bathing beauty: rising mermaid

STUFF YOU'LL NEED

We created this mermaid to look as if she is rising from the water, at the base of the cliffs. You're able to see her torso and the end of her tail, but the rest of her body is underwater.

Locate a fairly level spot near the high tidemark. Build two piles of sand, about 3 feet apart, using the flat-mountain method. One pile should be about 5 feet in diameter and 4 feet high. The other should be 4 feet in diameter and 3 feet high.

When this is complete, you're ready to start carving. The taller of the two will be the upper body. Roughly carve the outline of your mermaid with the trowel. Keep the sand wet with the spray bottle to aid in carving. Starting at the top of the head, define the hair and carve the facial features using the putty knife. Complete the sculpting of the chest and arms. Use the paintbrush to clean off any excess sand. Move on to the tail. Remember to pack down the sand and use plenty of water. We molded small mounds of sand with our hands to create the scales on this tail.

For accent, sprinkle the tempera paint, on her hair and tail. Use your feet and hand to create an ocean surface surrounding your rising mermaid.

20-gallon trash bucket

spray bottle or watering can

nontoxic dry tempera paint, at least 2 colors

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