You may have seen Simon Beck’s work a few years back. The snow artist, known for creating large-scale works of art with nothing but snowshoes, has been creating geometrically inspired fractals and mathematical forms for years. An orienteer and map-maker by day, he typically plans out his works in advance and chooses sites based on their flat terrain. The lack of slopes prevents skiers from traversing the area beforehand and helps with measuring the lines needed to create the drawing.
He starts off by measuring the distance he has to be from the center by using a compass and walking in a straight line towards a point in the distance, making curves based on relative position to other lines. Once the primary lines are made, he measures points along the way using pace counting and joins secondary lines by connecting the points. The lines are generally walked three times to solidify them before filling in the shaded areas. The results are mesmerizing.
He has since expanded to sand art, using the same techniques that gained him fame in ski resorts and national parks on the sandy shores. Unfortunately, tidal patterns, seaweed, and beach debris make it slightly harder to achieve pristine conditions, but he has managed to create some impressive works of art nonetheless.
And how is this a hack?
He’s making crop circles without the use of aliens, Mr. Scrooge.
Using sand and snow in an unusual way? Creating something interesting with just what is already there? Combining science and mathematics (cartography, geometry, etc.) with art?
It shows how you can use simple tools (your feet) to do something clever and interesting. Isn’t that what a hack is?
Oh, get back in the bin.
Seriously, what use are you, making comments like that.
What do you have?
There’s plenty of things to crotize HAD articles for. Like how this article mentions that the artist uses nothing but snowshoes then proceeds to mention other equipment (compass) the artist uses. “Not a hack” style comments are tired, lazy, uninspired and unoriginal. Put some thought and effort into your criticism.
He hacks a pattern with his feet, don’t think you could hack it, walking that amount through sand and snow! 🤪
So that explains the Nazca lines.
So all those crop circles are not made by aliens after all, or Simon Beck is an alien.