Ice Carving

Why

Why wait for a big snowstorm or winter freeze to carve an ice sculpture? Create one any day with Crayola® Model Magic® -- it won't ever melt!


Steps

1. European chefs have been carving ice sculptures for hundreds of years to decorate their tables. In the 1920s, a bunch of Dartmouth College students built snow sculptures. Now there are winter carnivals all over the Northern Hemisphere. Snow and ice sculpture competitions are a big part of the festivities.

2. Draw your ice sculpture design with Crayola Erasaable Colored Pencils. Keep the design simple and balanced. Maybe you could make a maple leaf from the Canadian flag, a sled dog, penguin, or an ice castle?

3. Knead or roll out white Crayola Model Magic. You can mold your sculpture by hand (more like a snow sculpture) or cut it out with plastic dinnerware (more like ice carving).

4. Construct a platform for your sculpture with Model Magic. Use wooden toothpicks to hold pieces in place if needed. Secure your sculpture in place with Crayola School Glue. Air dry at least overnight.

5. If you want your ice carving to have the shiny look of ice, give it a glaze. Cover your art area with newspaper. Mix equal amounts of glue and water. Cover your sculpture with the glue mixture using a Crayola Paint Brush. Air dry.

Safety Guidelines

Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project.

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—

  • Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
  • Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
  • Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
  • The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
  • Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
  • Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
  • Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Modeling Tools—Use the least dangerous point or edge sufficient to do the job. For example, craft sticks, plastic knives and forks, and cookie cutters can cut or carve modeling materials.

Wood—By its nature, wood is rough and may contain splinters or sharp points

Related Crafts

Crafts

 

Supplies

crayola supplies
  • Paint Brushes
  • Erasable Colored Pencils
  • Model Magic®
  • No-Run School Glue
household supplies
  • white paper
  • rolling pin (optional)
  • plastic dinnerware (optional)
  • paper towels (optional)
  • toothpicks - wooden (optional)
  • recycled newspaper (optional)

Where & When

"My children got a lot of ideas from our visit to Ottawa's Winterlude. We saw breathtaking ice sculptures!"
Quang T., father of 8- and 9-year-olds.

"We held a winter carnival with several packs. Each scout created an ice sculpture as part of the festivities."
Arizona B., scout volunteer.


Interesting Info

One cubic foot (28.3 cubic dm) of snow slush weighs 62 pounds (28 kg), the same weight as that amount of water.