Pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Egg) Online Class Basic Design 1 Color 1
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DESIGN #1    COLOR 1

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PYSANKY CLASS -- DESIGN 1     COLOR 1


COLORS
LIGHT TO DARK
 
1. Yellow
2. Orange
3. Scarlet
4. Pink
5. Red
6. Light Blue
7. Light Green
8. Turquoise
9. Gold
10. Pumpkin
11. Brick
12. Brown 
13. Dark Red
14. Purple
15.Royal Blue
16.Dark Green
17.Black
FIGURE 12

STEP 9

DECIDE COLORS

While your egg is drying, now is the time to consider your color scheme. Colors are symbolic and that should be considered when you make your selection. You need to choose 3 colors for this design..The order is important, light colors before dark colors.(See FIGURE 12) This is somewhat a rule of thumb for dying, but not all colors will cover the prior colors on the chart. For instance, black is about the only color that will cover light green. The underlying color changes the hue, tint and brilliance of the colors that follow. To follow the tutorial choose lightest color for the Pine needles, another color for the Curls and a dark color as the last color.

 
Watchout, don't drop that egg!
FIGURE 13
Pysanky 1st Color Complete
FIGURE 14

STEP 10

FIRST COLOR

Place the  now clean egg on  your Slotted Spoon and carefully lower it into the jar of dye. This is where people tend to break their eggs and ruin the dye. Lower it on the spoon and let it slowly roll off into the bottom of the dye jar.    Leave in the dye for 5 to 10 minutes. The time depends on how fresh the dye is. For recently made dye, the first egg may only take a minute or two to sufficiently be colored. Check it every few minutes, lifting it carefully out of the dye. When you are satisfied, lift it up out of the liquid and let the dye drain back into the jar. Take a fresh piece of tissue in your other hand and carefully transfer it over from the spoon. (FIGURE 13) Dab it dry, avoiding  to rub the egg. Place it in an egg stand to dry. I also like to place a clean piece of tissue under the egg in the stand to prevent any previous colors on the stand from bleeding onto the egg. When dry the color should be uniform (FIGURE 14).
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FIGURE 15

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FIGURE 16
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FIGURE 17
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FIGURE 18
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FIGURE 19
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FIGURE 20
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FIGURE 21
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FIGURE 22

STEP 11

DRAW PINE NEEDLE SYMBOLS ON FIRST COLOR

Whatever is drawn on the egg with wax now will be the color of the egg at this point. In our example, all lines drawn  in this step will be yellow. For this design, we will draw the pine needles. These are easy and fun to draw. No guidelines are needed.  Fill your kistka with wax and get it hot. Position the egg in your hand, so that the lines form a "V"  (FIGURE 15) away from yourself. Draw a line, which will be the branch that splits the "V" (FIGURE 16).Rotate the egg slightly (FIGURE 17) and draw all of the needles on one side of the branch.(FIGURE 18). Flip the egg around (FIGURE 19) and then draw the needles on the other side of the branch (FIGURE 20). Roll the egg 90 degrees and repeat the process at the next intersection and draw 2 more pine needle branches the same way. Repeat twice more, until 4 pairs of branches are drawn. Then draw the same symbols on the top and bottom of the egg (FIGURE 22) to finish.
The key is to be moving your wrist the same way for each stroke. To make this easy,  reposition the egg. 
The result being that we always draw  in the same direction (See the Red Arrows)

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Page last revised 2/23/2006