What is it with children and Dinosaurs. My three year old can't even wipe his own bottom but knows the names of nearly every one with perfect pronunciation. I really don't know where he got it from, it sure wasn't from me. I wouldn't know a dinosaur from a person who is still using The Facebook (See what I did there).
Maybe it is some sort of primeval genetic memory thing, from Long before humans when all other animals feared the Terrible lizards but there must be something to it.
Tourist attraction
For the 2001 Zeebrugge sand sculpture festival I was asked to make these cutie little dinos. It was an exciting time for me as I was courting a young Belgian lady and we got to work together on it. Our relationship lasted a few years but distance can be a killer of relationships. It all pretty much went the way of the Dinosaurs.
The project was designed (very loosely) on a kind of Jarrasic park with many different types on show most in a very cartoony style. For our piece we were tasked with making some tourist creatures, there to visit the show. I know, (I know it made no sense to me either). It was never going to be high art although it was a fun little project especially with romance in the air.
I based my first one on a Dilophosaurus with its large collar. trying to make it a thin and delicate as possible. I was able to achieve the effect but being like a big sail the wind blew a section away.
Disappointosaurus
Rather than try to repair the repairable I added a little snail sitting on his head munching away like he was eating a cabbage. Very Art. The Diloposauras had the look of a Japanese tourist with camera at the ready to take pictures of the works on display at the project. Probably like me he didn't get many great shots.
For my second animal I made a pterodactyl trying to navigate his way around as he struggled with a map.
Dinosaurs are pretty difficult to create in sand due to their big form and the dynamic poses they should. You have to be careful not to undercut too much or it lead to major collapses. So, the whole project was pretty disappointing and seemed to be a collage of deflated monsters. But I had a great time and that was all that mattered at that moment.
Blast from the future
Just as a comparison here's another Dino sculpture I did years later and it's accompanying post on Steemit. (clicking the image will bring you there but please come back, I'm not finished with you yet).
Welcome back. As you can see I relied heavily on foliage to add support. That's all I wanted to say. You can go now.
Ps
Thank you for joining me on this journey as I look back on my work as an ephemeral sculptor. There are many more to come in both sand, snow and ice.
Below you will find some of my recent posts.
Adam and Eve go Shopping - sand scullpture
The Kiss - sand sculpture
Cool Carving - Ice Sculpture (Documentary)
I hope you'll join me again soon.
@ammonite