How to Carve Shapes Into Emu Eggs

Emu egg carving is an ancient tradition originating with the Aboriginal tribes of Australia. Because emu eggs have multiple layers of color, going from dark green to various shades of teal to white, they make the perfect carving medium. Becoming adept at egg carving can take some time, but with enough determination this art can be mastered no matter your artistic ability. Read on for tips on getting started.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Emu egg
• Water-soluble lead pencil
• Dental drill with accompanying bits
• Bleach
• Baking soda
• Lacquer

1. Create a design to carve into your egg. You can use an original drawing, a photo, a team logo or anything else that comes to mind. Just remember that your design will ultimately be only two or three colors, so choose a design that will work well within these constraints.

2. Empty the egg, thoroughly clean it and allow it to dry.

3. Draw your picture onto the egg using a water-soluble lead pencil. An alternative to drawing on the egg is using water-soluble paper. Draw your picture on the paper then place the paper on the egg's surface to use as a template as you carve the shell. The paper can later be washed off when you are finished.

4. Use your dental drill to begin carving the surface of the egg. The drill bit you use will depend on which layer of the egg you are working on. You will use a more abrasive bit for the hard outer surface but a bit with a much gentler bur for the white inner layer.

5. Remove remaining pencil marks by scrubbing the shell gently with a cloth and cleanser.

6. Soak your egg in a bleach solution to remove the inner membrane of the eggshell. Follow that with a soak in a baking soda solution to neutralize any bleach lingering on the shell.

7. Seal the egg with a lacquer to give it a glossy finish and help preserve its delicate exterior. Use three or four coats for maximum effectiveness.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose a design that will allow you to use the contrasting colors within the eggshell.
• Use a cone bit or a similarly aggressive bit for making the initial cuts in the shell. After that, use the diamond and green and white stone bits for shaping and smoothing on inner layers.
• Be very careful when working with the white inner layer of the shell, as it is extremely delicate.
• Try using sandpaper to smooth larger surface areas on your egg.