Vast beach portrait is Somerset artist's 175th creation

On Wednesday, racing against the tide, Simon Beck completed a 100m portrait of Ron and Russell Mael from the band Sparks.

A snow artist trapped in the UK since May 2020 has completed his 175th vast sand artwork on a beach in Somerset.

Using a rake and compass Simon Beck, from Taunton, has drawn 57 artworks on Brean Beach during the pandemic - twice as many as in previous years.

On Wednesday, racing against the tide, he completed a 100m portrait of Ron and Russell Mael from the band Sparks.

He said: "I've enjoyed the sand but I'm hoping to get back to snow drawings at the start of the European winter."

The former cartographer, from Taunton, is best known for making huge geometric snow designs in the Alps with his feet.

But the last time he was able to work with snow was in May 2020, his travel restricted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 62-year-old created his first sand design in 2014

Walking an estimated 12 miles to complete each work, all his drawings are so large they are best appreciated from above

Since then he has resorted to creating his vast designs - inspired by snowflakes, crop circles and mathematical fractals - in the sand.

"I've had about nine commissions, including two giant love-heart proposals," he said.

"Both the proposals were successful, so [the drawings] certainly make it harder for her to say no."

To plot his intricate paths, he first plans out his patterns on graph paper before heading to the beach.

With just eight hours to complete the piece before it's washed away, there is no room for error.

"It took about seven hours to draw Ron and Russell Mael and I had an assistant to do the hair," he said.

"You can rub things out but there's a time penalty. But I'm pleased with their faces, Ronald looks like Ronald and Russell looks like Russell."

Mr Beck uses a rake and a compass to measure and draw each section of the design

The artist said it took about seven hours to draw brothers Ron and Russell Mael, from the band Spark

He said he was "pleased" that "Ronald looks like Ronald and Russell looks like Russell"

The 62-year-old stamped out his first design in the snow in the Alps in 2004, and his first sand design in 2014.

Since then he has created 535 drawings, 185 in sand and 350 in snow, but his lifetime ambition is to finish 1,000 drawings by the time he is 80.

"It is better in the snow and being surrounded by mountains," he said,

"But I have enjoyed the sand this year and at least your hands and feet don't get cold."