Race against the tide: Artist creates intricate masterpieces... that the sea washes away within hours




When artists see a canvas, most of them want to fill it, even if it's with nothing more than a doodle.

But sand artist Andres Amador works with one of the biggest canvases available, with entire lengths of beaches swallowed up by his art.

Sadly the sea is no discerning art critic, for once the San Francisco artist finishes his staggering artwork, the waves come in to wipe the slate clean.

Waves on the beach: Andres Amador has been producing sand art on Ocean Beach in San Fransisco for five years Circles on the beach: The giant structures make for an interesting coastal walk Many of his stunning images, which start out as simple squiggles in the 39-year-old's notebook, span an incredible 500x300feet and are raked into the grains in a race against the tide. Using a canvas crafted by the elements the patient American waits for a full or new moon to make sure low tides offer him plenty of space to muster the incredible patterns. And just a few hours after etching his grand designs the curves and contours will be washed away - leaving the beach surface looking as if nothing had ever happened. To make sure he has everything he needs before the mammoth artwork begins, Andres, from San Francisco, California, crafts the image over and over on a computer using the hand-drawn original from his sketch book.

Stretch a canvas: The formations last only as long as the low tide, and are meant to promote self-aware, and appreciating the beauty of every second The artist said: 'I tend to frequent the beaches near where I live in the San Francisco Bay area. 'A design starts with an inspiration of some sort - an off-hand doodle or perhaps something I came across that day of which I took a picture. 'About 95 per cent of the work is done beforehand on my computer, creating as many versions as I can of a design and choosing the one that speaks to me. 'Then I reverse-engineer the step-by-step process I would need to replicate the design on the beach. 'Next I choose an appropriate day for a design, which is contingent on the tides and available daylight.

'The final step is to trust the guide I made and start raking. 'The window of opportunity is very narrow.' Big thinker Andres has now masterfully raked over 100 'doodles' onto beaches in the San Francisco Bay area over the past 5 years.

Making tracks: Andres Amador designs his works on a computer, before calculating how best to get his designs on the shore

The 26-year-old soon plans to travel the world to look for new beaches where he can use different natural features like rocks to enhance his creations.

The artist says he gets great reactions from onlookers fortunate enough to see his works before they are washed away.

And he reckons its the fact they only last for a short time that captures most people's imagination.

'The scale of my artwork combined with the fact that it will soon be erased calls attention to itself, pulling the viewer in, allowing them to soak in the layers of meaning within every design.

He added: 'My ultimate goal is to promote the cause of self-awareness.

'The art I create is intended as a reflection and a reminder of the grandeur that exists within every viewer and the beauty that abounds in our world everywhere we look.

'At the beach itself the person lucky enough to see one happening generally stays to watch the process, cheering when I complete the design.'

And despite the fact that his magnanimous efforts are cruelly erased by the incoming sea water, Andres says he doesn't mind.

'Once I have finished a piece and can get up on the overlook to see my work and take photos, I completely let go of it.'