Ice and Snow Sculpture - Interview - 3

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Question: Would you give us a brief synopsis of the procedure for making a snow sculpture?

I prepare or "work" the snow with a snow blower which adds friction heat to remove the excess air, and clumps of snow or ice. New fluffy snow is better to sculpt than wet, sticky snow or old snow crystals. I stack the snow over a two or three day period and may use a cardboard box or plywood (as shown) to mould the snow. This is the most time consuming portion of the sculpting process. After enough snow has been piled, I let it set so the texture will be firm and easy to carve with a kitchen knife. At -10°C (14°F) the snow will set in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Carving is the least time consuming aspect of creating a sculpture. I start to sculpt from the top down to prevent damaging the sculpture as I progress. To create different effects my family and I have developed many unique tools. For a smooth finish, I use very sharp tools.