How to Carve and Decorate Egg Shells for Egg Art

Egg art is one of the earliest forms of art. There is something fascinating about the shape of the egg, and the idea of making this into art. Many early civilizations regarded the egg as a fertility symbol and decorated it as part of their fertility rites. But modern man still values egg art, possibly because it has become ingrained in our nature, or because we are amazed that art can be made from something as fragile as an empty eggshell. Whatever the reason, there are many artists throughout the world that paint, decorate, and even carve shapes into eggshells.

In a previous article, I discussed how to empty an eggshell and paint the surface. These tips are necessary because they make sure you are working with a surface that is free from diseases which are carried by birds. But after cleaning the egg and painting it, you may want to decorate it in other ways. Here are some tips that will help you learn to decorate your own egg art for Easter and other occasions.

First, your eggshell will be much easier to work with if you lightly sand a small spot where the beads will be applied. Eggshells have a naturally smooth surface, and they need to be made rough so the glue can cling. Also, you will have much more luck with a two-part epoxy or superglue than normal craft glue. For things such as ribbon, fabric, or anything else where you would be able to see an epoxy behind the fabric, use a hot glue gun very lightly. These can be peeled off of an eggshell, but using the sandpaper to rough up the edge will make it stick better.

Another trick is to use a toothpick to pick up the beads and flatback crystals. Place the crystals with the right side facing down. Apply the glue to the back and then lightly touch the toothpick to the glue. Flip it over and transfer it to the eggshell. If you need to apply two-part epoxy, this can still be difficult, and you may need to use some large tweezers or needlenose pliers to hold the crystal still while you are applying the epoxy.

One other idea you can use for the eggs is to carve them. For this, you will need a high speed rotary cutter, such as a Dremel. The higher the speed, the better luck you will have. Professional egg artists use a tool that is similar to a dentists drill and rotates about 10 times faster than a typical high speed drill. The speed is essential because it has less vibration the faster it goes. Because these specialty tools are extremely expensive, a normal Dremel with the bit tightened securely will usually work, especially for beginners.

Make sure to have plenty of "blown" eggs ready if you are going to try carving. The first few attempts are almost certainly going to be destroyed in the process. As with all art forms, it takes practice to learn what you need to do. First, mark exactly where you want to cut with a line. A good practice egg is to make a Fireworks egg. Mark several straight lines and dots. You will need two bits for this egg, a sanding disc and a diamond bit. Make sure you take the time to learn how to attach these to your rotary tool properly, and always wear protective gear such as safety goggles, ear protection, and a face mask. Egg dust is not good to breathe in, and can cause serious damage. Finally you are ready to begin. Begin by making the lines. Cradle the egg in your hand, and lightly lower the rotary tool onto the egg, making sure to keep your hands and fingers out of the way. This will cut a line into the shell without breaking it if you have done it correctly. For the dots, a diamond bit that has a somewhat flat surface will work better than one that has a sharp point. This will let you hold it flat and drill a hole straight through, because again, vibration destroys the egg. Do not start the drill with it touching the egg, because it will skip across the egg and destroy it. Start it, and then apply the rotary drill to the egg. Apply light, but firm pressure and with luck and practice, your rotary drill will make a hole without destroying the eggshell.

Once you become more confident in your skills, you will be able to make more complicated designs. At this stage, you can try several other things. Emu eggs have several layers, each of which is a different color. So you can cut away different layers and make a painting with different colors, by doing nothing but removing the shell. Ostrich shells are much thicker than ordinary shells, so you can carve detailed paintings that are almost like sculptures into the shell, without ever cutting all the way through it. Or you may decide to cut an oval shaped window into the shell and place train miniatures inside as a diorama.

The main thing to remember is that although they are breakable, they are just shells. However they are much stronger than they appear. Once you make up your mind that an eggshell can be cut without breaking it, you will be able to create art that will amaze your friends and family.