Patterned Easter Eggs
This project was inspired by Ukrainian eggs and Faberge Eggs. We used large plastic eggs from Target which were sold in $1 department before Easter. The main goal of this project is to learn to paint simple patterns along horizontal guide lines what takes a lot of accuracy.
This is a project for 6-12 years olds.
Materials: large plastic Easter eggs, broad markers to hold the eggs, artist’s masking tape, acrylic paints, thick and thin brushes, glittered glue.
*use gold paint to make the eggs look more like Faberge eggs
Project takes two 45 minutes sessions. The first session is preparation and the second one is painting.
- the eggs should be placed on a handle so it is easy to hold it without touching the egg with hands. I was lucky to get the eggs with a hole at the bottom – I just inserted thick markers in those holes to get holders.
- next step is wrapping masking tape. Younger kids will need help with it. Wrap the first strip along the middle. Add one or two more strips in the upper part. Make sure that the masking tape is pressed well to get rid of air bubbles. If you have air bubbles – the paint will flow into them what looks inaccurate.
- start painting the areas between tape strips. Begin with the lighter colors. I recommend to make the bottom part darker – it adds more contarast.
- let the eggs dry completely.
- gently remove the tape by pulling its edge
- show kids different simple patterns like waves, dots, diagonal lines, curls etc. Warn kids NOT to use complicated patterns consisting of detailed shapes like stars or hearts – keep the pattern as simple as possible. Use dashes, dots, half-circles (“rainbows” or “smiles”), check-marks(I call it grass or letter V), zig-zags. Show kids how to alternate colors. For example, do dashes of one color and after that add place a dot of different color in between. Do the patterns on painted stripes and on white space as well.
- at the very end add some glitter glue stripes or dots what will make the eggs more festive