PAINTING TEHNIQUE WITH SAND OF NATURAL COLOURS AND DIFFERENT THICKNESS
The biggest challenge after 1994, when I dedicated to sand of natural colours and different thicknesses, is its visual effect and use of different thicknesses to achieve the illusion of space in the image. Sands are sorted to six or more thicknesses and this is the biggest specialty of my art.
Foto: Iztok Dimic.
The sand must be thoroughly washed and dried first, so the glue can keep it on the surface.
Sand containers. Foto: Stanka Golob
My paintings are made on canvas, wood, metal and glass, with a suitable glue for each basis. The sketch of the painting is transferred to the surface and pided into inpidual areas. For each area the thickness and colour of the sand is to be determined. By using a brush I apply the glue, sprinkle the sand and shed the extra sand.
Foto: Iztok Dimic
Image must get dry horizontally. When the first area is dry, I gradually resume my work till the last one. The painting and drying is followed by lacquering. The lacquer is applied with a brush, so the gaps between the sand-grains are filled and the painting is duly preserved.
HISTORY OF SAND PAINTING
Painting with sand occured in England around 1800. Georgian painter Benjamin Zobel got an appropriate glue for bonding the sand on the surface. He used only one thickness and a variety of sands of natural colours.
Later on the sand was widely used, but in combination with other painting media in order to achieve the desired grid. In this case, the basis of the sand was partly or completely covered with paint. This is the so-called mixed technique. Many painters used soil and other natural materials. Artists who used this technique were Andre Masson, Antoni Tapies, Alberto Burri, Lojze Spacal and Tone Lapajne among others.
Painting with sand, but without glue is used by natives in North America, Africa, Australia and Asia for ceremonial purposes. Particularly famous are mandalas. Nowadays some people adhere the same or similar motifs to the basis and sell them as souvenirs.
