Many admire the work of masters who create lace lace patterns from a regular chicken or ostrich egg. It seems that it is impossible to do such a novice lover, and many are afraid to even try themselves in such creativity. In fact, this is not so at all. The main thing is to know some of the subtleties of the preparatory work, buy the necessary tool and have patience and zeal. The technology of carving on an egg shell consists of several stages, knowing which you can try to create a simple craft first. Let's get to know the basics of craftsmanship and when people started doing this kind of creativity.
The history of this art
Egg shell carving is considered an ancient art; such creativity was especially developed in ancient China. People brought a carved egg as a present for a wedding or birthdays. At first, chicken eggs were simply stained with natural dyes red, then they learned how to make carved patterns on the shell. Until now, the country's museums have preserved copies preserved from the time of the Ming and Qing Dynasty. These are masterpieces of masters of the 14-17th centuries, striking in their beauty and uniqueness. Crafts were decorated with gold threads, precious stones, beads.
In many cultures, the egg was considered a symbol of fertility, it was used in many sacraments and folk rites. Nowadays, many masters are fond of carving on eggshells, there are carving schools, exhibitions and competitions of works in museums are organized. The aerobatics of such carving is considered to be the master’s ability not only to create patterns and drawings on the shell, but also to process the surface, creating relief images.
In the article, we will tell the reader how to properly work with an egg so that it does not break, how to pre-process it and what tools for carving on an egg shell you need to purchase. You will learn all the subtleties of this applied art. For beginners, we offer to perform simple work with simple patterns.
Preparing the egg for work
Raw eggs must be thoroughly washed and removed before work. To do this, it is necessary to drill the shell from the side of the blunt part of the egg with a needle or a thin drill. In this case, the core must pierce the protein, the yolk must not be touched, it must remain intact. Then they take out the contents over the bowl with a syringe, if it is not at home, then it's okay, there is another quick way to get rid of the insides. It is necessary to do one more opposite the first hole and, having set it to the mouth, slightly blow. Then the egg needs to be thoroughly washed, injecting water with a syringe inside several times. So that the whole shell is cleaned, you can use your fingers to cover the holes from below and above and shake the shell in your hand.
To make the carving on the egg shell look neat, you need to remove the inner thin film. When cutting pieces of shell, the film creates scruffy tatters along the edges of the cuts, as a result, work with uneven edges is obtained. What needs to be done, because the film cannot be removed through small holes? A solution of water and “Whiteness” will cope with this problem by stirring the mixture in a glass jar in a ratio of 1: 1, you need to lower an empty egg there and leave for some time. A raw egg film dissolves in about half an hour, but in some cases the process can drag on, but not more than 4 hours. Visually look at the appearance of the egg, if you see that the film has peeled off, then remove the workpiece and rinse it several more times with a syringe with plain water.
Tools for work
If you decide to try your hand and creative abilities in carving on an egg shell, then you must first purchase a drill and a set of drills for it. You will also need a magnifying glass, and even better to have a magnifying glass that is worn on elastic bands over the head. This will help to consider the small details of the selected pattern and will not take your hands. To draw a sketch, paper and a simple pencil should be present. When cutting large sections of the shell, masters use a sharpened knife or even a scalpel (if possible). Preliminary preparation of eggs is carried out using a syringe. The product is decorated first by cleaning with sandpaper, then some additionally do painting with paints. For shine, the final work is opened with acrylic varnish. So it looks spectacular and lasts longer.
Do not forget to cover the table surface with a soft base before starting work. You can use a thin sheet of foam rubber, so that in case of accidental fall, the craft does not break. For eye safety, be sure to wear safety glasses, since fine dust flies in the air when working with the drill. Also prepare a small brush to brush away waste material from the surface of the egg.
Surface treatment
Experienced craftsmen who perform complex ornaments when carving on an egg shell, specially withstand peeled shells in special solutions for several hours. This helps to increase the strength of the material and whiten the surface. Often this is done with a relief pattern.
Since our article is intended for beginners carving eggshells, this processing process can be skipped. It will be enough to wash and dry the shell thoroughly both on the outside and inside.
Drawing
At the first tests, you can prepare an egg and drill holes in boron strips or circles. Then try to draw a simple drawing with a soft graphite pencil.
You need to cut along the contours with a small boron, moving it smoothly along the line. Hold the egg tightly, but without pressure, so as not to crush the product. After each strip with a stiff brush, gently sweep away the dust so that the line is clearly visible. Then the work can be continued further.
Tips for Beginners
For convenience when working, those places in the figure that will need to be cut out are better painted with a red pencil.
It is better to make the jumpers between the holes thicker so that the fragile shell does not break off in a thin place.
To shine the surface of the craft, you can cover it with oil or rub it with felt.
It is better to store the product on a stand or hang it on a ribbon.
Now you know how to make such wonderful carved eggs. Be sure to try to prove yourself in this art form! Good luck