Things You'll Need
Ostrich egg
Sharp nail
Hammer
Bleach
Water
Surface preparation product (Gesso)
Paint
Wax pencil
Polyurethane
Paint brushes
Glue
3D accents
Ostriches lay the largest eggs of any bird in the world, and as relatives of dinosaurs, their eggs are very hard and tough. The porcelain-like shell is the perfect medium for a variety of decorative art projects, and many people make a living by painting beautiful images onto the shells for display in a curio or on a shelf. Regardless of your skill in painting, decorating an ostrich egg is a fun, funky kind of project that anyone might enjoy. At nearly three pounds each, these eggs offer the opportunity to create an art piece with a large impact.
Preparing the egg
Step 1
Use the nail to score a circle 1 inch in diameter on the tip of the egg. Gently tap the nail through the scored area with the hammer, chipping away small pieces until you have a quarter-sized hole.
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Step 2
Drain the egg from the shell.
Step 3
Rinse the inside of the shell with bleach and water to disinfect the surface. Wash the outside of the shell to remove natural oils.
Step 4
Paint a surface preparation product, like Gesso, on the entire area you wish to paint. This allows the paint to adhere to the shell.
Decorate the egg
Step 1
Design your artwork, using a wax pencil to make any temporary marks you need as you plan.
Step 2
Paint the scene or image onto the egg. Allow to dry completely.
Step 3
Coat the painted area in polyurethane to preserve and protect your painted image.
Step 4
Prop up on soft cloths and allow the polyurethane to dry completely.
Step 5
Add any accents you desire (stones, ribbon, moss, beads) to the egg using glue.
Tip
Reserve the egg when you drain the shell. Ostrich eggs taste a lot like chicken eggs and can be substituted in any recipe. Use 1/4 cup of ostrich egg for each chicken egg that is called for in the recipe.
If you don't want to take the time to clean the ostrich egg, you can find many online stores that offer clean, empty eggs for sale.
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