40 amazing sand sculptures

1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40

40 amazing sand sculptures

For some, sand is much more than something to dig your feet into, it's the basis for incredible artwork.

By Nathan Johnson

Published 11 years ago

For some, sand is much more than something to dig your feet into, it's the basis for incredible artwork.

1
Boys run near sand sculptures of Olive Ridley turtles made by Indian sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik at a beach in Puri, in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, Feb. 9, 2014.

2
Alina Sitnikova works on a "Jurassic Park" sand sculpture during the preparations for the "My Favorite Film" thematic exhibition of sand sculptures in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, June 6, 2014.

3
Artists rest next to a sand sculpture depicting Matthew writing the gospel during Holy Week celebrations in Arenal de Cochiraya, on the outskirts of Oruro, Bolivia, April 18, 2014. Hundreds of artists and art students gathered for the annual Good Friday event, building sand sculptures based on Bible stories.

4
The sand sculpture ''Notre-Dame Cathedral'' is pictured during the sand festival in Lednice, south Moravia, Czech Republic.

5
A man takes a picture of the sand sculpture ''Ganesh'' during the sand festival in Lednice, south Moravia, Czech Republic, June 19, 2014.

6
Savannah College of Art and Design alumni Caroline Rose uses a putty knife to carve a turret on top of her sand castle during the 2014 SCAD Sand Arts Festival, May 2, 2014, in Tybee Island, Georgia.

7
A sand sculpture at Maspalomas Beach, Canary Islands, Spain.

8
Artists rest next to a sand sculpture depicting Matthew writing the gospel during Holy Week celebrations in Arenal de Cochiraya, on the outskirts of Oruro, Bolivia, April 18, 2014. Hundreds of artists and art students gathered for the annual Good Friday event, building sand sculptures based on Bible stories.

9
A couple walks near a sand sculpture that depicts the scene of "The Kiss of Judas" during Holy Week celebrations in Arenal de Cochiraya, on the outskirts of Oruro, Bolivia, April 18, 2014. Hundreds of artists and art students gathered for the annual Good Friday event, building sand sculptures based on Bible stories.

10
Russian sculptor Alexei Sitnikov and his daughter Alina work on an "Angry Birds" sand sculpture during preparations for the "My Favorite Film" thematic exhibition of sand sculptures in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, June 6, 2014.

11
Sand sculptor Zhang Weikang works on the Chinese section of a large sand sculpture at the site of Yokohama Sand Art Exhibition - Culture City of East Asia 2014 on July 16, 2014 in Yokohama, Japan.

12
A sand sculpture on display at the International Sand Sculptures Festival in Palanga, Lithuania, July 14, 2014.

13
Artist Fernando Terceros rides a horse past the sand sculpture of apostle Simon the Zealot or Simon "El Zelote" during Holy Week celebrations in Arenal de Cochiraya, on the outskirts of Oruro, Bolivia, April 18, 2014. Hundreds of artists and art students gathered for the annual Good Friday event to build sand sculptures based on Biblical stories.

14
Sand carver Franco Daga of Italy works on a sculpture during the Sand Sculpture Festival in Ostend, Belgium, June 23, 2014.

15
Sand sculptor Leonardo Ugolini of Italy works on a a section showing small Japanese villages at the site of Yokohama Sand Art Exhibition - Culture City of East Asia 2014 on July 16, 2014 in Yokohama, Japan.

16
Artists from Cuzco, Peru, shape a sand sculpture depicting Jesus Christ during Holy Week celebrations in Arenal de Cochiraya, on the outskirts of Oruro, Bolivia, April 18, 2014. Hundreds of artists and art students gathered for the annual Good Friday event, building sand sculptures based on Biblical stories.

17
Visitors walk past sand sculptures on display at the International Sand Sculptures Festival in Palanga, Lithuania, July 14, 2014.

18
Artists work on their art pieces during the sand sculpture festival at the Northsea town of Ostend, Belgium, June 29, 2014. Artists from around the world created a fantasy world based on the characters of Disneyland.

19
Mexican artist Rogelio Evangelista applies the final touches to a sand sculpture during the first "Sand in the City" festival in San Salvador, El Salvador, April 13, 2013. The event aims to raise funds for the Tin Marin Children's Museum.

20
A couple gazes at a sand sculpture depicting "David and Goliath" at an exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 2, 2013. The sculptures depicting characters from children's stories and from the Bible were designed by Israeli and Dutch artists.

21
A sand carver works on a sculpture during the Sand Sculpture Festival in Ostend, Belgium, June 23, 2014. A team of 33 carvers from around the world spent five weeks building giant sculptures based on the ''Disneyland Paris Sand Magic'' theme. Nearly seven tons of sand were needed to complete 150 sculptures.

22
Savannah College of Art and Design students Chennon Roberts left and Josh Bean work on a gorilla sand sculpture during the 2014 SCAD Sand Arts Festival in Tybee Island, Georgia, May 2, 2014.

23
Sand sculptor Sue McGrew works on the American Japan section of a large sand sculpture at the site of Yokohama Sand Art Exhibition - Culture City of East Asia 2014 on July 16, 2014 in Yokohama, Japan. Producer and sand sculptor Katsuhiko Chaen invited artists from around the world, including South Korea and China, to recreate the World Heritage and historical buildings in China, Japan and South Korea. The exhibition will be open through Nov. 3, 2014.

24
Opening of the world's first science fiction-themed sand sculpture exhibition at Sandworld, Weymouth, Britain, March 29, 2013. Brian Muir, who created the Darth Vader and Storm Trooper "Star Wars" costumes was a guest of honor.

25
A large dragon sand sculpture is seen at the site of Yokohama Sand Art Exhibition - Culture City of East Asia 2014 on July 16, 2014 in Yokohama, Japan.

26
A visitor walks past sand sculptures on display at the International Sand Sculptures Festival in Palanga, Lithuania, July, 14, 2014.

27
A visitor photographs a sand sculpture entitled "Evil Spirits" at the Russian folk fairy tale-themed exhibition of sand sculptures in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, July 21, 2013.

28
Sand sculptures, sand artists and visitors gathered at Copenhagen International Sand Sculpture Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 20, 2013. The festival is one of the largest and most spectacular sand sculpture events taking place in North Europe with amazing sculptures created by some of the worlds most talented sand artists.

29
Sand sculptor Zhang Weikang of China works on the Chinese section of a large sand sculpture at the site of Yokohama Sand Art Exhibition - Culture City of East Asia 2014 on July 16, 2014 in Yokohama, Japan.

30
A sand sculpture is pictured during the sand festival in Lednice, south Moravia, Czech Republic.

31
Here, visitors walk past sand sculptures on display at the International Sand Sculptures Festival in Palanga, Lithuania, July, 14, 2014.

32
Visitors pose and take photographs of sand sculptures on the beach at the North Sea town of Ostend, Belgium on Sunday, June 29, 2014. Artists from around the world created a fantasy world based on the characters of Disneyland.

33
Sand sculptures, sand artists and visitors gathered at Copenhagen International Sand Sculpture Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 20, 2013. The festival is one of the largest and most spectacular sand sculpture events taking place in North Europe with amazing sculptures created by some of the worlds most talented sand artists.

34
The opening of an exhibition of sand sculptures dedicated to the characters of the Soviet cult comedy film "Ivan Vasilievich Changes Profession" "Ivan Vasilievich Back to the Future" directed by Leonid Gayday in the Yaroslavl region of Russia, May 21, 2013. Some scenes of the movie were shot 40 years ago in Rostov Veliky.

35
Andrey Molokov from the Chuvash Republic works on his sand sculpture "The Vikings" at a bathing area of the Baltic Sea in Warnemuende, Germany, April 5, 2013. Nine artists from six countries designed sand sculptures under the theme "Fairy Tales and Myths of the Sea."

36
Sergey Tselebrovsky from Russia works on his sand sculpture ''In power of wind and water'' at a bathing area at the Baltic Sea in Warnemuende, Germany, April 5, 2013. Nine artists from six countries designed sand sculptures for the 4th Sand World exhibition with the theme "Fairy Tales and Myths of the Sea."

37
Sand sculpture at the Remal International Festival in Kuwait inspired by the book ''One Thousand and One Nights.''

38
Russian sculptor Dmitry Balkamenko works on a King Kong sand sculpture during the preparations for the "My Favorite Film" thematic exhibition of sand sculptures in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, June 6, 2014. The exhibition was created by professional artists and students of Krasnoyarsk State Arts Institute.

39
Visitors look at a sand sculpture entitled "Ruslan and Ludmila" at the Russian folk fairy tales-themed exhibition of sand sculptures in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, July 21, 2013.