MY TRADITIONAL PYSANKY

Although I like to experiment with different dyes and designs, some of my most favorite eggs are the traditional Ukrainian ones.  The combination of beautiful, yet simple symbols, and the few dye colors the Ukrainians used (yellow, orange, red, black, and occasionally a little green) can be combined in so many different ways.   Pysanky are like snowflakes; no 2 are exactly alike!  By changing the design or colors only slightly from one egg to the next, you can get an amazingly different egg!

This is a picture of the first egg I ever did.  I got the design from a kit, and I had to use royal blue as my final color, because I had a very unfortunate incident with my black dye!  I had mixed all my other dye colors, in their glass bottles, which I had on a wire rack so air could circulate around them, seeing as you make the dyes with boiling water!!  So, for some reason, I put the jar for the black dye on the counter (not on the wire rack), and poured in the boiling water.  I turn around to throw the empty dye packet in the garbage, and I hear SNAP!  I go, "Oh no, I think the jar just cracked!"  So, my mom just reached over and grabbed it to put it into the sink incase it ran everywhere, and the whole bottom was out of the jar!  So, black dye ran everywhere, me and my mom freaked out, grabbing paper towels and trying to soak up the dye on the counter and floor.  Jason (my brother) came along, and we just yelled "Grab paper towel!". So the three of us managed to get it cleaned up, and amazingly enough it didn't stain the countertop or the floor!  *fewf*  My mom woulda shot me!  hehehe

This egg is done using many traditional symbols, and the traditional colours.
This I call my pussywillow egg  :) This was the first egg I did after getting my fine and extra fine kistka!  I had started out using just a medium sized stylus.  But, on my first trip to SURMA in Manhattan, I got a lot more stuff!  :) 
This egg I did on a brown egg.  I like the softened muted tones using a brown egg producles.
On this egg, I used brick as the final colour.
Horse egg!  Done during the time when I didn't have black dye (see above story), and had to use royal blue as a final color.  I kinda like the look it creates.
I like using the little animals on my eggs.  They're cute  :)
  This was among my first eggs I did.  I just randomly dipped the egg into colors, without pre-planning what look I wanted.  Sometimes this gives you really pretty eggs, and sometimes some not so pretty eggs.  I happened to end up being pleased with this one. 

 This one, like the blue one with the cross in my "Other Pysanky" section, I did in one color scheme.  This one was in warm colors (reds, orange, and yellow.)  This is one of my favorite eggs, so it's on display in my livingroom.
  This was my first (and so far only) goose egg I've done.  I keep meaning to order some from SURMA, along with an ostrich egg.  I have yet to attempt an ostrich egg.  I hear that it's interesting trying to dye it!  :) 

I love putting deer on my eggs.  They're so cute!  This one has a large area of white, which I find frames the design nicely.

An egg done in a traditional design, using a warm palette of colours.
 A very bright egg.  With deer, again :)
   
   
   
   
   

 

 

 

          

Page design Jennifer Klem Copyright 1999, 2000.  Egg designs , either my own, or the ones I've copied from books, can be reproduced for your own enjoyment, but cannot be reproduced for profit.