Artist's Massive Snow Murals Made With His Snowshoes

Some artists use canvas; some use clay. But Simon Beck takes art to grand new heights, literally by creating vast, mesmerizing patterns and images on top of snowy mountains using nothing but snow shoes.

'It started as a bit of fun, but gradually it's taken over my life,' Beck says in a video for Great Big Story. 'A big drawing takes two hours measuring, eight hours drawing... you're looking at 40,000 steps.'

'It's very physical exercise. It's equivalent of a long day's walk in the hills when you make these big drawings,' he says. 'I'm just about the only person in the world doing anything like it.'

It all started in 2004 when Beck, a former orienteering enthusiast and professional mapmaker from the south of England, bought an apartment in France's Les Arcs ski resort.

'It started as a little fun after skiing one evening,' says Beck, explaining that he used to go orienteering and one night used his compass to make a simple design on a frozen lake. But over time his interest grew. And grew. And grew.

'Nowadays I am getting increasingly famous and I intend to maintain my position as world leader in my field.'