This is the time of the year when I gather with friends to spend a day making pisanki — the traditional springtime eggs that are made in Poland, the Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe. Often associated with Easter, this is a custom that predates Christianity in that part of the world. Alas, Covid is still shutting down many traditions.
On my own, I have been hand-painting wooden eggs (a form of folk art also found in Poland). With pisanki the process involves layers pf dye and wax on the eggs. A layer of wax, a layer of dye, a layer of wax, etc. When the wax is removed from the surface of the egg, the complete colorful design is revealed.
With wooden eggs, it is just paint. But I do not have the steady hand required for the delicate paint work. I have been experimenting with using small pieces blue painters’ tape to cover areas of the egg as I apply different colors. The tape method is similar to the wax method. These are the results so far.
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