Sand Art - Painting Without a Brush! By Taher Ababneh

The art of arranging fine sand of different colors to create unique drawings and designs in a transparent glass bottle, transparent material and/or frames is often referred to as sand art. Early sand art pieces were found in varieties of geometrical decorations layered in different colors. Bedouins opportune to witness the haunting beauty of Petra's multicolored sand rocks also created beautiful sand art consisting of layers of natural sand and basic shapes of camel and the dessert life. There is no exact recollection of when or who actually started sand art but it is certain that it started in Petra, Jordan.

The country Jordan is with no doubt one of the greatest tourist attractions in the World. Many treasures are unveiled in Jordan, from its' aah Inspiring landscapes to an abundance of crafts created by skill artisans. Places such as Amman and rose-red Petra; the ruins of Jerash; Wadi Rum; the Red Sea and the restorative powers of the Dead Sea are one of many fascinations that tourist and natives are fortunate to enjoy while dwelling in Jordan. Other treasures which can be found are traditional and authentic Jordanian crafts, including: embroidery, woodwork, glass, leather, woven rugs, sheepskins, ceramics, mother-of-pearl objects, jewelry, brass and silver. Sand art is an additional craft among many which can be acquired as a souvenir while visiting Jordan.

What makes sand art unique and special is the fact that any sand art created can never be exactly the same. Every image created is sand layered upon sand, no picture is fixed or glued. From simple design to more intricate detailing, creating sand art designs all requires skill, precision and patience, one wrong move could alter the design and affect the outcome of a final project. While some artist use only natural sand others may use artificial colored sand for more variations of colors.

The tools used for creating the pictures are essential. A funnel, a scoop and other instruments are specially designed to manipulate the sand into desired shapes. When the picture is complete a special glue is used to keep the sand from shifting to preserve the original picture. The tools used in sand art are often made by the artist and it is rare that someone can purchase all tools necessary for creating the art piece. Another factor that can affect the outcome of the picture is the size of the grains of sand. The finer the sand, the better the outcome of the picture, it also will help keep the sand from shifting. While some sand art bottles designs tend to have the same themes there are some artist that have developed a high skill of creating out of the ordinary pictures that displays more craftsmanship and details. However I would like to stress again that there are none that will be exactly the same. All sand art created are particularly exclusive!

If you own sand art and are feeling a bit adventurous I dare you to break that bottle. For those that are curios or appreciate this art, go ahead and grab a piece of Jordan. Collect some sand Art! You will be delighted.