|
Winter is a season that is chalked full of fun activities; skiing, sledding, skating, snowball fights and countless other sports and games. For children who experience snowy winters, the process of sculpting a snowman or other a snow sculpture is one of the most memorable and fun aspects of winter. It brings together families in a fun activity that engages creative thought and manual dexterity. Snow sculpting has grown in popularity from having that lopsided snowman in ones backyard into a global artistic phenomenon that, along with ice carving, is prominently featured at winter festivals and events. Although using snow as the raw material for sculptural art is accessible to all and is easy to get started with, experts in the art arena have taken it to a new level. Today it is not uncommon to find a festival featuring a snow slide or a snow castle with intricate designs and elaborate architectural features. These snow sculptures are designed and created by skilled artists that have planned their designs far in advance. However, snow sculpting is still as accessible as ever to the average person who may not have the time to put into creating elaborate snow designs. The snow sculpture is made from tightly compressed snow that can either be produced artificially or found naturally. For a sculpture the snow usually need to be densely packed into a block weighing around 25 tons and measuring 6 to 15 feet on each side. Many different types of tools can be used to carve the snow, but commonly handheld tools including saws, shovels and hatchets are used. Only in cases where the snow is packed very tightly or it has frozen should a chainsaw be used to remove large chunks. For the novice sculptor, a snow sculpture that has narrow foundations, such as an animals standing upright should be made with enough of a base to support the weight of the upper structure. There is also the option of coloring the snow using various color dyes or gel’s to give it added intrigue and dimension. Before beginning any sculpture it is important to dress appropriately for extended periods outside as well as sporting the proper gloves to work with the snow. Waterproof rubber gloves should usually be worn, and an extra pair should always be handy (because without your main working tool- your hands- ice sculpting will prove to be difficult). Before a snow sculpture can begin to take form, it is also imperative that the foundation be solidly packed with multiple layers of snow. Depending of the size of the sculpture this can be done with ones hands or with a larger piece of machinery. There should also be a supply of “glue” to hold the parts of ones structure together, this is essentially slushy snow created by adding cold water to hard packed snow. A trick for creating the perfect texture of snow glue is to not pour the water directly onto the snow, but having a spray bottle to achieve the desired consistency. After preparation, the only step left to take is to start carving from top to bottom until the design the sculptor has chosen is completed. A lot of the work involved in carving a snow sculpture is preparation work; design, clothing choices, foundation. However, this is essential whether a world famous sculptor is creating a snow castle spanning a field, or a child building a snowman in a backyard.
Related Articles -
snow, sculpture,
|
