Japanese Are Polishing Dirt Balls To Perfection, And The Result Is Incredible
The making of 'dorodango' is a traditional pastime for Japanese schoolchildren, that has grown into an art form in its own right. The dodorango is actually a ball made from mud and dirt, and now people are painstakingly and methodically refining these balls into “hikaru dorodango” (literally: 'shiny dumpling'), perfect, polished spheres that can take days to complete.
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Dorodango is a traditional pastime for Japanese schoolchildren, and now it has evolved into an art form. Dorodango is a shiny ball made of mud and dirt and the name 'hikaru dodorango' literally translates to 'shiny dumpling'. These polished spheres are amusing people online as they look like one of the most satisfying things ever.
Bruce Gardner has become a master of the art, and experiments with the many different soils he finds around Albuquerque, New Mexico. " He has been a devoted enthusiast ever since. “I am always working on two or three pieces in various stages,” Bruce told Bored Panda. “They can take weeks to finish. It is more than a hobby for me - it's a weird amalgam of art, compulsion, and meditation.”
“Different soils have varying amounts of silt, clay, sand, etc. Every soil sample has unique properties and requires adjustments to my process. I work within a certain sample of soil until I have one or two pieces that I'm happy with. Sometimes that happens right away; other times it takes several attempts.”
This is not the first time Japanese people manage to create incredible balls by using something weird, you can check our previous post about polished foil balls here.
Scroll down to learn more about dorodango!
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At first, you'll need to collect some soil
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Then you'll have to separate rocks from the soil
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Now, it's time to shape the ball
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More layers need to be added over time
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This process takes at least 30 minutes
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And that's where it gets relaxing, as you shape the ball to perfection
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This step is very tricky because the ball can easily crack and break
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Then it's left to dry in a plastic bag for at least 20 minutes
After repeating the process a few times, the polishing begins
Lots and lots of polishing...
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And it turns into something like this!
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The color varies because of the different soil types
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People have fallen in love with this relaxing DIY project
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And are sharing their own creations on various social media platforms
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It's a perfect activity for meditation groups, classes or camps
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Image credits: Amelia Milazo
Watch the video for an in-depth look how artist Bruce Gardner makes his perfect "shiny dumplings"
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