Embellished Eggs
Here's a look at a new batch of eggs--when we talk about baking up
a pan-full here at the Polyclay Gallery, its not usually about breakfast!
There are so many ways to decorate eggs with polymer clay, creating delicate
and yet durable art collectables.
Here are two eggs with geometric canes inspired by Sandra McCaw's polymer
clay style and also by fabric quilts. Seminole
style patchwork trim on traditional clothing is done with colorful strips
of fabric, and these patterns are formed with colorful stripes of polymer
clay--manipulated carefully.
The egg at right is done in this style using matte clays, and the one
on the left uses colors that contain mica for a lot of glimmer and glow.
There are metallic and pearlized colors available, and others can be mixed--red
and gold, or black and gold; these make wonderful color mixes. Try mixing
gold and silver for a lovely color that goes with both. Eggs can be buffed
to a smooth sheen, or glossed with Varathane
to really show the brilliance and depth of the mica bearing clays.
Premo and Kato clays both have rich colors and mica bearing metallic
or pearlized clays. Each lends itself well to many styles of caning and
impressed techniques. Mixing and matching adds to the fun. The style shown
below is done with pieces of clay placed over prepared eggshells and baked.
Then some of the exposed areas are beaded with glass and metallic balls,
or glitters. I particularly like The Art Institute Glitter for its wide
range of colors that withstand baking.
Here's how they look when they've been completed.
Glass bits and metal, stone and some plastics can safely be baked at
the temperatures used with polymer clays.
Those decorative items that can't take baking can be added afterwards.
The varying textures of the surfaces catch the light in interesting ways,
especially when hung on a Christmas Tree---or an Easter Branch---with decorative
lights.
Another style of egg decoration involves cutting polymer clay pieces
to place over the egg shell in a style that mimics filigree. This can be
done over clay covered eggs as seen in the basket below.
The newest versions leave some egg shell exposed, as seen here.
Click here to see read the Bead Bugle
article "Embellished Eggs--Not Just For Easter"
These are holiday eggs (formed over REAL eggshells) that are pierced
and emptied.
These have golden wire hangers as well. They make beautiful tree ornaments,
or year round displays--eggs are a sacred symbol to a great many cultures.
Eggs like this are very time-consuming to make, as they require a lot
of painstaking placement and several finishing steps...
That's AFTER blowing out all the eggs and making quiche or baking cookies!
Holiday baking can be a good time to blow out lots of eggs, and there
are ways to do it more effectively and with no ear-popping results. Saving
up blown and dried eggs throughout the year is the easiest way to do a
large number.
These delicate yet sturdy eggs can be
ordered individually, or by the dozen.
All of these seen on this page are chicken eggs, but there are other
sizes available as well--goose eggs and ostrich or emu eggs are substantially
larger.
Also, larger eggs can be opened and meticulously lined and hinged to
make treasure boxes in the style of Faberge.
Use them as an addition to an egg collection, to decorate a whole
tree or just a branch!
These also look fabulous with an added silk tassel, and can be used
to great effect as a drapery tie-back. This is particularly effective with
velvets and Victorian motifs.
Another way to decorate eggs is by using slices of
polymer clay canes applied to eggshells and rolled smooth, so that the
egg is encased, then baked.
Varathane makes an ideal finish for a glassy
shine, or a wonderful polished sheen can be buffed onto the egg.
Buffing is particularly effective after sanding and when using translucent
clays.
These can be made to match your choice in fabrics, and other decorative
elements are also available--electrical switch plate and outlet covers,
boxes, vessels, lamps, clocks,and much more!
"Celebrations With Polymer Clay", now
available from Krause Publications has How-To information for making both
types of eggs.
Step-by-step pictures and directions make it possible to make these
gorgeous and collectable eggs!
