EGGS --Colorants & Techniques
Natural Dyes
light to darker browns: (many) yellow onion skins, or strong brewed coffeeyellow: ground turmeric blue: canned blueberries or red cabbage leaves
page red: fresh beets or cranberries, frozen raspberries
light yellow: orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, celery seed, or ground
cumin
pale green: spinach leaves
green-gold: yellow Delicious apple peels
MANY MORE natural dyes:
https://www.google.com/images?q=natural+dyes+for+eggs
https://www.google.com/search?q=natural+dyes+for+eggs
instruction for using natural dyes
...Put eggs in a pan (single layer).
...Pour water in pan till eggs
are covered.
...Add about one teaspoon of vinegar.
...Add the skins/foods/etc for the color you want the eggs to be. (The more eggs being dyed at a time, the more of the dyes/dyestuffs will need to be used.)
...Bring water to a boil.
...Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes (at least --the longer the contact, the darker the color).
...Remove the eggs, and wipe or rinse.
(To get darker shades, let eggs sit in dye overnight-- perhaps in refrigerator if not using blown eggs** though probably not necessary. Also use a larger proportion of foodstuffs and less water.)
Some Other Dyes
food coloring
...For each color, measure 1/4 teaspoon liquid food coloring in small bowl.
Add 3/4 cup hot
water + 1 tablespoon white vinegar to each color.
Add eggs and allow to sit till desired color.
Remove with slotted spoon and pat dry.
… mix 30-40 drops of food coloring, 1/2 cup boiling water, and 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Let dye cool completely before using it (?).
crepe paper
Soak crepe papers in hot water in individual bowls or cups for each color.
Add
eggs and allow to sit in water until he desired color is achieved. Remove and allow to dry.
(also works with tissue papers?)
Using Resists
Resists of various kinds/materials can be used to prevent dyeing from occurring underneath areas they're applied.
For the first dye color used (if there's more than one to be used), this will result in the area under the resists (or "masked" areas) to remain white or brown like the original egg.
For subsequent colors, the resists/masks will often be left in place so the color underneath them won't be changed, but more resists are added and they're dyed again. The areas under those second resists will remain the first dyed color.
Many colors can be created on the same egg surface this way if desired.
hint: may want to use lighter colors first
Use lit candles to drip/dribble/etc hot wax onto eggs.
When wax sets,
dip egg into dye.
Take egg out and let drain if needed.
Then either
peel the wax off, or drip additional wax on the egg and dip it in a different color.
When finished,
carefully peel off the wax (or see below).
crayons ...can be used instead of hot wax to create resist areas
draw heavy crayon
patterns on the egg--good-quality crayons usually best (but careful not to crack shell)
dip egg in dye, preferably a dark color...leave
in dye until desired color is reached.
...remove with slotted spoon and place in 200º F oven for a few minutes
until wax is melted
wipe wax off with paper towel
if desired, dip again in a lighter dye to fill in pattern where
wax was (though could affect color of first dye)
.... (To remove hardened wax, peel off, or put egg in a low oven around 200º F, or to the side of a candle flame if careful, to heat it a bit, then wipe melted wax off the egg--any remaining film of wax will give a slight sheen to the egg's surface and somewhat protect any non-permanent colorants used.)
psyanky (Ukranian eggs)
...dyed after using drawn-on wax resists, frequently with a tool called a tjanting pen, usually in patterns and in multiple colorsthis is a more complex and involved technique:
https://www.google.com/images?q=pysanky
grate crayons
...fill a jar with very hot water
...drop bits of grated crayons into hot water
...dip or add a hard boiled or blown egg as soon as crayon bits begin to melt
...twirl egg in water with spoon...wax bits should make a design on the egg
...carefully remove egg and set upside-down in egg carton to dry
rubber cement:
First make a stand for holding the egg if you want by cutting a strip of paper and
stapling into a circle, then set egg in stand.
Dip popsicle stick, etc, into the rubber cement and dribble it onto
the egg.
Let dry about 15 minutes, then turn egg over and dribble bottom.
Place egg in dye and leave till the color desired.
Remove egg from the dye with the
spoon and gently pat with a paper towel...Let dry for about 30
minutes.
To remove the rubber cement, rub it off the egg with fingers.
white craft glue (PVA glues, like Elmer's Glue All, tacky glue, Mod Podge, etc.)
...should be able to use permanent glues like these as resists, allow to dry, then dye and rub off once done
...(could probably also use polyurethane, clear fingernail polish, etc, to create resist patterns, but would be difficult to remove after drying so could leave them as resist areas with a glossy appearance)
rubber bands:
...wider rubber bands make good resists; thinner ones will leave fainter lines
...they will hold on the eggs quite well, and will create striped areas (see below)
tapes & stickers:
...masking tape, electric tape, etc (preferably water-resistant tapes)
...wrap around eggs, pressing to adhere
...or cut out custom shapes (adhere tape to waxed paper, cut shapes leaving a small tab for easy removal of waxed paper, then press tape shapes to eggshell
...or use stickers, though some may be a bit more difficult to remove after dyeing (or just leave in place as part of decoration)
cheesecloth (one or more layers):
...wrap tightly around an egg (or use to hold other things in place as with plants below), and secure edges with rubber band
...dye, then remove (pattern will be fainter "white" or other color than if using tape, etc)
panty hose:
can be used to hold various loose supple items
wrapping thread around the items and egg can work well too but more time consuming and will leave a faint pattern
more Patterns
striped eggs:
...use wide rubber bands or tapes around the egg (around, or top to bottom)
...dip in dye...or add more rubber bands or tapes then dye additional colors
plant material, or other supple items:... use panty hose or thread to hold plants, leaves, flowers, etc, tightly against the shell for dyeing by applying the pieces where desired, then wrapping a square or shaped piece of panty hose around the entire egg, tying in a knot on the "back" side or holding with a rubber band...dye, then remove panty hose
mysterious spots:
Put about 2 teaspoons of cooking oil (Canola works well) in the dye.
(You might want to make two containers of your dye, so you don't mess up all of your regular dye.)
When you dip in your egg, it makes the dye not stick to the places where the oil is, thus making mysterious spots on your egg. Tuula, Port Orford, Oregon
Other Uses
Christmas tree ornaments (if blown), can use U-shaped wire ornament holders in hole in top, glue on bails or just thread loops, etc.
use on wreaths
place in bowl on coffee table, etc.
egg puppets:
build the fingerhole/neck around a piece of dowel rod...slip it out
after baking, while the piece is still warm. I cut several 2 inch lengths just
for doll/puppet necks. For hand puppets, I use an egg (covered with a #5 layer
of schmutz--old mixed clay leftovers-- for the head form, xacto-ing a hole in
the bottom after the initial baking to insert
the dowel. Then, form the head over the egg (wide part up, pointy part down)
and you can push fairly hard as the first layer is baked. Sarajane Helm
I would probably find a few finger-size dowels, cut them
about 3 inches long and stick them in a blob of scrap clay with a flat bottom.
Then I'd use them as little stands to bake the puppet heads on. You could use
them over and over. Carol
Basic Info
**Eggs can be blown first, then decorated (then held under the liquid while dyeing or filled with water first to help them sink).
Or hard-boiled eggs can be used if they'll be eaten soon.
Or raw eggs can be used then left to dry a long time to shrivel and dry the innards (as with "psyanky").
For info on various ways to blow eggs, see this page at my site (which also has info about "covering" or partly-covering blown eggs with polymer clay):
To get darker, more saturated colors from any dyes, use proportionally less water and more foodstuffs or dye, and let the eggs sit in the dye longer. Using hot water will often help as well.
Using vinegar as a "mordant" will help colors hold better.
FINISHES:
...To give eggs a sheen, rub with mineral oil or odorless cooking oil on soft cloth, or rub with clear paste wax (e.g., carnauba wax for shoes), or rub with hot wax. This will also seal some colorants more from moisture, perhaps fading, etc.
...To give eggs a high gloss shine, (remove any wax first,) then apply clear polyurethane, clear acrylic medium, Mop 'N Glo or other floor polishes, clear fingernail polish, etc. Some spray acrylics can work but best to apply in light sweeping layers, drying between each, or can get drips and uneven areas.
