Computer Graphics | Collage | Pysanky | Photography

Pysanky is a traditional Ukranian folk art similar to batik. In pysanky, however, eggs are dyed instead of cloth. The basic process involves four steps:

1. Dye the egg a light color
2. Apply a pattern using melted wax
3. Dye the egg in a darker color.
4. Remove the wax to reveal the lighter-colored design.

Pysanky can involve several dye baths and several layers of wax. It can be painstaking and time-consuming.

Traditional pysanky also incorporates symbolisim. For example, wheat stands for bounty, continuous lines for eyernity, fish for Christianity. etc.

Traditional pysanky relies on specialized equipment and on PATIENCE. When I began experimenting with pysanky in seventh grade I had neither. My eggs have always been a little offbeat, and as I STILL lack patience they probably always will be.

NEW! I'm trying to keep a better record of how my eggs are created using a blog. If you'd like a more detailed look a the process read Paint and Eggshells.

This egg, which has gone to Egg Heaven, was one of my favorites. It was my first sale! A clumsy thief broke it while climbing over the partition into an instructor's office at North Lake.

Click on any egg below for a larger image and description.