ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Sand animation

Sand animation is a type of art where a person uses sand to draw or create pictures, shapes, or stories. So, imagine you are at the beach, and you are playing with your sand toys. You can make castles, shapes or anything else. Sand animation is like that, but it's more like drawing than playing.

The artist sketch or draw their story or a picture on a flat surface like a glass table, white paper, or a lightbox. Then, they pour sand on top of the drawing or sketch to fill in the lines or shapes. After that, the artist starts to move the sand around with their hands, fingers or small tools. They can add or remove sand to make the picture more clear or change the shape or the color.

The magic happens when the artist creates movement in the sand, the vibration, and shifting of the sand grains creating beautiful or mesmerizing patterns. And the best thing about sand animation is that it's dynamic, meaning things can move, change or disappear in front of your eyes.

Some sand animators use music as their inspiration, and they create a sand story that moves and changes with the beats, rhythms and sound. It's like watching a live show, but the artist creates the performance right in front of the audience's eyes using sand.

So, sand animation is like making a beautiful painting or drawing, but instead of using paints, pencils or markers, you use sand. And it's like telling a story or creating art that moves and changes. It's a beautiful art form that stimulates your mind and your eyes, but it's also entertaining and engaging for everyone, especially for children.