Abstract Painted Easter Eggs | Creative Egg Decorating Idea!

I’m super eggcited to show you my cute and easy abstract painted Easter eggs – a creative egg decorating idea!

What Kind of Paint to Use for Painted Easter Eggs?

Obviously these will not longer be safe for consumption, but using acrylic or craft paint works really well for painted eggs!  Acrylic paint dried quickly, which makes it easier to work around the egg shape and layer colors.  I also experimented using leftover chalk paint and that worked for decorating painted easter eggs as well.  For these abstract painted eggs, I also added a touch of gold acrylic paint to add some shimmer and interest.

Supplies for Painted Easter Eggs:

• Real hard boiled eggs or faux wooden eggs
• Acrylic paints (dark green, turquoise, white, and gold)
• Egg dye (optional, can use paint)
• Stiff, stenciling paint brush (any brush, if you don’t have one)
• Smaller artist’s paint brush

How to Make These Abstract Painted Easter Eggs:

1. First, hard boil your eggs or grab some nice faux eggs.
2. Dye or paint your eggs (real or faux) a deep color all over (most of mine started as a deep, dark green or teal).
3. Then use a flat, stiff bristled stenciling paint brush to dab on lighter shades of acrylic paint.
4. Allow the paint the dry.
5. Use a smaller artist’s brush to stipple on some metallic paint.

Abstract Painted Easter Eggs Tutorial – Detailed:

First, dye or paint your eggs (real or faux), a deep color – most of mine started as a deep, dark green or teal.  Then use a flat stenciling paint brush to dab on lighter shades of acrylic paint or any kind of left over paint.  I used light blues and aquas, in a mix of acrylic paints and some leftover chalk paint.

You don’t need a stenciling brush, but if you have one the stiff bristles are perfect for this.  Be sure to lift the brush up and stipple – don’t drag the brush against the egg.  Well, you can, of course – you’ll just end up with a different painted egg!  Any paint brush will work, but if you have a stencil brush the flat bristles make this even easier.  Just stipple the paint on: dab, dab, dab…

I layered light and darker colors for some depth and interest, always dabbing – and not swiping – with the brush.  Then I highlighted the eggs with some shimmer by using a smaller artist’s brush to stipple on some gold and copper metallic acrylic paint:

Displaying Painted Eggs in Thrifted Brass Baskets:

And that’s it!  I let them dry and found a pair of cute thrift store brass baskets to display my easy abstract painted Easter eggs.  Making these painted Easter eggs was a lot of fun, just like painting little mini master pieces, haha.  If you use wood eggs, you can enjoy them year after year!  They will look so pretty as a centerpiece, in a basket or bowl on a bed of moss.

What is the Tradition of Egg Painting on Easter?

Interestingly the tradition of egg painting is found in many cultures across Europe and Eurasia, and the tradition goes back thousands of years!  Across cultures, eggs have traditionally been considered a symbol of fertility and rebirth, although in Christianity the eggs can symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus.  Decorating eggs pre-dates Christianity, however.  For example, the ancient Persians painted eggs for Persian New Year.  Pysanky eggs, from Ukraine and Poland, are said to have likely pre-dated Christianity as well.  The Trypillian culture that lived in Central Europe (spanning Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania from 4,500 to 3,000 BC) are also believed to have dyed eggs.  Historically people would have painted what eggs they had: duck, chicken, goose, etc. but ostrich eggs have often had a special history.  Decorated ostrich eggs were a valuable item to have in the Bronze and Iron Ages, for example.  An ostrich egg would be a beautiful, large canvas for traditional egg painting!  Like any art form, different techniques emerged in different regions and cultures, but modern day egg painting can be quite inventive and creative.

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