It was the final day of the sixth module, and this time our lesson moved outdoors for an ice-carving workshop. The team from icecarving.nl led the session and taught us how to create sculptures from blocks of ice.
The workshop began with a short demonstration: an expert sculptor showed how to carve a swan from a single block of ice in about half an hour. Watching Peter work was impressive — his movements made the whole process look effortless and precise.
After the demo we practiced on smaller blocks to learn the basic techniques. Working with the tiny block helped me get a feel for the tools and how the ice responds. My first attempts went surprisingly well, and I quickly learned how to control cuts and smooth surfaces without cracking the ice.
Once we felt comfortable with the basics, we moved on to larger blocks for a more ambitious task: carving a basket. Peter gave a brief walkthrough of the necessary steps and techniques, then we set to work. Because the methods were new to most of us, progress was a bit slow at first. Speed matters when carving ice — the longer you take, the more the edges soften and the piece melts slightly.
In the end the basket turned out quite well. With more time I would have refined the details and smoothed the finish, but for a first full-size attempt I was very pleased with the result. The experience was fun, hands-on, and surprisingly satisfying — I would gladly try ice carving again.