking in creativity. The warm climate and low rainfall of Spanish resorts like the Costa Blanca makes them a favourable place for sand sculptors to work, and if you’d like to see them in action, it’s easy to pick up cheap package deals to Benidorm hotels like the Don Jorge Apartments that put you just minutes from the beautiful beach.
Photo Credit: Flint Weiss http://www.flickr.com/photos/squidgeyflint/5003309388/
At the International Sand Sculpture Competition, you’d expect to see some phenomenal work, but this fantastical creation really takes the cake. It’s hard to believe that this sculpture isn’t carved out of solid rock, and that it could be washed away by the rain – although due to the talents of their artists, sand sculptures do stand up surprisingly well to the elements.
