Commercial ice sculpting is big business today with companies vying for top contracts with the best of the best in celebrity, the media world and private individuals who want party or wedding decorations that are eye-catching and unique. Companies like these cater for theme parties or custom ice bars, individual table centerpieces, corporate logos made out of ice (in color!) and even on-site ice sculpture demonstrations.
They produce their own ice by a special freezing process. This produces ice that is crystal clear. To make a block of clear ice takes about three or four hours.
Depending on how complex the design is, a simple ice sculpture could take from two to seven hours to carve - for example a standard flower vase will take two hours to actually carve the ice plus the time taken to make the ice and prepare the pattern. Ultimately it will take about 5 to seven hours to complete and deliver the product.
Top-flight companies don't make use of any molds for their ice sculpture, most are hand sculpted, unless they are making, say, a punch bowl out of ice. Molds are set in an ice machine that freezes the water slowly. To produce a crystal clear form like this takes thirty to forty-eight hours!
The ice sculptures last about six to seven hours indoors but if they are placed outdoors under cover they will last about four hours. This means that the details melt but the actuall block of ice could take up to two days to thaw completely!
