How To Make a Butter Sculpture

  • February 27, 2009
  • 8,024 Views
Please install Flash

Don’t laugh—butter sculpture is a true art form that originated in Tibet in the 7th century. It is now one of the highlights of many American harvest fairs.

You Will Need

  • Butter
  • A cool room
  • Ice water
  • Materials for the framework
  • Sculpting tools
  • Food coloring
How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Find a cool room

Step 1: Find a cool room

Find a cool room in which to work so your butter doesn’t melt as you sculpt.

Today, Tibetan monks create their works of art in rooms kept at 32° F.

How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Pick a subject

Step 2: Pick a subject

Pick a subject. Let your mind run wild. Butter sculptors have created everything from The Last Supper to Elvis Presley.

How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Soak the butter

Step 3: Soak the butter

Soak the butter in very cold water in order to remove impurities and give the butter an extra- smooth texture. The amount of butter you soak depends on how large you’d like your sculpture to be.

How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Build the frame

Step 4: Build the frame

Build a frame to hold your base in place. Traditionally, bamboo sticks were fashioned into the framework, but you can use wood and/or metal.

How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Dip hands in ice

Step 5: Dip hands in ice

Before you start sculpting, dip your hands in ice water. Your hands must be kept practically numb, or your body heat will melt your creation.

How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Knead the butter

Step 6: Knead the butter

Knead the butter into a paste that’s free of air bubbles.

Add food coloring to the paste, or parts of the paste, if you like.

How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Butter the base

Step 7: Butter the base

Load the butter onto the base, and begin shaping it with your hands.

How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Fine-tune your design

Step 8: Fine-tune your design

Fine-tune your design with tallow tools. Use modeling tools for smoothing and contouring large surfaces, and sculpting tools for intricate detail.

Many household items, like shoe horns and manicure instruments, can be turned into sculpting tools, so use your imagination.

How To Make a Butter Sculpture: Keep it cool

Step 9: Keep it cool

Once you’ve completed your masterpiece, store it somewhere it won’t melt before the big reveal.

In December 2004, a 1,000-lb. butter sculpture of an ice skating cow was unveiled in Manhattan as part of an American dairy campaign to boost baking during the holidays.

Something wrong?

Report This How-To

Cancel

Comments (15)

HeatherMenicucci

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. WOW!

over 2 years ago by HeatherMenicucci

Reply
DimitriL

Lovely editing and camera work - kudos.

over 2 years ago by DimitriL

Reply
MKF

Amazing.

over 2 years ago by MKF

Reply
Ravi_Ranjan

This video is really grt!! See a wide collection of videos in www.uploaded.tv

over 2 years ago by Ravi_Ranjan

Reply
theprohouse

VERY cool, Kevin!

over 2 years ago by theprohouse

Reply
blahwah

great vid, nice editing, and I think the background song really matches the vid

about 1 year ago by blahwah

Reply
88al88

Love the cuts, it's trippy at first but you get used to it and it really adds to the video. Great job!

over 2 years ago by 88al88

Reply
clayton

This video is smoother than butta...sorry I had too...good job.

over 2 years ago by clayton

Reply
fembot3000

Holy cow. This is sweet.

over 2 years ago by fembot3000

Reply
silence

great video Kevin, you got talent!

over 2 years ago by silence

Reply
BCipolla

Totally amazing!

over 2 years ago by BCipolla

Reply
Sagorika_Mukherjee

Its great to learn this art. You can also watch such video on uploaded.tv and get some rear knowledge.

over 2 years ago by Sagorika_Mukherjee

Reply
Kashish_Khan

i can never do even a simple slupture of butter:/ but this man i great!!!

5 months ago by Kashish_Khan

Reply
pigeonshooter911

ghcfhsgcjbgfcsdfgsdyfgsdjgfsydgfshgsadfdfygdfghhghdfhfhgd mmmm, okayy beside that nice vid !!!!!

over 2 years ago by pigeonshooter911

Reply
fcantanheda

muito interessante,mas voce tem que ser um artista e ter tempo para isso é bom também para passar tempo e desenvolver suas habilidades,se voce esta sem nada para fazer faça isso

over 2 years ago by fcantanheda

Reply

or to post a comment. Or, sign in using your Facebook to comment
and share your activity with your friends

Video is in Stupid Human Tricks (20 videos)