Sand Sculptors

I recently came across an article in an inflight magazine which talked about the art of sand sculptors. Every summer many sculptors all over Europe settle on the beaches in Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, France and Portugal to create temporary wonders that last for a few weeks, months or only a couple of days. Having read the article I was totally taken back by such a technique. I wanted to find out where it took place and how they constructed such incredible sculptures. It is one of the most beautiful things that you can see. Every year on holiday I try to build a castle or a race car, but after researching this topic I might attempt a tougher challenge. As a designer this type of sculpture has taught me to look at the simple materials around me to create great designs.
How to create a Sand Sculpture-

In order to create something like this you can't use any old sand. Professionals select their sand carefully (it must have some clay in it to bind the grains together). The sand is then pressed and shaped into large blocks, which are piled up like bricks to the right height. Then the really tricky part begins: starting from the top, the scultor shapes the sand using all sorts of tools, from trowels to kitchen spoons.