THE UKRAINIAN ART OF DECORATING EGGS

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MATERIALS NEEDED TO DECORATE THE EGGS.:
RAW SMOOTH EGG, AT ROOM-TEMPERATURE. WIPE EGG OFF WITH VINEGAR TO
REMOVE OILS FROM THE SHELL. STYLUS-A CONE SHAPED WITH A HANDLE
USED TO DRAW DESIGNS BY FILLING IT WITH BEESWAX AND LETTING THE
WAX FLOW OUT THE TINY OPENING IN THE TIP, WHILE DRAWING THE
DESIGN ON THE EGG. CAKE OF UNBLEACHED BEESWAX.
COLOR DIES: ONCE OBTAINED FROM NATURE, E.G. YELLOW FROM BARK OF
WILD APPLE, RED FROM DEER HORN, GREEN FROM BERRIES OF WILD ELDER,
AND BLACK FROM YOUNG LEAVES OF BLACK MAPLE, BUT NOW MADE FROM
CHEMICAL DYES. DYE MUST BE COOLED BEFORE DYEING THE EGGS.
CANDLE IN CANDLE HOLDER-- FLAME USED TO HEAT TIP OF STYLUS.
CLEANSING TISSUES AND STAINLESS STEEL SPOONS OR WIRE DIPPERS FOR
DIPPING EGGS.
1. HEAT TIP OF STYLUS OVER CANDLE FLAME. DRAW SOME BEESWAX INTO
IT BY TOUCHING THE HOT STYLUS TIP TO THE BEESWAX CAKE. HEAT
AGAIN AND DRAW THE DESIGNS YOU WANT TO TURN OUT WHITE IN THE END.
WHATEVER COLOR IS UNDER THE WAX WILL REMAIN THAT COLOR, UNTIL
THE WAX IS REMOVED AT THE END.
2. IMMERSE EGG IN LIGHTEST COLOR DYE, LET STAY UNTIL THE DESIRED
SHADE IS REACHED. TAKE OUT THE EGG CAREFULLY AND PAT DRY IN A
TISSUE. (DON'T RUB, YOU MAY SMEAR THE COLOR.) 3. HEAT STYLUS TIP
AGAIN AND CONTINUE DRAWING ADDITIONAL DESIGNS, AFTER YOU FILLED IT
WITH WAX. WHATEVER IS DRAWN NOW WILL REMAIN THE LIGHTEST
COLOR DYE. 4. IMMERSE EGG IN NEXT DYE, AND LET DRY AND COUNTINUE
PROCESS OF MAKING DESIGNS. DYEING IS ALWAYS FOLLOWED IN ORDER
OF LIGHTEST DESIRED COLOR TO THE DARKEST. 5. AFTER LAST DESIRED DYE
IS USED, LET THE EGG DRY THROUGHLY FOR AT LEAST TWO MINUTES.
THEN REMOVE THE BEESWAX. -TO REMOVE THE BEESWAX DIP A TISSUE
IN PAINT THINNER OR LIGHTER FLUID, SLOWLY AND GENTLY WIPE THE
WAX OFF THE EGG. -TO PRESERVE THE COLORS APPLY CLEAR VARNISH,
NOT SHELLAC, TO THE WHOLE EGG AND SET ON WAX PAPER TO DRY. THE
INSIDE OF THE EGG DRIES IN SEVERAL YEARS. IF HANDLED CAREFULLY
THE PYSANKA SHOULD LAST FOREVER.

Submitter comment: HANDS MUST BE WASHED OFTEN DURING EGG DECORATING FOR SKIN
OILS CAN AFFECT DYEING.
THIS ART FORM HAS BEEN PASSED ON FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME. THE INFORMANT HAS LEARNED IT FROM
HER GRANDMOTHER, AND HAS PASSED IT ON TO HER CHILDREN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN