The eggshell, despite the apparent fragility, is a sufficiently strong material that is difficult to scratch with a sharp object. In hardness, it approaches the marble chips. This natural material is perfectly polished. In the east, these shell properties have long been noticed. It is precisely because this material is available, it costs practically nothing, it is easy to finish and paint, it is light - it was often used in varnish painting.
In eastern lacquer painting, egg-shell mosaics are very common. Small pieces of shells were glued where it was necessary to depict the old cracked wall. The mosaic of white eggshell imitated on the wall panels - flowering spring gardens or snow-capped peaks of mountains drowning in snow-white clouds.
The mosaic of eggshell is called “krale”. Its peculiarity and attractive originality lies in krakalura - so-called cracks that form a bizarre pattern.
When you try to straighten this material, many cracks and different sizes of pieces immediately form, but they do not crumble due to the inner film. Many cracks are almost invisible, but if a dye is applied, the mesh ornament becomes visible, and the usual shell becomes a material unique in decorativeness.
If you try to make a mosaic from a shell with your own hands, then the question immediately arises: "How to put a mosaic?" It makes sense to start work with a simple, unpretentious composition.
To create a mosaic panel, you need a clean, dried egg shell. To do this, it must be lowered for three minutes in a weak solution of baking soda, then rinse very thoroughly under running water. Dry and use only dry material.
Further, to work on a panel of egg shells, you will need:
- a sheet of cardboard;
- children's coloring;
- a simple pencil;
- PVA glue;
- notebook or newspaper sheets;
- rolling pin or glass bottle.
The process of creating a mosaic from egg shells or how to lay a mosaic
Egg shells, not yet crushed, must be laid between sheets of a notebook or newspaper. Carefully roll a rolling pin several times over the sheet surface, crushing this fragile material. It must be remembered that too small pieces will impede the work, and too large pieces will look rough and will not give the panel sophistication and accuracy.
Next, you need to prepare a sheet of cardboard. It should be clean and appropriate in size, apply the necessary pencil drawing on the prepared cardboard. If this causes difficulty, you can use a stencil or cut out the necessary contour drawing from children's coloring and stick it on a sheet of cardboard. Once the workpiece is ready, you can begin to work on the mosaic.
A small area of the picture must be covered with a layer of PVA glue, then with a pinch carefully, evenly sprinkle the shell over the surface covered with glue. It is very important to maintain clear image boundaries. To do this, you can use a knife or a stack. Try to lay the material evenly.
At the end of the work, as soon as the glue dries, the drawing needs to be decorated, food coloring can also be used . This will give the work a finished look. If you want to bring the work to perfection, then you can cover the panel with varnish and let it dry.
Some masters use only unpainted shells in their work, skillfully playing with natural shades of this material. And in this case, to show the beauty of this unique material is used as the final stage - grinding to a matte shine, sandpaper "null". As a result, the mosaic of eggshell does not look like a panel of shells, but as an inlay of white marble or ivory. The resemblance is extraordinary!