Sand Sculpting Glossary and Technique
Excerpted from Sand Sculpting: A Step-by-Step Visual Tutorial by Larry Nelson
Basic Elements
Using the Basics
BASIC ELEMENTS
Damp Sand
This is the classic method. You can find damp sand on any beach by digging through the upper dry sand. Just dig up the damp sand and pile it, packing each layer. At its simplest, you only need hands, to dig and pack. For bigger work, use a shovel or a lot of people or a bulldozer. Most of the sand you see in the really big castles is piled this way, with other techniques used for the detailed parts. This method is good for structures lacking big vertical walls or fine detail.
Added Water
You need a bucket for this. It's the same basic technique as the damp sand one, except you deliberately make the sand wetter. This helps it pack better, which makes the pile stronger. Dig up sand, add water and pack. Add sand and water until your pile is as big as you want. The resulting pile is reasonably uniform and can be carved with taller walls and more detail.
Drip Piling
This works best with fine sand. Beaches with fine sand tend to have more gradual slopes than coarse-sand ones. You want sand that forms a creamy slurry when mixed with water; if the sand settles too rapidly, it won't flow properly. You can either find slurry by digging in the beach below the high-tide line, or by mixing it in a bucket. If you dig for it, make sure you start building 2 or 3 feet from your borrow pit because its sides will fall in, gradually making the pit wider. Grab a handful of slurry, and let it run out between your fingers as you hold your hand steady. The slurry will hit the beach and build up into a stalagmite, which can be made tall and thin with enough care. Continue until these fantastic forms are as big as you want. The resulting pile is more solid than you can get with either of the above techniques, but is small. Dripping is best used for decoration; if you want a bigger pile, use the next method. | |
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