Decorating Easter eggs, or Pysanky is a long-standing tradition in Ukraine that dates back thousands of years. The practice of creating these ornate eggs is believed to have originally been a pagan ritual that was later adapted by the Christian church.
The process of making real Pysanky involves using a special tool pysak, also known as kistka, to draw designs onto raw eggs using a wax resist method. The eggs are then dyed in a series of colors with the wax keeping the areas covered from the dye. Once the egg is complete, the wax is melted off to reveal the intricate design underneath.
Learn or practice your Pysanky skills with these authentic Ukrainian tools and materials.
The set includes:
- 1 chiseled scribbler Pysak 0.3 mm;
- small scribbler "drop";
- small scribbler "ballpoint";
- 3 disks of 100% pure natural beeswax: 1 yellow, 1 brown, 1 black, 0.5 oz each;
- printed scheme of sample symbols;
- 5 bags of dyes: 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 blue, 1 green, 1 black. Enough for decorating 100 eggs;
- wire for cleaning the chiseled scribbler funnel.
Made in Ukraine
Basic instructions for making pysanky:
1. Mix the dyes of the colors you are planning to use in separate glass containers/jars.
2. Start with a clean, white egg.
3. Choose your design and draw it lightly with a pencil on the egg.
4. Light up a candle to warm up the beeswax scooped into kistka/pysak (a tool with a small funnel on the end).
5. Use a kistka/pysak to draw lines and designs with melted beeswax over the pencil lines. Use scribblers “ballpoint” and “drop” for fine details of desired.
6. Once you've covered the areas you want to remain white, dye the egg in the lightest color you plan to use.
7. Use the kistka/pysak to add wax to the areas you want to remain that color, and dye the egg in the next darker color.
8. Repeat step 7 for each color you want to use, adding wax to the areas you want to remain that color before dyeing.
9. When you've finished all the colors, heat the egg gently to melt the wax and wipe it off with a napkin/towel.
It is recommended to attend in person workshop at least once. If not possible, watch video instructions online.
