this is what I call my classic seahorse ice sculpture design, because this seems to be basically what you get when you just ask an ice sculptor for a seahorse. It’s kind of like a swan in that the industry has seemed to settle on a basic design.
updated 10/31/23 with a short video on how weird seahorses are
my classic seahorse ice sculpture design
Do you know why this seahorse design is here? It’s only because I randomly decided to include this seahorse in the designs banner for the front of the website. Eventually, I realized OOPS!, I’ve never posted this design before. I DID create this design though, based on lots of seahorses that I’ve sculpted in the past, for a book that maybe, hopefully I’ll someday finish π€·ββοΈ But I decided that since it’s in the banner that I should add it to the site. Plus it gives me a chance to talk about other seahorses.
here’s the template for my classic seahorse ice sculpture; big difference, I know!
By the way, I drew out a version of this design on a template once for a chef carver that was competing in an amateur competition. And he won! I’m not taking credit at all; he had to do all the sculpting. But still a fun memory π
and here we have the reverse version in case this works better for you. Or, it can be the back. Or you can make mirrored seahorse twins. Up to you!
Ben Rand’s seahorse is a bit more stylized, but no less awesome looking!
Mark Daukas made this seahorse for the 2011 Ice Museum in California. Probably the most realistic version here and so clean!
this version, by Dan Rebholz at a competition (Utah?) is probably the most similar to my “classic seahorse ice sculpture design”
seahorses are odd birds
Okay, so they’re not birds, they’re fish. But they’re definitely weird!
different design approaches
I’ve added the reverse version of my classic seahorse ice sculpture, just in case that’s a better fit for you. Plus, it gives you the backside detail, although I wouldn’t carve the eye on the back, at least not as deep.
Also, seahorses are great for Father’s Day, since seahorses are FANTASTIC dads! So I’ll probably add this to my Father’s Day design roundup.
wait, that’s not a real seahorse!! This is a hippocampus (also the scientific name for seahorses) and you may have run into this version if you like mermaids or Dungeons and Dragons (or similar fantasy creations). I’ll probably add this design later though π
isn’t it awesome how fantastically functional AND awesome looking those sunglasses are?!! π€£π¬ At any rate, I was trying to make a seahorse, lol
here’s the other seahorse design on the site. I guess this is a swimming seahorse instead of a classic version π€·ββοΈ
you have to start somewhere! Just because an ice sculpture ends up looking awesome doesn’t mean it can’t look horrible at the very beginning :/
how would it work on a CNC machine?
If I’m carving this on my CNC, and I might soon actually, I’d probably separate out the fins that are on the side of his head. I’d carve those separately with the CNC and attach them, since that’s really the only part of a seahorse that sticks out from the body.
for more info and some guidelines
If you have any questions about my classic seahorse ice sculpture design, email me or comment below. (It might not let you though.) If you would like to use this ice sculpture design or any other design on this site, please check the design usage guidelines. The design collection page lists designs on the site.
You might also find photos and info from this entry on the ice sculpting secrets facebook page and you can comment there as well as below. Thanks!
