Tell us about the project. Vodafone approached Scarlett Entertainment, which represents me, looking for a sand artist who could work with mixed media and led by research from its new Connected Farming In India report.
Why did they want to use sand to tell the story? To paint a picture of the earnings of typical small-scale farming families in India in an authentic way, shown not only through sand but by using some of the world’s most farmed produce, such as coffee, sugar and rice.
How did you become a sand artist? I started drawing when I was two years old. About five years ago, I saw a sand animation on the internet. I really liked it, so I tried it. As I practised, it became better and better, and I eventually decided to make it my job.
How does it compare with drawing or painting? Sand animation is an art form somewhere between painting and animation. In a sand animation, there are the same laws of composition and light and shade, as with painting and drawing, but the main focus is on transforming one image into another. And that is the main difference. However, you have to prepare a sketch to help you think through the images that you are going to use and create the composition. That is why you need to understand painting techniques.
How long does it take you to produce an artwork? There is no exact time-frame; it all depends on the task. Typically, the work involves not only the animation but also developing a script and selecting music. I cannot remember it taking me less than 24 hours to create a sand story.
Is there a big sand-artist community? Lately, this kind of art is gaining popularity. I even know of a sand art festival. So, yes, there is a large community here in Russia, where I live.
What are your favourite pieces of sand art that you have created? I like what I’m doing now. I love the projects that I am working on at the time. Each project is my favourite until I start another one.