Sand Art
Grind it, scoop it, pour it, seal it…
Make stunning artistic creations by preparing and layering pigmented
sand or salt.
Topics: Tools and Assembly
Processes, Patterns in 1. Put a pile of salt or sand on a small paper plate.
Nature 2. Select a color of chalk and press it firmly into the sand or
salt, using a circular motion. Continue grinding the chalk
Materials List into the medium until reaching desired color.
Sand or table salt 3. Repeat steps one and two with several colors of chalk to
Chalk, assorted create an assortment of colors.
colors
Transparent glass or To Do and Notice
plastic bottles or Optional: Create a handy scooping and pouring tool by cutting off the top and bottom
vials (small or of the squeeze pipette as shown. Students can scoop the sand with the wide end and
medium sized) then pour the sand into the bottle by inserting the narrow end into bottle.
Small, flat plates or
trays Safety Notes:
Plastic spoons • Remind students that the materials and powders in this
Scissors activity are not for eating!
Glue or appropriate • If glass containers are to be used for this activity, remind
bottle cap students to handle glass containers very carefully.
Optional:
Disposable pipettes 1. Use a spoon or disposable pipette to scoop sand and put in
into a bottle.
2. Switch colors frequently to create an interesting layered
This activity can be used
effect.
to teach: 3. Seal the bottle with glue (hot melt glue works particularly
well) and/or tight-fitting cap.
• Tools and Processes
(CA Visual Arts
Standards: The Content Behind the Activity
Kindergarten, 2.2) Since long before recorded history, artists have expressed their creativity using
• Patterns in the readily available materials (e.g.- wood, bone, leather, ivory, eggshell). Many ancient
Environment and cultures have used available sand as a key component in a variety of artwork forms
works of art(CA (e.g., layered sand art, Sona sand drawings, and 3-dimensional sand sculpture). The
Visual Arts preparation of the colored sand in this activity is similar to classic preparation of
Standards: Grade 1, pigments by prehistoric artists. These artists would grind pigments such as charcoal,
1.1) iron oxide (rust), and ochre (hydrate iron oxide) to add color to their art.
Taking it Further
• Explore color mixing by mixing different pigments to explore how combining
primary pigments can create secondary pigments (e.g. - red + yellow = orange;
red + blue = purple)
• Use this lesson as an opportunity to discuss where layers are found in nature and
their importance. Types of layers include: geological layers (colored layers of
rock found at the Grand Canyon), sedimentary layers (the bottom of the ocean),
and glacial ice layers (found in the Arctic and Antarctica).
Web Resources - Visit www.raft.net/more for how-to videos and more ideas!
Written by RAFT Education Department Copyright 2006, RAFT