Ice sculpture is a form of sculpture that uses ice as the raw material.
Sculpting ice presents a number of difficulties due to the variability and volatility of the material. Ice must be carefully selected to be suitable for sculpting. The ideal material should be made from pure, clean water for high transparency, and have the minimum amount of air bubbles. Completely clear ice sculpture blocks weighing 300 lbs (140 kg) and measuring 40"×20"×10" (100 cm × 50 cm × 25 cm) are produced by specialized machines from the Clinebell company based in Colorado. Much larger clear blocks are produced by large machines in Europe and Canada or are harvested from ice quarries in Fairbanks, Alaska or a frozen river in Sweden. These large ice blocks must be moved by heavy machinery and are used for large ice sculpting events or as part of an ice hotel. The temperature of the environment affects how quickly the piece must be completed to avoid the effects of melting; if the sculpting does not take place in a cold environment, then the sculptor must work quickly to finish his piece. Some sculptures can be completed in as little as ten minutes if the carver is using power tools such as chainsaws and specialty die grinders. Many people first see an ice carver at work on cruises at sea where ice sculptures are often used in the elaborate food displays. Ice sculptors also use razor-sharp chisels that are specifically designed for cutting ice. The best ice chisels are made in Japan, a country that, along with China, has a long tradition of magnificent ice sculptures.
As various technologies are adapted for use with ice carving, many sculptures are now created largely by machine. CNC machines first developed by Clear Memories and molding systems are now commonly used to create ice sculptures and complicated logos and color effects are now possible using a recent method developed by Derek Maxfield. This art form is traditionally taught in culinary schools using text books such as "Ice Sculpting the Modern Way", Joseph Amendola's Ice Carving Made Easy and Mac Winker's Ice Sculpture: The Art of Ice Carving in 12 Systematic Steps. Descriptions of ice carving techniques and ice carving designs are available on the web in blogs like Ice Carving Secrets. There are also small schools that teach ice carving.

Cuisine

Ice sculpture around the world
In China, Heilongjiang Province is the most significant region for ice sculpture. The most famous event is the increasingly popular International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival held annually in Harbin. The festival has consistently increased in size over the years, with more talented artists involved and more impressive techniques and pieces on show. Ice sculpture decoration ranges from the modern technology of lasers to traditional ice lanterns. The climate of Heilongjiang is very cold and ice is plentiful. Objects of all sizes appear, up to and including building-sized pieces.

China
Since 1989, Alaska has hosted the annual World Ice Art Championships. Nearly 100 sculptors come from around the world to sculpt large blocks of pristine natural ice. The event is run almost exclusively by volunteers.
In a typical year, more than 45,000 spectators pass through the gates of the Ice Park home of the World Ice Art Championships. The competition is broken down into two main categories: Single Block and Multi-Block and each competition is further separated into Abstract and Realistic sculptures. One of the most popular attractions is the Kids Park where children of all ages can glide down ice slides or spin in ice twirly tops.
Typically held the last week of February and the first week of March, spectators may view the sculptors at work during the championship competitions. In the Single Block Classic, teams of up to two persons work on a 3'×5'×8' (90 cm × 150 cm × 200 cm) block of naturally formed Alaskan ice, weighing roughly 7,800 pounds (3,500 kg). In the Multi-Block Classic, teams of up to four persons each receive ten blocks of approximately 6'×4'×3' (180 cm × 100 cm × 90 cm) each weighing about 4,400 pounds (2,000 kg). to create their crystal masterpieces. Teams that compete in both the Single Block and Multi-Block events must handle a total of 50,000 pounds (23 t) of ice. Power tools and scaffolding can be used in both events: assistance from heavy equipment is only permitted in the Multi-Block Classic Competition. Thus, participation in the event requires exceptional strength, endurance, and engineering skill as well as mastery of basic ice sculpture techniques and artistic vision.
The National Ice Carving Association (NICA), based in Oak Brook, Illinois (in the Chicago metro area) is an organization of ice carvers and those interested in ice carving. NICA sanctions and supports various ice sculpture competitions around the United States and in Canada and has held a yearly National Championship since 1991. NICA also was responsible for managing the ice carving competition held in conjunction with the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and provided support for the most recent 2006 event in Italy.
Perhaps even more important than its to role in ice sculpture competitions, NICA also holds tradeshows and seminars that are designed to educate and inform those interested in ice sculpture. NICA offers resources and information for the business side of ice carving as well. NICA has an elected board of directors and an executive director and produces a newsletter (On Ice) and maintains a website (http://www.nica.org) Many of the world's best ice sculptors are members of NICA and NICA is a valuable resource for those working to be the best.

United States
The Japanese city of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido is famous for its winter carnival, in which teams compete to create ice sculptures. Some of these creations are the size of multiple-story buildings.
As well as its popularity in Asia, there are many countries in the west famous for their ice sculpture.

Japan
Although ice hotels now exist in several cold countries, the Ice Hotel in Kiruna, Sweden is best known as the earliest. Since its creation in 1989, the hotel has featured in many television travel programmes, magazines and newspapers. With the exception of the beds, the entire hotel is made completely out of ice blocks - even the glasses in the bar are made of ice. The ice is made from water taken from the River Torne. The hotel features more than 60 rooms and suites, a bar, reception area and chapel. It charges around 2,800 Swedish Krona (approx. 390 US dollars) per room per night. The hotel only exists between November and May.

Finland
In Canada, Quebec City, Quebec holds an ice sculpture festival each year during the Quebec City Winter Carnival. The sculpture festival lasts about three weeks. For the sheer variety of ice sculptures and the number of visitors, the Quebec festival is regarded by some as the best in the world. Each year about twenty teams are chosen to participate in the competition. Half of these teams come from Canada and the others come from other countries. Ice sculpting started to become important in Quebec in the 1880s, as traditional sculptors like Louis Jobin turned their skills on this less permanent medium.
In the National Capital Region of Canada the Crystal Garden international invitational ice-carving competition starts every February, as part of the Winterlude winter festival of Ottawa. The competition site has been located in Confederation Park in Ottawa and also on the shores of Leamy lake in Gatineau, across the Ottawa River. There is a solo category, a pairs category and a one-bloc challenge. In addition to the sculptures done in the competition many ice sculptures are made to decorate the many Winterlude sites.
About 10 km East of Quebec city, near Montmorency Falls and within the grounds of the Duchesnay winter resort the first Ice hotel in North America is erected each January. Small and medium sized ice sculptures are used to decorate the interiors.

Canada
An annual competition is held in Moscow's Gorky Park.

Ireland

Ice palace
Snow sculpture