*updated 5/30/11

Sand is bland, sometimes. Black sands are especially bland, but other colors can be lacking as well. So if you’re using sand to color your ice sculptures, you might sometimes wish that the colors could be a little more vibrant.

This is where glitter comes in. In New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast, where I’m at, Mardi Gras is a big deal. Purple, green, and gold are important colors and gaudy is good, in many cases. Most of the Mardi Gras decorations have glitter glued all over them, so it’s natural for me to incorporate it into my ice, especially at this time of year. However, glitter is very light and doesn’t like to stay put long enough to be easily frozen into place, so I’ve come up with a few helpful methods to deal with the problems it presents.

The basic concept of adding controlled color to ice sculptures, whether your using gelatin, paints, or sand is that you’re engraving in from the back of the piece, creating an inset flat surface or surfaces to accept the color(s), then laying down your color and freezing it into place. Freezing it into place generally involves some combination of snow and cold water, which without careful application might shift the color(s) out of place. Because glitter is so light, it’s especially likely to be dislodged.


This piece features black glitter, which really helps the duller black sand. The gold glitter, of course, is essential, and white glitter is helpful too.

So:

• It’s especially important to work in a freezer if you’re using glitter for color. Using sand outside the freezer is very difficult; glitter is next to impossible.
• Color is applied to your ice with the piece lying down flat. After you’ve put down a layer of glitter, back it with a layer of similarly colored sand to hold the glitter in place
• After the glitter/sand has been applied, use a spray bottle to mist water over the color and allow it to freeze
• Back your color with light, dry snow. (No chunks of ice!) The best way to apply this snow is to let it fall on the color like flour would from a sifter. Think snowflakes. Another option is to gently spray snow onto the color by cutting into scrap ice with a burr bit or grinder.
• Once you’ve added the snow, gently pack it into place by patting it down. Don’t poke; you want the snow to be packed evenly so that it holds the color in place without coming through.
• After the snow is in place, first carefully check to see if the color is properly applied by lifting the piece and looking at the front of the ice. (The snow must be packed tightly enough so that none will fall out at this point!) If you’re satisfied, add cold water and allow it to freeze, later adding more snow/water to any low spots. If the coloring isn’t right, it’s easier to fix it before much water has been added to the snow.

You might also find photos and info from this entry on the ice carving secrets facebook page and you can comment there as well as below. Thanks!

Tags: color, snowfill engraving