Egg Art

Pysanky is the ancient Eastern European art of egg decorating, of which the Ukrainian version is arguably most famous. The name comes from the verb to write, as you use a stylus (called a kistka) to write with wax on the egg shell. The process is similar to batik. You start with the lightest color, usually white. Everything that you want to remain white, you cover with wax, using the kistka. Then, you dye the egg, usually yellow. Wherever there is wax, the yellow dye will not be able to penetrate. This preserves the white part of the design under the wax. On your yellow egg, you mark with wax all the parts of the design that you want to remain yellow. Then dye it in the next dye bath, going in progressively darker colors, and add more wax. In the end, you will have an egg with a great deal of wax on it - if black is your finishing color, you will end up with a virtually black egg. Then, using the side of a candle flame, you melt away the wax, revealing the colors that were protected underneath.


A few years back, Middle Child's Girl Scout troop hired a Pysanky instructor to teach the girls this beautiful art form. Mom's were encouraged to stay, because open flames were involved! It was a long and arduous process, but the results were worth the effort. Here is a photo of my egg and my daughter's egg. I was proud of her for trying it, considering she has manual dexterity issues.


Believe it or not, these next photos are of an egg I made in Girl Scouts in the 1970's. Isn't it amazing that it's lasted this long and didn't break after so many moves? I have no idea what this particular way of decorating an eggshell is called. The outside looks like colored sugar. The inside was a picture that was paper mached onto the egg. Notice the intricate bead work by my little 11 year old hands. I doubt I'd have the patience for that now.

Wishing everyone in Bloggerland a blessed Easter with your families.