What better way to enjoy some creative time these days than coloring and decorating Easter Eggs?! They’re a classic symbol of Spring renewal, something we could all use right now. Consider Easter Eggs as another adult coloring opportunity, even a form of therapy.
Studio Videnda has found the following tips to be a great way to make awesome Easter Eggs.
First, boil them hard! And don’t forget the ice water bath afterwards to facilitate later peeling. If you need a refresher on boiling eggs, check out this guide.
Take your time, free your imagination, have fun, and / or approach it seriously. Have a subject, or go abstract. Making your ideas reality may require fine attention to detail, or a quick and easy approach, or a little of both. And consider it an experiment. Art is somewhat like science!
Non-toxic dyes and coloring/decorating tools are preferred if you plan to eat the egg later. Dye options include:
Food coloring
Natural dyes such as beets, spinach, blueberries (grey color!), turmeric (yellow), onion skins, purple cabbage, chili powder, coffee grounds, flowers.
For natural dyes, the color of the source doesn’t always match the color imparted to eggs.
Clockwise from top left, eggs colored with: beets, spinach, blueberries, turmeric, beets, blueberries. The stripes were created with rubber bands; the large splotches with scotch tape.
Acidity helps color eggs. Briefly boil a natural dye source in a minimal amount of water and vinegar to make dye.
The longer you soak an egg in a dye, the stronger the coloration. Consider also how you apply the dye (shallow vs. immersive soaking, drizzling, droplets, painting ???). Again, free your imagination.
Scotch tape, other tape, rubber bands (of various widths), plastic wrap, foil, anything on the egg surface during dyeing, will all affect how the shell accepts the dye, in different and interesting ways.
Before or after dyeing, decorating possibilities include pencils, crayons, and some non-toxic watercolor or acrylic paints. You can also use tape for a “negative” effect: apply the tape in patterns, letters, or whatever before dying.
Do you have access to naturally colored eggs? The yellow, brown, or even blue shell provides a darker, and usually stronger, canvas for your masterpiece.
Cracking a boiled egg before dyeing it can create some amazing patterns. However, it may also mean you shouldn’t eat that egg, and most of us don’t have eggs to waste right now.
Speaking of eating colored eggs, some say no, while others are more flexible. Consult your most trusted health authority for guidance. Never eat any egg that’s been dyed or decorated with toxic coloring.
Consider data-driven egg decoration ideas. Examples:
Color one egg per day documenting the number of people worldwide, or in your locality, who have recovered from COVID-19.
Color an egg for the number of people you know personally who are “running towards gunfire” during this pandemic: those of us whose work involves directly caring for those sick, dying, or dead from COVID-19.
For us, the hardest part of eating an egg will be to crack the shell of one we spent a lot of time on or particularly like. Before that step, take pictures of your favorites. We’d love to see your creations — tag us on Instagram and Facebook @studiovidenda.
Cast the Net for other imaginative egg coloring and decorating ideas.
There will be many!
Happy Egg Art!
P.S. If you’re looking for more relaxing, creative activities, check out these coloring pages from our sister company, The Casual Reply.