The Cellar - Jan 19th, 2020 : Snow Artist

If someone said snow artist I’d think Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin’s snowmen.
Simon Beck is a different kind of snow artist I hadn’t seen before, calling it land art.
A lot of planning, a lot of hours working on snow shoes, and it the end nothing to show but a photograph... if you’re lucky.

http://cellar.org/img/artsnow1.jpg

Quote:

How long does it take you to plan the designs?
Most designs are variations on designs that have been made before, but when necessary I print it on a sheet of A4. If one millimeter equals one pace, a circular drawing that fits sensible onto a sheet of A4 is about a day’s work.
What tools do you use in their creation?
Tools are rope and anchor (for making accurate circles), snowshoes, and a ski stick to reach across a gap, and measure a uniform gap between stripes when doing striped shading. Other tools are markers for the key points in the design.
How does the ski pole aid you in your work?
Keeping a consistent gap between stripes when doing stripy shading and to make it easier to walk when the snow is deep.

http://cellar.org/img/artsnow2.jpg

Quote:

How has your career as a cartographer helped you in being a snow artist?
Accuracy in the use of a magnetic compass and distance determination by pace counting. And being accustomed to spending many hours walking.
Once you are set on a design, how long does it take to recreate it outside?
As a guideline figure, an area of a soccer field takes four hours. I try to make a design in one day or leave the incomplete design in a symmetrical state, so the photos of the unfinished design look good. In easy conditions, I can work for about 12 hours before I become too tired.
Do you create your snow art all at once, or do you take breaks?
I try to work non-stop, eating a little at a time, as one gets cold when not moving and then it becomes necessary to put on clothes and remove them when one heats up again, and it seems harder to start again after a rest, so I keep detailed parts of the drawing that are made more slowly for when I eat, the fractal edge of the drawing is a good part to create when eating.

I would think the fractal edge would require the most concentration.

http://cellar.org/img/artsnow3.jpg

Some people skied right through the middle of it. :facepalm:

Quote:

What happens if you make a mistake in your design?
When a mistake is made the usual remedy is to alter the design. Sometimes one just accepts there is a wrong line. Theoretically, it would be easy to cheat and alter the photos (paste something over the line that is wrong). It is important to proceed in a manner that prevents small errors adding together into a major noticeable quantity.
Have you ever fallen or anything like that?
Falling over is unusual. If it happens, then it would be because of the difficult ground and there are likely to be other irregularities that will show through in the result, so the splodge in the snow where one fell would not be so obvious.

http://cellar.org/img/artsnow4.jpg

Quote:

Ultimately, your artwork is impermanent. How do you feel about the fact that it will be washed or blown away?
The key is to get the photos, and the usual reason for failure to get the photos is clouds. The drawings work because of the shadow in the footprints. So no sun equals no result, or a poor one, and the drawing would most likely have to be made again some time.
Of course, the impermanence means it is impossible for a professional to come over and take photos and then sell them, so people have to go to me to get their photos from me. (If one took it really seriously one would destroy the drawing after one has one’s own photos. I wouldn’t do that, but maybe if someone did try to steal my work by taking his own photos and making money out of my efforts then I would consider doing it.)

http://cellar.org/img/artsnow5.jpg

I can’t imagine just walking on snowshoes for 12 hours without being artsy.
He's a perfect candidate for a good drone camera.

link

Here's a video but I found it disappointing.