I’ve never been to Egypt, but I accidentally saw on the Internet these interesting bottles, inside of which the sand was folded into interesting pictures:
They say this is a popular souvenir for tourists (second most common after papyri). And that every boy in Egypt, from childhood, learns to make similar paintings from sand in bottles.
Every Egyptian master can make a similar picture before your eyes using a special box in which colored sand is poured (just like a huge box of paints), empty glass bottle, funnels and tubes:
And they sell their works of art right here on the street:
(photo from the page osd.ru/txtinf.asp?tx=3195)
I don’t know at what price they are sold in Egypt, but one Vietnamese website states (this handicraft is also common in Vietnam) that such bottles with a sand pattern are sold for 5-15 dollars.
I have never seen such souvenirs either at Russian or Ukrainian resorts (apparently there are no craftsmen).
Of course, to make such three-dimensional sand drawings, you need to study for some time. This way you can learn and then teach others. Organize master classes - and make your own business out of it (if you like doing it, of course).
Below are a few businesses that can be made from this handicraft alone. These directions will be valid for any handicraft business.
Business 1. Training master class on creating sand drawings
As far as I know, there are no master classes in Moscow (not counting traditional needlework) - creating sand paintings on special tables, drawing on water, etc. There will be people willing to attend any master class, especially one that is so spectacular and beautiful.
And unlike many newfangled master classes, the result of this event can be taken home and given to someone.
Business 2. Corporate events and celebrations
This is also quite a fashionable trend nowadays. Corporate events with a training focus bring the team closer together and help to get to know each other in an unconventional pastime.
And in the wedding ceremony, this simultaneously turns into a kind of symbol of unity (this ritual is very popular in the West):
The same goes for holidays. Organizers of home (or corporate) parties strive to entertain and surprise guests as much as possible. The more unusual the invited master class, the more interest it will arouse.
(photo from funtastic-events.com)
At this children's party, I think they use Chinese bottles with colored sand, with straws already attached (if you want to buy these, go to alibaba.com).
Business 3. Sales finished works as handmade souvenirs
For our region, this is a rather rare and exotic souvenir, especially since I read travel blogs, not everyone manages to bring whole bottles from Egypt. It happens that bottles are preserved, but the design is damaged irrevocably. Moreover, Egyptian (Arab, Vietnamese) bottles contain their own national motifs (camels, dunes, palaces). Our motives they do not. And we have something to show. Especially to various holidays- New Year, February 23, March 8 and others.
But we already have handicraftsmen who are able to come up with their own motifs in bottle sand designs. The picture below shows the work of a resident of Belarus, an accountant by profession, Lyudmila Myslivets:
(photo from the page grodnonews.by/ru/0/10279/news)
Business 4. Making custom souvenir bottles with sand
Just as some craftsmen paint custom-made nesting dolls (with a portrait of the birthday boy), so it will be possible to create sand paintings with a significant plot (well, at least with the number of years reached; or with some characteristic symbol of the profession of the person being congratulated).
Business 5. Creating your own club of handicrafts and supplying them with materials for creativity
I found one Russian online store where you can buy colored sand for creativity for 50 rubles per kilogram - sandmix.ru:
You can buy in bulk (it’s cheaper; I don’t know Russian prices, but on alibaba.com I saw such colored sand at a price of $100 per ton, that is, 3.5 rubles per kilogram) and resell at retail to your club members.
But you can make colored sand yourself. I read recipes for making it on the Internet (take ordinary river sand, thoroughly wash it, sift it, and then paint it with dry inks for printers).
Not every craftsman can prepare such sand for himself. You also need special glass bottles and some other tools (which are also not sold in stores).
The same alibaba sells plastic bottles of different shapes and sizes at a very cheap price.
You can sell both colored sand and bottles for creativity not only to members of your club, but also via the Internet to all other handicrafts.
Both the handicraft site etsy.com and the Russian similar site livemaster.ru have sellers of both sand and sets for wedding ceremonies (they have thousands of sales, despite the presence of the Chinese with their cheap sand).
Here is one such seller, he has more than six thousand sales in 1.5 years:
Business 6. Sale of ready-made creativity kits
One bottle, several colored bags of sand, tools for creating a picture in a bottle, instructions and some nice accessory.
One Australian housewife has created just such a business - she sells art kits for creating art in bottles online (in addition to hosting fun holidays), her website is funandfunky-sandart.com. Moreover, for children. That is, such sets that any child can master independently, without the presence of an instructor:
She uses plastic bottles with a screw cap (they probably cost a pretty penny).
Any child can do this drawing himself (he will need a funnel and a spoon as tools):
Each set also includes accessories that will make a funny character out of a bottle (and the child, having glued these accessories on himself, will feel, if not God, then a creator):
In my opinion, it is a simple, original and beautiful business. Available to any housewife living near a river (sea, ocean).
Promotion of business on bottles of sand
1. At a minimum - Youtube - where you will post your master classes or their excerpts, as well as examples of performing certain works. Such videos are promoted very well and will promote you and your business.
2. Create your own group in social network. You can not only talk about your events, post photos of your work and your videos, but also ask your clients (students) to send photos of their completed work. This process of involvement in filling the group will promote it even more.
3. Cooperation with holiday organizers, wedding planners - with all organizations that entertain people.
4. Your own shelf in the gift shop. Selling your works as souvenirs is also simple. Arrange with local gift shops to have your bottles available for sale. If they sell it - good, if they don’t sell it - you won’t lose anything. From my own experience, I know that there is practically nothing original in our souvenir shops. And you can make each of your bottles original, unique, decorated for the nearest holiday.
Such a bottle, despite its apparent fragility, can last for several years or even centuries (the sand in it is compacted and either poured special glue, or is sealed very tightly so that the sand does not shake). How the works of American artist Andrei Clemens stood for more than 100 years:
5. Participate in city events (those where you can sell your handicrafts) and exhibitions.
This is the outline of the creation and promotion of any handicraft business. There is nothing complicated about this if you love to create, teach other people and spread beauty around you (and, as they would say in Business Youth, “do irreparable good to the world”).
My sister recently returned from Anapa and also brought Russian sand paintings. Made simply like this in a container in which smoked fish (or nuts) are usually sold:
And they are sold for money. That is, even from such drawings at our resorts, people manage to make money.
You should take care of the material for creating a souvenir in advance. If you have the opportunity to purchase colored sand, it is better to take as many different colors and shades as possible; they will be needed to create a colorful picture. If you have nowhere to buy ready-made sand, you can make it yourself. The most ordinary river sand is also suitable for these purposes, but it must be thoroughly washed and filtered so that there is no dirt or foreign matter.
Sand should be scattered into empty jars, filling them one third full. In a separate glass, thickly dilute the gouache paint of the desired shade and pour it into the jar. The same is done with the rest of the sand; “colored water” of a different shade is poured into each jar. The material must be allowed to soak in the paint for some time, after which the sand must be thoroughly dried.
To create more original shades, such as pearlescent, gold and silver, you need a different painting method. Each portion of sand is laid out on newspaper or other unnecessary paper, sprayed with art spray of the desired shade and allowed to dry. Until the sand is completely dry, it is advisable to stir it so that the grains of sand do not stick together. To obtain more vibrant colors and shades, you can also use color printer ink.
If it is difficult to get clean river sand in winter, you can use ordinary semolina instead. To add color to this material, you need to crush pastel sticks or colored pencil lead together with semolina and mix thoroughly so that the cereal is better colored. This is done with all portions of semolina; you just need to change the color of the pastel or pencil.
How to create paintings from colored sand
When the material is ready, you need to find a transparent glass bottle of an interesting shape. To create beautiful picture, it is advisable to first practice laying out sand in colored waves, this will help develop the necessary dexterity and manual dexterity.
The material is poured into the bottle through a special funnel with a long neck; the shape and thickness of each colored strip can be adjusted using a thin long stick, for example, a stiff wire. It also compacts the sand. You can use drinking straws to add sand desired color inside an existing layer.
When the picture is ready, handle the bottle carefully; shaking the picture may disintegrate. The jar is sealed with a piece of fabric of the desired color tied in a knot; the material must first be moistened in glue. Instead of fabric, you can use regular cork the right size, the neck is tied with a ribbon for beauty.
The art of creating paintings from colored sand in bottles came to us from Arab countries. In Egypt or Jordan you can meet craftsmen who can create such souvenirs in 5 minutes using ordinary sand and a thin stick. Traditional plots of these unusual paintings- Bactrian camels, dunes, graceful houses, pyramids, palm trees, sea creatures and birds - are born before your eyes, when grain after grain of sand merges into bizarre patterns, and the picture comes to life.
Preparation of material
Before you start work, you should take care of the material - sand of various colors and shades. The richer and more varied the palette, the more beautiful the picture will be. Colored sand can be obtained as follows: scatter the sand into jars, filling them about ¾ full. Then dilute gouache paints in jars of water, that is, make “colored water”, and fill the jars with sand with it. Just don't overdo it with water. Before starting to create a picture, the sand should be thoroughly dried.
There is another way to color sand - if you want to get an unusual shade - gold, silver or mother-of-pearl. Lay the sand on a newspaper and spray it with art spray from a distance; after drying the sand, stir it so that the grains of sand do not stick together. You can also use color printer ink to color sand. And instead of sand, you can try using semolina, which can also be painted in different colors. To do this, you can crush the lead of a colored pencil or pastel and grind it together with semolina.
Birth of a painting
The technology for making a sand painting is very simple. Into the bottle beautiful shape sand of different colors is poured from transparent glass, layer by layer, using a special funnel for this. The sequence, thickness and shape of these sand slides depends on your artistic intent. The sand mounds inside the glass vessel are carefully compacted with a thick metal wire, with the help of which a picture is formed. To begin with, you can try to create a simple picture using a few primary colors, for example, simply pouring multi-colored layers of sand into smooth waves. After training, you can begin to create more complex plots.
Sleight of hand, imagination and colored sand - that's all you need to create such a picture. When the bottle is filled, it should be sealed with a cloth tied in a knot, previously soaked in glue. And one more thing: paintings made of colored sand in bottles require very careful handling: shaking the bottle may damage the design.
If you want to learn this original art, try, create, without fear that something will not work out the first time. Imagine how pleasant and interesting it is to create beauty with your own hands from ordinary sand. Such an unusual souvenir will certainly take its rightful place both in the home and in the heart of the person to whom you give it.
A bottle with a sand picture is impressive and surprising - how mysteriously the chaos of grains of sand could fit into such amazing and complex patterns, color structures and even full-fledged drawings? Now it's no secret! Our master class will lift the veil of secrecy.
What we will do:
Create patterns and designs with colored sand in various bottles.
What we will make it from:
Transparent glass bottle;
- multi-colored sand;
- funnel.
How we will do this:
The sand itself (which can be painted in absolutely any color) is poured into the bottle using a funnel and carefully compacted. After this, everyone can try to create an additional pattern in the compacted sand. At the end of the master class, after the design is completely formed and the bottle is filled, fill the top layer with glue. This will give longevity to the resulting sand image.
What we get as a result:
A bottle with an intricate sand design or pattern will become unusual and original decoration any interior.
What age is it suitable for:
Important for organizers to know
- The master class will be interesting for both children and adults.
- The average pass rate of a master class depends on the format:
for a teacher - a group of 7-10 people is formed for a lesson, duration 1-2 hours;
for entertainment - up to 30 people per hour per master, time is unlimited.
- Our masters can be dressed either in a standard uniform or in the theme of your event
- Your logo can be used during the interactive process, we will always tell you how and where
- We bring materials with a 13% reserve, foresight is our second name
- It’s easy to get the perfect interactive experience - just provide reliable information on your request: what, where, when and for how long, how many participants and what age/gender/status, are cats needed?
- The master class can take place both outdoors and indoors.
- The event will require free space to install tables and chairs for the number of simultaneously participating guests (usually tables and chairs for 10 people).
- At your request, we can rent and bring furniture to organize the site.
- We provide participants with everything necessary materials and tools, so that the customer and guests will only have to enjoy the process.
- The master class is held only experienced craftsmen using only proven techniques.
- The master class program has been tested in advance and absolutely safe.
- We can develop individual program master class, which will easily continue the idea of your event. For every client we have individual approach!
- We getting ready in advance to conduct a master class and adapt the entire process to a specific event.
Ksenia Kostyleva
I thought for a long time about what gift to give with the guys on March 8th, and accidentally on the Internet I came across beautiful bottles with colored sand. I was delighted, but didn’t know where to get such sand. In one of the articles they talked about what you can use instead of sand: salt(EXTRA, very fine and it turned out to be quite easy to paint.
1. For work we need:
Gouache paints;
- Salt(EXTRA) small;
Funnel;
rolling pin (or hammer);
Teaspoon;
Knitting needle;
Painted jars salt;
Cellophane bags;
Empty bottle.
2. Salt coloring:
First, dilute the gouache in a container with a small amount of water (the more water, the lighter color. How less water, those the color is more intense). Then pour salt into a plate and pour colored water.
Mix gently salt with a fork so that all the salt was colored.
3. You probably thought about how we will dry salt that turned out. Everything is very Just: heat the oven to a temperature of 100 degrees and put our molds there for an hour salt.
You can also use a microwave oven, place the molds there for 5-10 minutes at maximum temperature.
If the salt is not dry, leave it in the oven until completely dry.
4. After getting it salt, you will see that the result is dry lumps.
Take a plastic bag and pour it into it salt.
Then on cutting board roll out salt until then until it becomes crumbly.
For everyone colors take a separate jar.
5. After yours are ready colors let's get to the fun part, drawing. Take the required jar or bottle. If you are using a jar with a narrow neck, you will need a funnel.
You fill the bottom of the bottle with a thin layer of white salt with a heap in the center. Then along the edges of the bottle you pour colored salt.
In order to draw anything in a bottle you will need a knitting needle. You carefully run it along the wall of the bottle.
If you took a jar with a wide neck, then you can pour sand around the edges of the tea spoon jar.
This is what happened to me. But I want to warn you so that your the salt is not mixed, you must compact the center with a knitting needle, salt will begin to fail after you finish adding salt and close your jar.
P.S. Cover options may vary. They can be made from plasticine, salt dough, sealing wax, coated with nail polish, or decorated with shells.
I think you will like my idea! I wish you creative success!