About The Art

Pysanky or Ukrainian eggs are eggs decorated using a wax resist dyeing technique. The eggs may be intact or may have had their contents blown out. Traditional Ukrainian folk design motifs are written on an egg with a pencil. Then, beeswax is applied with a stylus (kistka) or a pin head to trace the pencil lines. The waxed egg is then put into a liquid aniline dye. The waxed portions will retain their color. Successive waxing and dyeing will yield a colorful egg. Most Eastern European ethnic groups have similar art forms and even within Ukrainian culture there are many different techniques that are distinguished by the order or methods of applying the wax and dyes.