Ephemeral beach art display honors fallen World War I soldiers

Portraits of soldiers who perished during World War I were drawn on a number of British beaches Sunday — and then, as planned, washed into the sea by rising tidewater.

The ephemeral homage was carried out on beaches in Blackpool and Cornwall in England, Scotland's Shetland Islands and other parts of the U.K.

The portraits in the sand were part of the nationwide observances marking 100 years since World War I ended. English filmmaker Danny Boyle chose the late soldiers whose likenesses were etched on the beaches.

The fleeting gestures of remembrance were meant to appear so people could express gratitude to some of the war's fallen soldiers before the tide away took their likenesses.

Many worked on the project. Artists and volunteers used rakes and stencils to make the images starting early Sunday morning, when the tide was low.