Eggshell mosaic. Master class on decoupage on an eggshell in a wooden box. Instructions for making eggshell mosaic

First, briefly about this technique.
Everything is very simple - from eggshell, crushed into small pieces and painted with any colors, you can lay out a mosaic of any complexity.
For example, a very simple one:

Or real paintings:

And you can also decorate interior items with such a mosaic:

For those who are interested in this technique - an article from G. Fedotov's book "Encyclopedia of Crafts".

The eggshell is hardly scratched with a knife and approaches marble in hardness. It is perfectly sanded and polished, acquiring a pleasant soft shine.

In oriental lacquer painting, eggshells were glued where it was necessary to depict a stone wall or rock covered with cracks. A scattering of small shells imitated the flowering of spring gardens.

The so-called craquelure - cracks that form an intricate mesh pattern on the surface of various materials - give the "crackle" mosaic expressiveness.

When straightened, the eggshell breaks into many tiny pieces, which do not fall apart due to the thin film on the inside. Many cracks formed between the shells are almost invisible. But it is worth showing them with the help of some kind of dye, the mesh pattern of cracks becomes visible, turning ordinary eggshells into an attractive decorative material.

Material preparation

The collected shells are dipped for two to three minutes in a five percent solution of baking soda, and then thoroughly washed in running water.

The shell is so fragile that it has become a kind of symbol of fragility. When making a mosaic set, the fragility of the eggshell gives a lot of trouble, forcing the master to take special measures and be extremely careful.

But if the shell is covered on both sides with a thin layer of some kind of elastic glue, then it can be cut with scissors. However, the edges of the cut shell will slightly crumble. If you stick thin paper on the shell, you can avoid this trouble. The inner surface of the shell is lubricated with a thin layer of glue, such as PVA (Fig. 1, a).
Then lay out the shells greased with glue on a thin sheet of paper (preferably colored) and press down on top with an even board (Fig. 1, b). After about a minute, the plank is set aside and each shell is ironed with effort with a wooden trowel (Fig. 1, c).
The smoothing trowel is a hard wood rod, the oblique cut of which is polished to a high shine. The individual pieces of the shell will split into smaller pieces that will fit snugly against the paper. After that, a plank is again placed on top and pressed down with a heavy load (Fig. 1, d). After two to three minutes, when the glue sets, the paper, together with the shell glued to it, is smeared with a thin layer of flour or starch paste. Put tissue paper on the surface of the shell greased with paste and carefully smooth it with your palms (Fig. 1, e). A load is placed on top and the glue is allowed to dry for several hours (Fig. 1, f).

Having glued all the harvested shells in this way, the sheets are folded into a folder. They can be stored in this form for a very long time.

On a colored or dark background, the silhouettes of the pasted shell are clearly visible even through tissue paper. This makes it possible to orientate correctly when cutting blanks on which the contours of the mosaic elements are drawn. The silhouette of the glued shell is unique, it can give impetus to the artist's imagination. It is possible to inscribe the contours of various animals, human figures, buildings, machines, plants, and much more (Fig. 1, g).

Having drawn on the shell, for example, the contours of the fish, they cut the shell with scissors around the silhouette, without trying to work out small details. It is easy to cut the shell with scissors along straight and curved lines only from the outside (Fig. 1, h). All kinds of notches, concave cuts and holes are made with a scalpel or a cutter, as well as with drills after gluing the shell to the base-substrate.

Making the mosaic by removing the shell

All work is carried out on separate boards, which play the role of the basis of the mosaic set - the substrate. The prepared shell is cut into polygons with straight sides (Fig. 2, a). At the same time, they try to have right angles as much as possible. This will make it easier to fit them to the base sticker. One of the sides of the plank is pasted over with a whole shell, carefully adjusting the cut polygons to each other. Each polygon is pressed as tightly as possible to the base with a trowel. Then, on the shell glued to the board, draw with a simple pencil the contours of the intended image (Fig. 2, b).

The figure shows the sequence of execution of the mosaic set with the image of an elephant.
In areas where the background should be, excess shells are removed with various cutting tools. To drill blind holes, gimbals or a small drill are used.

Carving, as well as chipping of the shell, is performed with a scalpel or a jamb knife. Engraving is done with graters. Work begins with drilling (Fig. 2, c1), then engraving is carried out along pencil lines (Fig. 2, c2), after which they begin to chip the shell in the areas set aside for the background. After finishing mechanical processing, remove the tissue paper glued to it from the shell surface. Preliminarily, the paper is carefully moistened with water using a brush (Fig. 2, d1).
After a while, the soaked paper is easily separated from the shell (Fig. 2, d2). Small seams sometimes remain at the joints, into which small shells are glued.

At the next stage of work on the mosaic set, they begin to identify the craquelure. In this case, the background is painted in some color, for example, black, dark brown, dark blue (Fig. 2, d3). It is convenient to use mascara for these purposes. The mascara contains an alcoholic shellac solution, dyes, glycerin, bile and antiseptics.

Due to the presence of bile - a surfactant - mascara easily penetrates into the smallest cracks, carrying with it all the other components. Filling the cracks between the individual shells, ink not only stains them, but also holds them together. This is facilitated by shellac, which, after drying, does not dissolve even with water.

After making sure that the mosaic set is colored evenly, remove excess ink from the shell surface with a slightly damp cloth or swab (Fig. 2, e1). After waiting for the remaining ink to dry completely, they begin to grind the mosaic with fine-grained emery paper fixed on a wooden block (Fig. 2, e).

They polish the surface of the shell very carefully - after all, the eggshell is so thin that in some places it can be easily removed completely. After finishing sanding, the sanding paper is replaced with ordinary writing paper. It also has abrasive properties due to the presence of koalin and chalk in it. The polished surface of the eggshell acquires a soft sheen and vaguely resembles old ivory or marble. A dark matte background emphasizes and enhances the expressiveness of the mosaic set (Fig. 2, f).

Mosaic set with mastic background

Work on a mosaic set begins with the fact that the prepared drawing is transferred to a wooden base.
Then they cut out generalized silhouettes from the shell with scissors and stick them on the base. After the glue dries, the excess shell (in our figure it is shaded) is removed with a scalpel or a cutter (Fig. 3, b).

Usually cutter marks spoil the surface of the background, and this is very noticeable in large areas. However, flaws can be removed by filling the background with a layer of special mastic flush with the glued shell (Fig. 3, c). Epoxy glue filled with graphite, stone dust, brick powder is most often used as a mastic. You can paint the mastic with any dry pigments, as well as oil paints.

The mastic is carefully applied to the background areas with a wooden spatula or sculptural stack. Once the mastic has completely hardened, the mosaic set is carefully leveled with a file. Then the mosaic is moistened with clean water. Tissue paper glued to the shell with paste gets wet and easily peels off. It remains only with the help of a brush and ink to reveal craquelure on the surface of the shell. If the mastic is painted, for example, in a dark blue color, then blue ink is also used to develop the craquelure (Fig. 3, d).

Finally, the set is ground and polished. The entire surface of the mosaic, including the background, acquires an even soft shine.

Mosaic with multicolor background

The background can not only emphasize the beauty and expressiveness of the material used in the mosaic, but also actively participate in the color solution of the composition. In this case, the parts made of the shell will serve as a kind of partitions separating one section of the background from another (Fig. 4, a).

To prevent the mastic from spreading, boards made of thin cardboard are glued along the edges of the board with a mosaic set. After the mastic has hardened, the sides are removed, the mosaic set is carefully leveled with a file and the remaining tissue paper is removed. The shell is covered with black ink. As soon as it penetrates deep enough into the cracks in the shell, its excess is removed with a slightly damp cloth. After a few minutes, the ink will dry and the set is sanded with fine-grained emery paper attached to a wooden block, and then polished. The black speckled background of the mosaic will appear to be made up of many individual shells.

If it was possible to prepare a shell that has different natural color shades, then, if possible, use this modest palette, for example, in the work on a mosaic panel based on ancient architecture (Fig. 5). Let's say a master has a white, brown and cream shell at his disposal. White shells are suitable for imitating snow, white stone walls, brown for fortress walls and towers, and cream for buildings inside the fortress. This is, of course, an approximate layout.

The use of a shell of one shade or another will depend on the nature of the image and the task facing the artist.

Mosaic on turning products

Performed on lathe wood products can be successfully decorated with eggshell mosaics (Fig. 6). When turning on workpieces, small indentations of no more than 0.5 mm are selected with a cutter in advance. Mosaic elements are glued to the surface to be decorated, carefully rubbed to it with a trowel (Fig. 6, a). Then the product with the mosaic set glued to it is tightly wrapped with some kind of harness (belt or rope), tightly laying the coil to the coil (Fig. 6, b). To prevent the glue protruding from under the shell from sticking to the bundle, the product is wrapped in newsprint in advance. After the final drying of the glue, the tourniquet is removed, and the areas where the shell is not glued are filled with epoxy mastic (Fig. 6, c).

When the mastic hardens, start grinding the mosaic set. You can grind directly on a lathe, observing the necessary precautions, or manually, by fixing the sandpaper on a wooden block with a grooved depression corresponding to the diameter of the workpiece (Fig. 6, d). After detecting craquelure on the shell and subsequent polishing, the wooden parts of the product are painted in a dark color with a stain.

Finally, the entire product is rubbed with wax mastic or varnished and polished.

The eggshell is hardly scratched with a knife and approaches marble in hardness. It is perfectly sanded and polished, acquiring a pleasant soft shine.

In oriental lacquer painting, eggshells were glued where it was necessary to depict a stone wall or rock covered with cracks. A scattering of small shells imitated the flowering of spring gardens.

The so-called craquelure - cracks that form an intricate mesh pattern on the surface of various materials - give the "crackle" mosaic expressiveness.

When straightened, the eggshell breaks into many tiny pieces, which do not fall apart due to the thin film on the inside. Many cracks formed between the shells are almost invisible. But it is worth showing them with the help of some kind of dye, the mesh pattern of cracks becomes visible, turning ordinary eggshells into an attractive decorative material.

Egg shell harvesting

The collected shells are dipped for two to three minutes in a five percent solution of baking soda, and then thoroughly washed in running water. Usually, shells from raw eggs are used, the shell that has been cooked loses its hardness, its surface becomes looser and less suitable for further work. (But: for children's mosaics, you can use any shell, including from boiled eggs, for example, the one that left over from Easter eggs.)

To use purely mosaic technologies, that is, to create pictures from pieces of shell, you need to separate the film from the shell. Dry the shells and their parts, paint them whole (dyes for fabrics, a number of food colors are suitable), then store in a dry, clean dish, sorted by color. Usually, the shell is colored unevenly, which creates a large selection of colors and shades for mosaic work.

To create a mosaic effect or craquelure effect, the shell is not peeled from the film, but straightened on a sheet of paper. The inner surface of the shell is lubricated with a thin layer of glue, such as PVA (Fig. 1, a). Then lay out the shells greased with glue on a thin sheet of paper (preferably colored) and press down on top with an even board (Fig. 1, b). After about a minute, the plank is set aside and each shell is ironed with effort with a wooden trowel (Fig. 1, c). The smoothing trowel is a hard wood rod, the oblique cut of which is polished to a high shine. The individual pieces of the shell will split into smaller pieces that will fit snugly against the paper.

After that, a plank is again placed on top and pressed down with a heavy load (Fig. 1, d). After two to three minutes, when the glue sets, the paper, together with the shell glued to it, is smeared with a thin layer of flour or starch paste. Tissue paper is placed on the surface of the shell greased with paste and carefully smoothed with palms (Fig. 1, e). A load is placed on top and the glue is allowed to dry for several hours (Fig. 1, f).

Having glued all the harvested shells in this way, the sheets are folded into a folder. They can be stored in this form for a very long time. The advantage of such preparation of the shell is the ability to cut out the details of the future image from the sheets with ordinary scissors.

On a colored or dark background, the silhouettes of the pasted shell are clearly visible even through tissue paper. This makes it possible to orientate correctly when cutting blanks on which the contours of the mosaic elements are drawn. The silhouette of the glued shell is unique, it can give impetus to the artist's imagination. It is possible to inscribe the contours of various animals, human figures, buildings, machines, plants, and much more (Fig. 1, g). Having drawn on the shell, for example, the contours of the fish, they cut the shell with scissors around the silhouette, without trying to work out small details. It is easy to cut the shell with scissors along straight and curved lines only from the outside (Fig. 1, h). All kinds of notches, concave cuts and holes are made with a scalpel or a cutter, as well as with drills after gluing the shell to the base-substrate.

Shells can be harvested in a variety of natural color shades. These colors can be used, for example, when working on a mosaic panel based on ancient architecture. Let's say a master has a white, brown and cream shell at his disposal. White shells are suitable for imitating snow, white stone walls, brown for fortress walls and towers, and cream for buildings inside the fortress. This is, of course, an approximate layout.

Direct set shell mosaic

The painted shell is broken into pieces with tweezers. When gaining the skill, the skolup can be broken quite accurately, the resulting elements will have a certain shape - triangles, squares, thin strips. Depending on the creative tasks and the scale of the work, it sometimes makes sense to first prepare pieces of the shell, sorted by color, and then proceed with the mosaic. For small chamber work, breaking off the elements can be done directly in the recruitment process as needed.

A mastic or adhesive is applied to a thick cardboard or plastic sheet. Then the outline of the drawing is drawn. Pieces of the shell are put in place with tweezers in accordance with the picture. The work is dried and then covered with colorless varnish. For quick-drying adhesives, you can use a brush to apply the glue to the shell or directly to the place where the element is glued, but this method is more laborious and time-consuming.

Making the mosaic by removing the shell

All work is carried out on separate boards, which play the role of the basis of the mosaic set - the substrate. The prepared shell is cut into polygons with straight sides (Fig. 2, a). At the same time, they try to have right angles as much as possible. This will make it easier to fit the sticker onto the substrate. One of the sides of the plank is pasted over with a whole shell, carefully adjusting the cut polygons to each other. Each polygon is pressed as tightly as possible to the base with a trowel.

Crackle mosaic technology

Then, on the shell glued to the board, draw with a simple pencil the contours of the intended image (Fig. 2, b). The figure shows the sequence of execution of the mosaic set with the image of an elephant. In areas where the background should be, excess shells are removed with various cutting tools. To drill blind holes, gimbals or a small drill are used. Carving, as well as chipping of the shell, is performed with a scalpel or a jamb knife. Engraving is done with graters. Work begins with drilling (Fig. 2, c1), then engraving is carried out along pencil lines (Fig. 2, c2), after which they begin to chip the shell in the areas set aside for the background. After finishing mechanical processing, remove the tissue paper glued to it from the shell surface. Preliminarily, the paper is carefully moistened with water using a brush (Fig. 2, d1). After a while, the soaked paper is easily separated from the shell (Fig. 2, d2). Small seams sometimes remain at the joints, into which small shells are glued.

At the next stage of work on the mosaic set, they begin to identify the craquelure. In this case, the background is painted in some color, for example, black, dark brown, dark blue (Fig. 2, d3). It is convenient to use mascara for these purposes. The mascara contains an alcoholic shellac solution, dyes, glycerin, bile and antiseptics. Due to the presence of bile - a surfactant - mascara easily penetrates into the smallest cracks, carrying with it all the other components. Filling the cracks between the individual shells, ink not only stains them, but also holds them together. This is facilitated by shellac, which, after drying, does not dissolve even with water.

For reference: Crackle is a network of thin cracks on any surface, the reception of visual aging of interior items using special varnishes, additional processing or the use of shells.
Craquelure (French craquelure) is a crack in a paint layer or varnish in a painting or varnish covering of an object of decorative and applied art.

After making sure that the mosaic set is colored evenly, remove excess ink from the shell surface with a slightly damp cloth or swab (Fig. 2, e1). After waiting for the remaining ink to dry completely, they begin to grind the mosaic with fine-grained emery paper fixed on a wooden block (Fig. 2, e). They polish the surface of the shell very carefully - after all, the eggshell is so thin that in some places it can be easily removed completely. After finishing sanding, the sanding paper is replaced with ordinary writing paper. It also has abrasive properties due to the presence of koalin and chalk in it. The polished surface of the eggshell acquires a soft sheen and vaguely resembles old ivory or marble. A dark matte background emphasizes and enhances the expressiveness of the mosaic set (Fig. 2, f).

Mosaic set with mastic background

If the background occupies a significant place in the mosaic set, as, for example, in the composition with the image of owls, then there is no point in covering the entire surface of the decorated object with a shell (Fig. 3, a). After all, about half of the glued shell will have to be removed later. In this case, it is better to paste over with a shell only those areas where the mosaic images will be directly located.

Work on a mosaic set begins with the fact that the prepared drawing is transferred to a wooden base. Then they cut out generalized silhouettes from the shell with scissors and stick them on the base. After the glue dries, the excess shell (in our figure it is shaded) is removed with a scalpel or a cutter (Fig. 3, b). Usually cutter marks spoil the surface of the background, and this is very noticeable in large areas. However, flaws can be removed by filling the background with a layer of special mastic flush with the glued shell (Fig. 3, c). Epoxy glue filled with graphite, stone dust, brick powder is most often used as a mastic. You can paint the mastic with any dry pigments, as well as oil paints.

The mastic is carefully applied to the background areas with a wooden spatula or sculptural stack. Once the mastic has completely hardened, the mosaic set is carefully leveled with a file. Then the mosaic is moistened with clean water. Tissue paper glued to the shell with paste gets wet and easily peels off. It remains only with the help of a brush and ink to reveal craquelure on the surface of the shell. If the mastic is painted, for example, in a dark blue color, then blue ink is also used to develop the craquelure (Fig. 3, d). Finally, the set is ground and polished. The entire surface of the mosaic, including the background, acquires an even soft shine.

Mosaic with multicolor background

The background can not only emphasize the beauty and expressiveness of the material used in the mosaic, but also actively participate in the color solution of the composition. In this case, the parts made of the shell will serve as a kind of partitions separating one section of the background from another (Fig. 4, a).

Mastic of three colors - brown, black and red - is prepared in different jars. First, the background areas are filled with brown (Fig. 4, b), and then with dark red mastic (Fig. 4, c). To obtain a speckled background, black mastic is mixed with a shell crushed in a mortar (Fig. 4, d). To prevent the mastic from spreading, boards made of thin cardboard are glued along the edges of the board with a mosaic set. After the mastic has hardened, the sides are removed, the mosaic set is carefully leveled with a file and the remaining tissue paper is removed. The shell is covered with black ink. As soon as it penetrates deep enough into the cracks in the shell, its excess is removed with a slightly damp cloth. After a few minutes, the ink will dry and the set is sanded with fine-grained emery paper attached to a wooden block, and then polished. The black speckled background of the mosaic will appear to be made up of many individual shells.

The use of a shell of one shade or another will depend on the nature of the image and the task facing the artist.

Mosaic on turning products

Wood products made on a lathe can be successfully decorated with eggshell mosaics (Fig. 6). When turning on workpieces, small indentations of no more than 0.5 mm are selected with a cutter in advance. Mosaic elements are glued to the surface to be decorated, carefully rubbed to it with a trowel (Fig. 6, a). Then the product with the mosaic set glued to it is tightly wrapped with some kind of harness (belt or rope), tightly laying the coil to the coil (Fig. 6, b). To prevent the glue protruding from under the shell from sticking to the bundle, the product is wrapped in newsprint in advance.

After the final drying of the glue, the tourniquet is removed, and the areas where the shell is not glued are filled with epoxy mastic (Fig. 6, c). When the mastic hardens, start grinding the mosaic set. You can grind directly on a lathe, observing the necessary precautions, or manually, by fixing the sandpaper on a wooden block with a grooved depression corresponding to the diameter of the workpiece (Fig. 6, d). After detecting craquelure on the shell and subsequent polishing, the wooden parts of the product are painted in a dark color with a stain. Finally, the entire product is rubbed with wax mastic or varnished and polished.

Complex, beautiful mosaic paintings you can learn to do it yourself. For the first experiments, expensive smalt can be replaced by eggshells, fortunately, there is an abundance of colored shells after Easter.

The inspiration for the creation of the shell mosaic was the paintings of the contemporary French impressionist Jean-Marc Janiaczyk. He paints using the palette knife technique. Thanks to the palette knife (an artistic tool), the paints on the canvas lie in large dense uniform strokes, the color gradations are clear and clear. The paintings made in the palette knife technique seem to have been created in order to be embodied in a mosaic.

Jean-Marc's paintings are full of light, sun, and no matter what time of year he writes, they always feel a joyful mood. Here are some examples of his works:

Print your favorite picture of the painting on a printer in A3 format. When printing, some details of the picture may be cut off. But this can be fixed by gluing the image.

MATERIALS

foam board
eggshells of different colors
printout of the picture
markers
PVA glue

INSTRUMENTS

tassel
toothpick

Step 1

Use a felt-tip pen to highlight the color spots in the picture. When working with black and white printouts, you will always need to check the color image. Apply glue in several places around the perimeter of the printout on the back of the picture and stick it onto the foam board, pattern upwards.

Step 2

The technique for creating a mosaic is extremely simple: choose a shell that matches the color of the fragment on the printout. Apply glue to the desired piece of the size corresponding to the size of the shell.

Step 3

Place a piece of shells on top of the glue and crush with your finger.

Step 4

There are eggs in every refrigerator, but most do not even suspect that a real work of art can be created from their shells. In terms of its hardness, many professionals compare it to marble. Surface chicken eggs very hard to scratch. This is why eggshell mosaics are so highly prized.

Crackle is a technique for creating picturesque paintings from broken shells. In the East, this technique has been used since ancient times. Today, with its help, you can interestingly transform any object. This creates the effect of a cracked varnish. Over the years, this technique has been forgotten. But long forgotten old things can be a great way to decorate your new modern home. Children will also love to take part in this process. Please be patient and prepare the starting material for creativity.

Egg shell preparation

You can do a lot from eggshells with your own hands, but before that you need to prepare the raw materials. Of course, it is not necessary to specially beat the eggs for creativity. Just collect the shells after you cook your next meal. For example, let's say you boiled eggs for a salad. Clean the surface and lay the shells to dry. After it is completely dry, it must be cleaned of the white inner film.

It is better to paint the shell immediately, using food coloring. Dilute all available colors in different jars. Dip the egg skins in there. The coloring matter acts on the material for half an hour. The shade is saturated and uniform. After staining, take out the future material and lay it out on sheets of paper. Leave it on for a day to dry completely.

Shell mosaic: preparatory work

Eggshell mosaic looks very nice. The execution technique is quite simple. To create it, you need to find durable cardboard. It is better to choose glue of PVA brand. Prepare several brushes to apply it. You also need a pencil, a stationery knife, varnish and sandpaper.

If you decide not to paint the shell in advance, then prepare acrylic paints. They will have to be applied to the finished canvas. This option is more economical, but requires utmost care and accuracy. After preparation, you can get to work. Find out how your eggshell mosaic will look like.

Surface treatment and mosaic collection

Be sure to responsibly prepare the surface for the future masterpiece. The desired image is applied with a very thin layer of pencil. It all depends only on your imagination. If it is difficult to draw on your own, then use modern technologies: Select a drawing on the Internet and print it on a printer. Before doing this, muffle the colors and outlines in the graphics editor.

The finished shell must be chopped into equal pieces. Just spread the starting material on paper and roll it over with a rolling pin. Just do not overdo it: too small pieces are difficult to put on the glue. Large shells look sloppy, so find a middle ground.

The glue is applied in portions to the paper. Only after that, pieces of the shell are applied. You need to start with the largest particles. There should be space between the pieces, but minimal. Making crafts from eggshells is a long, but interesting task. If the pieces look ugly, use a utility knife. With its help, you can give the shell any shape. Take your time creating your mosaic.

We decorate a shell or vase

Start exploring other finishing methods after you receive your first eggshell applique. The master class can also be found in this article. It doesn't matter what you choose for decoration. The main thing is to prepare the workspace before gluing the egg shells.

Surface wooden product you need to sand thoroughly. After that, a primer is applied. It is better to immediately paint the product in the desired color. Only after completing these points can you start decorating the little thing. Then the same points are repeated as in the case of the usual mosaic.

Eggshell bottle

The bottle can be an addition to any interior. The main thing is to decorate it correctly. An excellent option would be an eggshell mosaic on its surface.

We find a bottle, wash it and degrease it.
In order for the shell to adhere well to the glass, you must use a napkin. It is divided into layers and glued to the walls of the vessel.
Glue the shell pieces gently. After drying, another thin layer of napkin is glued on top of the original material.
Next, a primer is applied and its final drying is expected.
Drawing is done with paints or decoupage technique is used.
Do not forget to secure the finished panel with a layer of varnish. Such a bottle can be placed in any room or presented to a loved one.

These are the crafts you can make from eggshells. Be sure to create with your children, they will appreciate this kind of activity.

For the bravest

Girls can experiment with egg crumbs left over from decorative work. Everyone knows that eggshell mosaic looks good in the interior of the room. But this is not the only way to use this natural material.

All women of fashion follow their nails. Every week they visit nail salons to create another masterpiece. Try to make a very interesting effect on your nails at home.

process the surface of the nails and give them the desired shape;
cover the nail plate with a layer of transparent varnish, now apply the crushed eggshell crumbs to the dry surface;
cover the original material with any color.

Such a manicure will look interesting on your pens. And making it is very simple.

This is how you can use inconspicuous eggshells. Agree, each of these options looks creative and stylish. Experiment and create beautiful things with your own hands. It's easy to be original: open your creative potential, and you will succeed!

If your child is a creative person and likes to create different kinds handicrafts from improvised means, invite him to make a mosaic from eggshell... This lesson develops fine motor skills and develops the habit of perseverance in children, which is undoubtedly a huge plus for young schoolchildren. Creating mosaics will be interesting not only for girls, but also for boys, if you choose the right picture.

In order to do this shell craft, you will need the simplest materials:

Shells from raw eggs.

PVA glue.

Any drawing.

Acrylic paints.

Fig. 1 Eggshell mosaic

Eggshell Mosaics are of two types:

1. The first, the simplest and most suitable for little craft lovers, is when the eggshell, after being glued to the main drawing, is painted in different colors using acrylic paints... Or when the shell is painted before being glued to the surface. Thus, it is possible to preserve the main background of the image.

Fig. 2 Eggshell mosaic

2. The second method is more difficult and suitable for older children. In this case, shells of different natural shades are taken. Thus, a mosaic of eggshells in pastel colors is obtained. It turns out very nicely.

Fig. 3 Eggshell mosaic in natural colors

Instructions for making eggshell mosaic.

1. First you need to prepare the shell.

1.1. Divide raw eggs carefully into two parts and immerse them in cold water for 10-15 minutes.

1.2. Then we remove the film from the inside of the shell, after which we dry it well.

As mentioned earlier, you can paint the shell at the very end, after gluing it to the image.

2. When the eggshell is prepared, you can start choosing a pattern. It is recommended to choose images with large details and clear outlines. It is much more convenient for children to glue fragments with clearly visible edges.

Fig. 4 Butterfly-shaped eggshell mosaic

3. After the picture is selected, it must be glued to a cardboard surface or transferred through a carbon copy. This is done so that the surface on which it will be glued eggshell mosaic did not swell or deform.

4. When the drawing and eggshell are prepared for work, you can proceed directly to gluing the mosaic. For this, PVA glue is applied to a small fragment of the image.

5. Then take a large piece of egg shells and crush gently on a flat surface. In this way, the mosaic details will be the most suitable for each other. They should be glued with a slight indent from each other (about 1 millimeter). For convenience, tweezers and a thin wooden stick are recommended. With their help, it is much easier to pick up and move fragments. eggshell mosaics.