Laporte

In this picture, frozen water previously mixed with various kinds of food
coloring can be made to freeze in stacks on a very cold surface. Done on an icy day
in February in negative twenty degree weather, the morning sun brightens the
contrasting dyes that reflect different waves of light based on their chemical
properties. Each stack was created one drop at a time and was solidly frozen in
approximately thirty seconds. Before fully frozen the water droplets would slide to
the bottom of the icicle but not fall off because of surface tension. As the air and
surrounding ice absorbs the heat from the water, the droplet will freeze in its shape.
Similarly, you can stack the icicle upwards as well as make perfect circles on a thin
rod surface. I frequently made snowmen using this method.