Watch this video to see tips for creating Ukrainian Inspired Easter Eggs. Afterwards, follow the step by step instructions below!
Step 1. Gather your supplies.
Step 2.
As plastic eggs tend to be very shiny and smooth, we used a piece of sandpaper to create a rough surface on the plastic egg. This will help the paint stick to the surface.
Step 3.
Look at traditional Ukrainian folkloric symbols for inspiration. For our example, we chose to paint poppy flowers, which represent joy and beauty. Begin your design by dividing the egg in quarters from top to bottom.
Step 4.
Next, draw on a poppy flower on each line and continue down with a vine and leaves.
Step 5.
Paint the areas around your poppy flowers.
Step 6.
You may choose to mix paints on this area and create fun layered effects as we show here.
TIP: We found it helpful to place the egg on the mouth of a small jar while painting.
Step 7.
Paint your poppy flower bright red, just as you would see in nature.
Step 8.
Glue on Acrylic Jewels to add some extra sparkle or use these Adhesive Peel & Stick Acrylic Jewels where you peel the adhesive backing and stick right onto your surface!
Step 9.
To finish our eggs we filled them with chocolates and the occasional special surprise like this Pom Chick! To learn how to make the Pom Chick, click here!
Teacher's Corner
Celebrate Easter by creating traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs using geometrical shapes!
Lesson Objectives
Egg-cellent Folk Art: Traditionally, Ukrainians decorate eggs in intricate patterns using a wax hand tool. This technique, which passed down through generations, is called ‘pysanky,’ meaning to “write.” Explore the culture behind this artform while your students create their own pysanky eggs!
Inside the Craft: Much like other folk-art traditions, pysanky uses symbolic characters to represent special words or sayings! What geometrical shapes can your students find in the traditional symbols? Can they recreate them on their eggs?
Follow-up Discussion
Incorporate a little math into this craft — geometry plays an important role in creating pysanky! Prompt your students with a handful of shapes like an isosceles triangle, oval, and hexagon, then ask them to draw the shapes on their eggs. For an extra challenge, ask them explain what each shape symbolizes for them!
