10 Impressive Sci-Fi & Fantasy Sand Sculptures

10 Impressive Sci-Fi & Fantasy Sand Sculptures

Posted by momor at 5:16 AM ✪ No comment yet

While researching " 10 Spectacular Sand Sculpting Festivals," we noticed how many creations featured characters from science fiction and fantasy. Artists often go beyond the mundane to spark their creativity, and these sculptors have crafted everything from aliens and monsters to dragons and damsels. Below, check out our 10 favorite imaginative sand sculptures and how they came about.
"Bender vs. Alien" by Carl Jara

In July 2010, the Cleveland-based master sculptor built this piece for Arts in Action's solo competition in Port Angeles, Washington, to the theme "Legends of Science Fiction." "I thought, what better way to enhance a classic?" Jara says of his piece, which displays Ridley Scott's Alien attacking Futurama's Bender. Following three days and 23 hours of work, Jara won first place as well as the People's Choice award. Photo courtesy of Carl Jara.


"3D!" by Jill Harris and Thomas Koet

Harris and sculpting partner Koet built this piece for a cinema-themed competition at Expo Québec 2009. Winning the award for Sculptors' Choice, the piece required five days and 35 hours of work. According to Harris, it depicts a fictional Japanese monster flick. "Just like in a 3D movie, the giant robot is really stepping out of the screen," she says. Photo courtesy of Jill Harris.


"Time Consuming" by Jill Harris and Thomas Koet

"We all know the feeling of being overwhelmed by all the little things that 'eat' our time," Harris says, which is exactly what she and cosculptor Koet intended for this sculpture. Taking three days and 21 hours to build, it earned first place as well as the People's Choice award at Texas Sandfest 2009 in Port Aransas, Texas. Photo courtesy of Jill Harris.


"Whispering Oaks" by Justin Gordon

The Groveland, Massachusetts-based sculptor created this piece for the solo event at the 2009 HamptonBeach Master Sand Sculpting Competition in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. Requiring 24 hours (and 10 tons of sand), the sculpture, which took third place, was inspired by the "Green Man," an icon that represents the cycle of growth each spring. Photo courtesy of Justin Gordon.


"Dragon Dwellers" by Walter McDonald and William Lloyd

McDonald, from South Padres Island, Texas, called this sculpture series a "personal fantasy" of his about castles and dragons. With the help of cosculptor Lloyd, he completed it in four days for the 2008 Tournament of Champions in Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada. Photo courtesy of William Lloyd.


"The Monk" by Walter McDonald and William Lloyd

McDonald says the idea of creating this surrealist monk "protecting the kingdom" had been swirling around in his mind for some time. Displayed at the 2008 Texas Sand Festival in Port Aransas, Texas, the sculpture took the duo three days to complete. Though it certainly impressed, it did not place. Photo courtesy of Walter McDonald.


"Luney Landing" by Damon Langlois

To take first place at the 2008 Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition & Exhibition in Parksville, British Columbia, Canada, Langlois and his six-person team, The SandBoxers, worked for two days. "The lunar landing crew has come across a couple of hillbilly aliens playing a washtub bass and jug!" Langlois explains. Photo courtesy of Damon Langlois.


"Mood Swing" by Michel de Kok and Joris Kivits

De Kok, from Lagos, Portugal, sculpted this piece for a Berlin competition in June 2008 with cosculptor Kivits from The Hague. The piece, which took 40 hours to build and won third place, was meant to show "all the moods a human being can go through," de Kok says. Photo courtesy of Michel de Kok.


"Closed Minded" by Meredith Corson and Dan Doubleday

Corson and Doubleday, from Treasure Island, Florida, won first place with this piece at Pacific Beach in San Diego, California, for the Travel Channel's 2007 airing of Sand Blasters: The Extreme Sand Sculpting Championship Episode. Corson says their inspiration was the wise but simple notion of always keeping an open mind to life's possibilities. Photo courtesy of Meredith Corson.



"Dream Catcher" by David Ducharme and Peter Vogelaar

This sculpture created by the two Winlaw, British Columbia–based Canadian artists won first prize in the doubles event at Expo Québec 2006, and took 22 hours of sculpting (plus a free "pound up" day when the sand is piled into wooden forms, creating a mound to carve in to). "David designed this piece to convey the dream of a young boy flying on his Pegasus to rescue the damsel in distress in the castle in the background," Vogelaar says. Photo courtesy of Peter Vogelaar