HOW TO MAKE SGRAFFITO EGGS

Sgraffito is an art technique in which a surface layer of paint, plaster, slip, etc., is scratched away to reveal a ground of contrasting color underneath. In this tutorial, we will first show you a simple technique for blowing an egg, and then how to decorate it using Sgraffito. This is such a fun activity for the whole family – even Daddy had a go!

 We are lucky enough to have a constant supply of these beautiful large tinted eggs from our lovely Light Sussex Hens.  I simply washed and dried them, and then used a hand drill to make small holes in both ends of each egg.

 As kids I think we used a pin to make the holes, and when I bought the syringes and needles from our local agricultural store, the man who served me said he used to use the thorns from Hawthorn bushes.

Use the syringe and needle to introduce air into the egg at one end, and the contents will start to be pushed out of the other.  If it is difficult for the yolk to pass out, give the contents a stir with a cocktail stick.  Alternatively, you can use the traditional method of blowing with your mouth.  Once the egg is empty wash it out, and leave to dry.

 Paint the dry, clean eggs with acrylic paint.  The eggs you see in this tutorial had two coats applied. We found that we could just get a kebab stick into ours, which held them really nicely for painting!

 It’s then time to start making your Sgraffito pattern.  I used a punched out butterfly as a template, and used my craft knife to scratch around it to get the outline.  As long as you can grip it safely, I am sure you could use a number of different items; such as a fork prong or map pin.

 Once I had scratched out my outline, I added some detail to the body and wings.  It is pretty easy to scratch the paint away.  I repeated the process around my egg until I was satisfied with the effect.

We are absolutely delighted with how this project turned out!  The effect is really pretty, and providing you wash you egg out well and allow it to dry before painting, there is no reason why it shouldn’t last forever. If you’ve enjoyed this tutorial, why not check out Decorating Eggs with Decoupage tutorial.