Pysanka- an egg decorated with traditional symbols painted with wax and dyes. Easter eggs making was associated with the pre-Christian folk custom of meeting spring, and later with Easter.

This type of folk art is widespread in many Slavic peoples, including the Ukrainian one. Researchers believe that the Ukrainian Easter egg has more than 100 symbolic drawings.

Pysanka (dumplings) - the symbol of the Sun; life, his immortality; love and beauty; spring revival; kindness, happiness, joy.

In the myths of many peoples of the world, it is the egg that is the peacemaking principle. Among the pagan Slavs, Easter eggs existed already at the time of the Ants - our great-ancestors / III - VIII centuries. n. BC / and were a symbol of the solar cult. Birds are the messengers of spring resurrection, the Sun, and their testicles are the emblem of the sun - life, birth.

The bird's egg in general is the embryo of life, the symbol of the sun god; in ancient times, it symbolized - good, joy, happiness, love, wealth, success, the disposition of good forces, the protection of a person from evil forces. (Kilimnik S. Ukrainian year. - Book 2. - p. 176)

A clean, smoothly colored or patterned egg acquired a symbolic religious and ritual meaning long before Christianity. Many peoples have preserved legends in which the egg is the source of life, light and warmth, even the embryo of the entire Universe. There are also numerous versions of legends explaining the existence of Easter eggs during the Easter holidays, link the emergence of the traditions of painting Easter eggs with the Gospel events (the passion of Christ), etc.

With the introduction of Christianity, the symbolism of Easter eggs is gradually changing. She became a symbol of joy and faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a symbol of forgiveness. Easter eggs were used as an objectified symbol of love, giving them to young people. In folk medicine, they "pumped out" diseases. Consecrated Easter eggs were buried in the ground / for a high harvest /, placed in a coffin, in a manger for cattle. The husk from the Easter egg was thrown “for good luck” on the roof of the house, etc. It is interesting that Easter egg painting was inherent only to those ethnic groups that began to be called Ukrainians.

Considering the physical characteristics of the egg shell, medieval Easter eggs have not survived to this day. However, the mass painting of eggs in Ukraine has existed for centuries. In the XIX century. the production of Easter eggs in various artistic versions existed throughout Ukraine.

Easter eggs were made in the spring, before Easter, by rural girls and women, monastic monks and icon painters, city ladies, bakers and others. Therefore, the decoration technique was different. In the village, eggs were painted in one color, sometimes patterns were scratched out, decorated with wax and painted in several colors, while in the city they resorted to various artificial methods - they pasted pieces of colored paper, foil, fabric, thread, etc. Easter eggs were mostly made for themselves and only occasionally for sale at the fair.

Once upon a time, they performed magical actions with Easter eggs. To ensure the harvest, they were rolled on green wheat on spring Yuri and buried in the ground. On Easter mornings, the young people washed themselves with water, in which they put eggs and silver coins, which were supposed to give strength and beauty. Consecrated Easter eggs were a talisman of a home from thunder and fire, and people and animals - from the "evil eye", they were used as a cure for certain diseases. Easter eggs served as an object of fun for children and youth. They played with them "cue ball", "wheelchair" and others. From empty Easter eggs, adding a tail, wings and a head of dough from colored paper to them, they made so-called "pigeons". They, as well as Easter eggs, strung on a string (usually three), were hung near the icons, thus decorating the home.

Easter eggs symbolism

Krashanki are considered the most ancient - these are eggs of the same color. Subsequently, multi-colored Easter eggs appeared, in which various natural dyes were used. Such paints, unlike modern ones, had pleasant soft shades. But the color in the egg appeared not only for the sake of beauty, but also received its symbolic meaning, the origin of which is not accidental.

The yellow, golden, orange colors of the Easter egg affect a person like the sun's rays, give a joyful, light mood. In Easter eggs, they mean warmth, hope, heavenly bodies, harvest on the farm.

The red color on Easter eggs is probably the most significant. No wonder in the popular language he came close to the concept of the beautiful, the words "red" - "good" have become synonyms. Red paint symbolizes goodness, the joy of life, for young people - the hope for a happy marriage. It is the red egg that is the main symbol of the Resurrection, sacrifice and heavenly fire.

Green color means spring awakening of nature, hope for a good harvest.

Blue- sky, air, as well as health.

Brown, brown - the earth and its hidden life force.

The black color - the color of the night, otherworldly, everything unknown and secret. In Easter egg, being the background, it manifests the power of other colors, just as in life, darkness makes it possible to understand what light is. It also symbolizes the infinity of a person's life, the continuation of being after death.

The multicolored Easter egg is a symbol of family happiness, peace, prosperity.

Dark Easter eggs were painted for the farewell, as an expression of respect for those who departed to another world.

Dividing the surface of the Easter egg

Remember children's tongue twisters in which numbers are used? And what about fairy tales in which either three kingdoms or three sisters are certainly present? For our ancestors, numbers were sacred, each had its own meaning and strength. Therefore, the division of the surface of the egg into a certain number of parts and the steady repetition of some elements are not accidental.

Splitting into two conveyed the idea of \u200b\u200btwo worlds. Divided into three more often vertically, so the three celestial spheres were designated. When divided into four, a cross is formed, which means four cardinal points.

The classical division of hemispheres into four parts, each of which is divided into three, conveys the idea of \u200b\u200bfour seasons with three months. According to other ideas, the world was divided into six sides. This spatial orientation is conveyed by a hexagonal star.

Investigating Easter eggs, scientists have suggested that in ancient times there was an eight-year calendar cycle. In folk mythology, the sky has eight spheres - "clouds": seven are blue, and the eighth is red, on which God himself sits.

A very interesting section into forty parts, the so-called forty lines. Each wedge denoted a certain type of human activity or a natural phenomenon, and in the Christian vision - forty days of fasting.

Ornament of Easter eggs is symbolic. It is based on three cardinal symbols that reflect the structure of the Universe vertically: a circle, a square (or rhombus) and a center, a world axis, in the form of a cross, a tree, an 8-shaped sign. Hence, there are three types of ornament: circular, key, wicker.

The design of the ornament is called a divorce and is a grid formed from the intersection of circles and ovals encircling the egg. In the divorce fields, ornamental forms are placed - magic signs-symbols.

If the egg is divided by a girdle in two vertically and its sides are mainly decorated, then such an egg is called lateral. The main dividing belt can be in the form of thread, ribbon, decorated or unadorned. It may be absent altogether, but the principle of placement of the main ornamental forms is preserved. Thus, we have Easter eggs "belted" and "unbelted". Divide the egg in two along the meridian, and then into four parts. The signs will be placed in the formed egg slices, and such an Easter egg will be called longitudinal by the type of divorce. The "eight-fold" divorce consists of eight spheroidal segments formed from four equal vertical lobes of an egg, surrounded by an equatorial line.

The mesh is a symbol of fate. Protects from evil spirits, separates evil from good.

The yellow mesh is a symbol of the sun and fate that is being built here.
Dots are a symbol of fertility.

Ornamental forms are placed in the fields vertically, diagonally, radius, segment. They alternate in a checkerboard pattern, repeat. The same sign can be placed "in opposite directions.

If the ornament as a whole is characterized by a rhythm, then the ornaments of Easter eggs allow us to speak of tempo rhythm. Ornamental forms, based on a broken cross, a swastika, create the impression of movement - rotation of two halves of an egg in opposite directions .

The meaning of symbols on Easter eggs

When the egg is divided, fields of various shapes and sizes are formed. They form the basis for the placement of ornament elements. Each of these signs came to us from time immemorial, but most of them can be read, because even very strange signs at their core express objects that are close and understandable to us. We, like our ancient ancestors, rejoice at the first spring leaves, listen in surprise to the singing of a lark, admire the flow of the river. To express the eternal, our ancestors created symbols. Let's take a look at the main ones.

The sun

The life of ancient people was very difficult. It was difficult to survive the cold winter, to wait for the new harvest. The arrival of the long-awaited spring was perceived as the birth of a new sun, the liberation of the heavenly body from the forces of darkness. Therefore, all the best in human life is associated with the symbol of the sun. Among the pagan gods Dazhbog - the sun god - was one of the main ones. In Christianity, the sun has also become a symbol of God, since God is light.

Cross

One of the solar signs, a symbol of the universe, four cardinal points, four winds, four seasons. It comes from a schematic representation of a bird, in ancient times the sun was represented as a bird flying across the sky.

In Christianity, the cross is a symbol of suffering, death and resurrection, with which the church begins everything, blesses and sanctifies.

Swastika, swarga or broken cross

Sign of holy fire, sun and eternal motion. One of the oldest symbols in general. For the first time, his images are found on the products of primitive hunters, and this is about thirty thousand years ago. According to popular belief, a broken cross foreshadowed good and protected from dark forces. Varieties of the swastika are widely used not only in painting eggs, but also in embroidery, ceramics, and woodcarving.

Rose, rosetta, star

Symbolizes the sun and morning dawn. It contains an oblique cross, a straight cross, as well as left and right swastikas. In folk symbolism, it is an invariable symbol of love. To give an Easter egg with a star meant to confess your love.

Endless or crooked

The sign of one of the main elements is water. Essential for all living things, water could be both evil and unforgiving at the same time during the spring flood. Wondering at the strength and tirelessness of water, our ancestors signified eternity with its sign. The wavy line is the predecessor of the cruciform symbolism. Rooted in Trypillian culture, this symbol of eternal movement and continuity of life is still an indispensable attribute of Pisankara art. "Meander" is interpreted as a symbol of water, fertility and life cycle.

Rakes, combs, triangles with combs

They belong to the symbols that are associated with water. They represent clouds and rain. Easter eggs with rakes wrote in a drought, believing that by writing this sign, you can call the long-awaited heavenly waters.

Deer

A symbol of prosperity, wealth. It has existed since the days of primitive hunters, when the meat of this animal was the main food, leather was needed for sewing clothes and building housing, and weapons and jewelry were made from bones and horns. In folk mythology, the heavenly deer carries the sun on its horns. The running deer was the prototype for longevity and good health.

Horse

The horse symbol is also associated with sun worship. According to ancient legends, the sun rides across the sky in a chariot drawn by fiery horses. In Christianity, a horse is an image of a fearless soothsayer of faith, unrestrained, ready for self-sacrifice. The horse meant strength and love for work.

Bird

A symbol of the birth of life, fertility, offspring, prosperity, semi-earthly, semi-heavenly being. The rooster was considered a guide of God's sun and a guard against evil, the dove - a symbol of love, fidelity and harmony. In Christianity, a bird is a symbol of ascension to God.

Duck's feet, God's handle, glove, grandfather's fingers

The bird's footprint was also a talisman, like the handprint of the pagan Sun God, which in ancient times was associated with a bird. Such signs symbolized power, patronage, integrity - everything that was associated with respect for the hand.

Tree of life or flowerpot

According to popular beliefs, in the middle of paradise there is a large tree - the Tree of Life. It covers the entire paradise, has the leaves and fruits of all trees. It is on it that there are three brothers - the Sun, the Moon and the rain, or their Christian substitutes - the Lord and Saints Peter and Paul. Designates the axis of the universe, which unites in itself three worlds - underground, earthly and heavenly, the so-called fairytale "three kingdoms". A symbol of nature, forever renewed.

The tree of life also symbolizes the development of the clan - father, mother and child. Therefore, as a rule, the tree has three branches. In Christianity, it is a symbol of God's wisdom.

One of the most common symbols on Easter eggs, as well as towels, wall paintings, carpets, dishes, is the symbol "Tree of Life", or as it is also called - "flowerpot". The oldest Ukrainian carols brought to us the ancient ideas of people about those times when there was no sky or earth, but there was only an open sea, and on it there was a green sycamore. So, in the form of a tree - poplar, willow, oak, birch, apple, pear - the core of the universe was presented, around which the balance of opposites was established. The world tree is always depicted not natural, but stylized, i.e. simplified, generalized. In such images, it is necessary to divide into three tiers vertically and observe a clear system of right and left sides. The lower part is the roots, entering the ground, often represented in the form of a triangle, a pot. It contains snakes, fish, water birds and animals, therefore part of the tree is not only the underworld, but also the sea, river, all water. Also, the lower part of the World tree is the world of the underground god, the lord of the underground fire and untold riches, the embodiment of ideas about the world otherworldly, bygone days. The middle tier personifies the earth, the real world, the world of the present. It features large animals - bulls, horses, deer, wolves, bears - and humans. The upper part of the World Tree rises to the boundless heights - to God. Birds, bees and celestial bodies settle in the upper reaches. It often happens that the sun is at the top of the tree. The tree of life is also a tree of the genus, where each flower denotes a relative, and all together - the embodiment of the pedigree of a particular person. A simpler three-member designation of a tree-family. This is a trunk with three branches: father, mother, child.

An amazing property of the Tree of Life is its ability to transform into a Woman-Shore with her hands raised to the sky. By the way, in the ancient myths of some peoples of the world, a woman was formed from a tree. The image of the World Tree is an image of embodied fertility, is associated with the Mother Goddess, is her symbol and attribute.

The great goddess was considered the mistress of not only the sky, but all nature. Often, the sign of the earth was depicted on her legs (while the legs of the goddess turned into roots) or she was drawn as a serpentine, since the earth is the seat of the Snake. A similar image of the female progenitor was widely known among other peoples: among the Egyptians - Isis, among the Babylonians - Ishtar, among the Greeks - Hera, among the Thracians - Semele, among the Scythian farmers - Tabitha.

In Ukrainian ornaments, the "Tree of Life", as a rule, is depicted very realistically. The trees of unsurpassed beauty were embroidered on huge towels of the Kiev and Poltava regions. And on Easter eggs, they gradually acquired the laconic form of the now well-known "flowerpots", "three-leafed". At the same time, even in antiquity, an abstract image of the "Tree of Life" - "trident", which later became the emblem of Ukraine, began to dominate.

Oak leaves

Oak in Ukrainian traditions has always been associated with strength and power. Oak leaves are a favorite motif in men's shirt embroidery. According to pre-Christian beliefs, the oak was the world's tree. Oak trees are more often struck by lightning, and therefore it is also a symbol of God's thunder.

Trirog or trinog, triquetr

One of the oldest symbols of the sun, as well as the sign of the holy number "three".

On many folk Easter eggs there is an image of Fire, Sun, Dawn. Fire, next to water, is a factor in the universe, a symbol of male power. Since Fire and Water are brother and sister, and, having united, they formed love, the earth and everything that is on it, then in many rituals Fire is a symbol of love, which is the messenger of the Sun on Earth and gives people light, warmth, bread and any food helps in crafts (forging), but, like the sun, it can be good or dangerous depending on the attitude of people towards it. Therefore, Fire, like the Sun, must be respected and not anger - because then it can severely punish. There are strict prohibitions on spitting on fire, throwing trash, etc. Triquetra- a symbol of fertility, fire, masculine strength.

On Easter eggs, Fire is denoted by the sign "Troyer" (other names for this sign are "triquetr", "tripod"). It is believed that the triune is a sign associated with the Neolithic (Stone Age) god of the earth, and fire was one of his attributes. Also, this sign is a symbol of fertility, since the God of the earth was the carrier of the male, fertilizing factor. The triple crochet consists of three rounded or broken hooks extending from a common center, or from a circle or triangle.

Pines, ate, Christmas trees

They are considered symbols of eternal youth, health, growth and immortality.

Symbols-amulets

The exhibit, kept in the Kiev Historical Museum, has a symbolic name - "Bereginya". As we know, in pre-Christian times, our ancestors believed in the Great Goddess - Bereginya or Makosh. This symbolic image - a stylized female figure with arms raised upwards - later turned into a plot reproduction of the Mother of God.

Sigma- the symbol of the snake. Found on ceramics of the Tripoli culture. Means water, thunder, lightning. The snake guards the hearth.

Symbols of strength and endurance

In the old days in Russia, as soon as a girl was born, she was washed in a font from a decoction of viburnum and willow leaves. They gave feminine strength, a woman then becomes a good wife and gives birth to healthy children. When a boy was born, an oak tree was planted in his honor and the baby was bathed in an infusion of oak leaves. Oak leaf - so that the strength is not exhausted.

Love symbols

Since ancient times, a dove has been considered a symbol of love. If you want to have a happy family, then draw doves on an oak tree. Fir-tree also symbolizes love (smereka). In order to find out how many years the girl will marry, they ask the cuckoo about it. Therefore, the cuckoo is a symbol of love. And to be always paired with a loved one, they paint flowers with paired petals.

Symbols to promote the birth of children

Health and longevity symbols

So that no one gets sick, a sun, a rose, a fish, a deer are drawn on the testicles. And the endless contributes to the fact that people live long, so that misfortune comes to them and that beekeepers have a good honey harvest.

Symbols favorable to a rich harvest

The rhombus is the symbol of the earth, the dots are the seeds, and the rakes are the symbol of rain.

Square and rhombus

Four elements, four seasons, four life stages (birth, youth, maturity and old age), four cardinal points and time of day - were successfully encrypted in the sides of the square. The mesh "square" ornament "sieve" symbolized the eternal separation of the concepts of good and evil.

Spiral

This symbol represented the primitive ideas about the structure of the universe. The spiraling line also denoted water or a coiled snake, personifying the feminine. In addition, the spiral was identified with a labyrinth, which "entangles" evil forces on the way to a pure soul.

Symbols that heal

Warning Symbols

To reduce the occurrence of disasters, take care of your farms. Easter eggs with warning symbols will also help you. The "teeth of a wolf" and "bear paws" will remind about predatory animals, "bunny ears" will remind you that you need to protect vegetables, and the "beak of a raven" on an Easter egg will remind you of the danger of birds of prey. If such eggs are kept at home, then they will protect pets and remind of danger.

Christian symbols

These were Christian symbols. On one was a beautiful church, on the other - 40 wedges, and there were also Easter eggs with crosses surrounded by an endless, and with the words "Christ is Risen".

The triangle is often found on Easter eggs and denotes the trinity of the world: heaven, earth and water, father, mother and child.

The triple principle - earth, man and sky - found its expression in this symbol. In our ancestors, a triangle filled with mesh or linear shading meant a plowed field. In the Christian interpretation, forty triangles have acquired the meaning of forty days of fasting or forty martyrs.

Plant and animal motives

Pysankarkas constantly drew inspiration for their patterns from the natural world, depicting flowers, trees, vegetables, leaves and whole plants in a very stylized way. Such symbols reflected the renewal of nature and life.

The most popular floral design is a flowering potted plant or a tree that symbolized life. Cherry, a symbol of girlish beauty, was supposed to bewitch love. On Hutsul Easter eggs, you can often see a stylized pine branch - a symbol of eternal life and youth. There is a belief that the one who wash his face with sacred water, in which there were eggs, will always be young, healthy and beautiful. The grape motif symbolized brotherhood, benevolence and long-term, faithful love.

The ornament of apples and plums was supposed to bring wisdom and health. Among the flowers depicted on the Easter eggs were roses, periwinkles, lilies of the valley, sunflowers, tulips and carnations. All of them were supposed to help the plants ripen.

Pine is a symbol of health.
Oak is a symbol of strength.
Plums are a symbol of love.
Hops are a symbol of fertility.
Any berry is a symbol of fertility; mother.
Flowers are a symbol of girlhood.

Wishing to add to the family, the Easter egg was decorated with images of flowers: bells, periwinkle, lilies of the valley, and carnations. Viburnum leaves meant strength, endurance, faith in justice. Oak leaves symbolized faith in the forces of nature and worship of the gods.

Although animal motifs are not as popular on Easter eggs as plant motifs, we still find them, especially on Hutsul products. These symbols had a double meaning: to provide their owners with the best signs of animals, such as health and strength, and to assure a long and fruitful life for animals. Animals such as deer, rams, horses, fish and birds were drawn in abstract terms; sometimes Easter eggs reproduced only parts of animals - duck necks, hare ears, chicken legs, ox eyes, ram's horns, wolf teeth, bear paws.

The rooster and the dove were considered a bird of God that would awaken the sun and the human conscience, keeping everyone living in the house under its wing, the latter were written as a symbol of the soul and the Holy Spirit.

The dove is a symbol of the soul.
The swallow is the long-awaited arrival of spring.

Types of painting Easter eggs. Colorful easter eggs

Krashenki

Krashenki - from the word paint. You can paint eggs in different ways.
Some housewives boil eggs hard-boiled, and then immerse them in a solution of warm water with food coloring for 10-15 minutes, which can be bought at the store.
Other housewives like to paint eggs in a decoction of onion peels. For this, raw eggs are placed in a pot of water, the onion husks are added and boiled for 15-20 minutes until the eggs acquire the desired color.
And earlier eggs were painted in a special way: they were wrapped with dry leaves of oak, birch, nettle, tied with threads and boiled. It turned out beautiful "marble" eggs.

Drapanki

For drapani it is better to take brown eggs. The shell of these eggs is stronger than the white ones.
First, eggs are boiled, then dyed in a darker color, then dried. The pattern is applied to the shell with a sharp object - a knife, an awl, scissors, a thick needle, a clerical knife. But before scratching out the pattern, it must be applied to the egg with a sharp pencil. During work, the egg is held in the left hand, and a sharp object in the right.
An openwork pattern on drapunk looks good on brown or other dark paint.
The pattern on the drapunk can be anything, in contrast to the Easter egg with its strictly traditional geometric patterns. Scratch out the contours of the drawing with the edge of a clerical knife To create shades within the contours, we scribble the drawing not with the tip, but with the entire surface of the knife blade. Erase the pencil sketch with an eraser. The drawing is ready. For shine, you can rub the egg with a cotton swab and a drop of oil. Easter eggs are elaborately painted Easter eggs. Ukrainian Easter eggs are real works of folk art.
For drawing Easter eggs, elements of flora and fauna, geometric shapes are used. Each region of Ukraine had its own characteristic ornament and color. In the Carpathian region, eggs were painted yellow, red and black, in the Chernigov region - in red, black and white, in the Poltava region - in yellow, light green, white.
The pysanka was not painted, not painted, but written on a raw chicken egg. Every line on the egg is an arc. The arcs form circles and ovals and, crossing, divide the surface of the egg into fields, the name of which is the Easter egg baptismal shirt.
Easter eggs were supposed to be painted with the first blow of the bell. At first, the egg was dipped in yellow paint - "apple tree", and kept in it for three "ottenashey". Each color of the pattern was protected with wax. By the end of the work, the eggs turned into black gloomy koloboks. They were immersed in hot water or brought to the fire. The wax melted, and an Easter egg was born, as the sun is born out of the blackness of the night.
To make the pysanka shine, it was greased. They put a whisk around the cake - for God, on a dish with grain - for people, and dyes on sprouted oats - for parents. And three candles burned in honor of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Currently, the art of painting Easter eggs is being revived. Forgotten technique is being restored, new masters appear. In the city of Kolomiya, Ivano-Frankivsk region, an Easter egg museum has been created.

Malevanka

Malevanka - an egg painted with its own invented pattern.
They have no symbolic meaning, they can be painted with paint (not wax).
The name "Malevanki" comes from the word paint, Easter eggs are painted with invented patterns using paints.
Painters, painting Easter eggs, often, in addition to patterns, draw plot pictures, flowers, landscapes, and landscapes.

Eggs

Eggs - eggs carved from wood and stone, made from porcelain and clay were made in Russia in the 13th century.
Later, eggs were decorated with beads, lace, knitting, etc.
The most famous in the world "Yaychata" were made by the imperial jeweler Carl Faberge.

Pysanka- an egg decorated with traditional symbols painted with wax and dyes. Easter eggs making was associated with the pre-Christian folk custom of meeting spring, and later with Easter.

This type of folk art is widespread in many Slavic peoples, including the Ukrainian one. Researchers believe that the Ukrainian Easter egg has more than 100 symbolic drawings.

Pysanka (dumplings) - the symbol of the Sun; life, his immortality; love and beauty; spring revival; kindness, happiness, joy.

In the myths of many peoples of the world, it is the egg that is the peacemaking principle. Among the pagan Slavs, Easter eggs existed already at the time of the Ants - our great-ancestors / III - VIII centuries. n. BC / and were a symbol of the solar cult. Birds are the messengers of spring resurrection, the Sun, and their testicles are the emblem of the sun - life, birth.

The bird's egg in general is the embryo of life, the symbol of the sun god; in ancient times, it symbolized - good, joy, happiness, love, wealth, success, the disposition of good forces, the protection of a person from evil forces. (Kilimnik S. Ukrainian year. - Book 2. - p. 176)

A clean, smoothly colored or patterned egg acquired a symbolic religious and ritual meaning long before Christianity. Many peoples have preserved legends in which the egg is the source of life, light and warmth, even the embryo of the entire Universe. There are also numerous versions of legends explaining the existence of Easter eggs during the Easter holidays, link the emergence of the traditions of painting Easter eggs with the Gospel events (the passion of Christ), etc.

With the introduction of Christianity, the symbolism of Easter eggs is gradually changing. She became a symbol of joy and faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a symbol of forgiveness. Easter eggs were used as an objectified symbol of love, giving them to young people. In folk medicine, they "pumped out" diseases. Consecrated Easter eggs were buried in the ground / for a high harvest /, placed in a coffin, in a manger for cattle. The husk from the Easter egg was thrown “for good luck” on the roof of the house, etc. It is interesting that Easter egg painting was inherent only to those ethnic groups that began to be called Ukrainians.

Considering the physical characteristics of the egg shell, medieval Easter eggs have not survived to this day. However, the mass painting of eggs in Ukraine has existed for centuries. In the XIX century. the production of Easter eggs in various artistic versions existed throughout Ukraine.

Easter eggs were made in the spring, before Easter, by rural girls and women, monastic monks and icon painters, city ladies, bakers and others. Therefore, the decoration technique was different. In the village, eggs were painted in one color, sometimes patterns were scratched out, decorated with wax and painted in several colors, while in the city they resorted to various artificial methods - they pasted pieces of colored paper, foil, fabric, thread, etc. Easter eggs were mostly made for themselves and only occasionally for sale at the fair.

Once upon a time, they performed magical actions with Easter eggs. To ensure the harvest, they were rolled on green wheat on spring Yuri and buried in the ground. On Easter mornings, the young people washed themselves with water, in which they put eggs and silver coins, which were supposed to give strength and beauty. Consecrated Easter eggs were a talisman of a home from thunder and fire, and people and animals - from the "evil eye", they were used as a cure for certain diseases. Easter eggs served as an object of fun for children and youth. They played with them "cue ball", "wheelchair" and others. From empty Easter eggs, adding a tail, wings and a head of dough from colored paper to them, they made so-called "pigeons". They, as well as Easter eggs, strung on a string (usually three), were hung near the icons, thus decorating the home.

Easter eggs symbolism

Krashanki are considered the most ancient - these are eggs of the same color. Subsequently, multi-colored Easter eggs appeared, in which various natural dyes were used. Such paints, unlike modern ones, had pleasant soft shades. But the color in the egg appeared not only for the sake of beauty, but also received its symbolic meaning, the origin of which is not accidental.

The yellow, golden, orange colors of the Easter egg affect a person like the sun's rays, give a joyful, light mood. In Easter eggs, they mean warmth, hope, heavenly bodies, harvest on the farm.

The red color on Easter eggs is probably the most significant. No wonder in the popular language he came close to the concept of the beautiful, the words "red" - "good" have become synonyms. Red paint symbolizes goodness, the joy of life, for young people - the hope for a happy marriage. It is the red egg that is the main symbol of the Resurrection, sacrifice and heavenly fire.

Green color means spring awakening of nature, hope for a good harvest.

Blue- sky, air, as well as health.

Brown, brown - the earth and its hidden life force.

The black color - the color of the night, otherworldly, everything unknown and secret. In Easter egg, being the background, it manifests the power of other colors, just as in life, darkness makes it possible to understand what light is. It also symbolizes the infinity of a person's life, the continuation of being after death.

The multicolored Easter egg is a symbol of family happiness, peace, prosperity.

Dark Easter eggs were painted for the farewell, as an expression of respect for those who departed to another world.

Dividing the surface of the Easter egg

Remember children's tongue twisters in which numbers are used? And what about fairy tales in which either three kingdoms or three sisters are certainly present? For our ancestors, numbers were sacred, each had its own meaning and strength. Therefore, the division of the surface of the egg into a certain number of parts and the steady repetition of some elements are not accidental.

Splitting into two conveyed the idea of \u200b\u200btwo worlds. Divided into three more often vertically, so the three celestial spheres were designated. When divided into four, a cross is formed, which means four cardinal points.

The classical division of hemispheres into four parts, each of which is divided into three, conveys the idea of \u200b\u200bfour seasons with three months. According to other ideas, the world was divided into six sides. This spatial orientation is conveyed by a hexagonal star.

Investigating Easter eggs, scientists have suggested that in ancient times there was an eight-year calendar cycle. In folk mythology, the sky has eight spheres - "clouds": seven are blue, and the eighth is red, on which God himself sits.

A very interesting section into forty parts, the so-called forty lines. Each wedge denoted a certain type of human activity or a natural phenomenon, and in the Christian vision - forty days of fasting.

Ornament of Easter eggs is symbolic. It is based on three cardinal symbols that reflect the structure of the Universe vertically: a circle, a square (or rhombus) and a center, a world axis, in the form of a cross, a tree, an 8-shaped sign. Hence, there are three types of ornament: circular, key, wicker.

The design of the ornament is called a divorce and is a grid formed from the intersection of circles and ovals encircling the egg. In the divorce fields, ornamental forms are placed - magic signs-symbols.

If the egg is divided by a girdle in two vertically and its sides are mainly decorated, then such an egg is called lateral. The main dividing belt can be in the form of thread, ribbon, decorated or unadorned. It may be absent altogether, but the principle of placement of the main ornamental forms is preserved. Thus, we have Easter eggs "belted" and "unbelted". Divide the egg in two along the meridian, and then into four parts. The signs will be placed in the formed egg slices, and such an Easter egg will be called longitudinal by the type of divorce. The "eight-fold" divorce consists of eight spheroidal segments formed from four equal vertical lobes of an egg, surrounded by an equatorial line.

The mesh is a symbol of fate. Protects from evil spirits, separates evil from good.

The yellow mesh is a symbol of the sun and fate that is being built here.
Dots are a symbol of fertility.

Ornamental forms are placed in the fields vertically, diagonally, radius, segment. They alternate in a checkerboard pattern, repeat. The same sign can be placed "in opposite directions.

If the ornament as a whole is characterized by a rhythm, then the ornaments of Easter eggs allow us to speak of tempo rhythm. Ornamental forms, based on a broken cross, a swastika, create the impression of movement - rotation of two halves of an egg in opposite directions .

The meaning of symbols on Easter eggs

When the egg is divided, fields of various shapes and sizes are formed. They form the basis for the placement of ornament elements. Each of these signs came to us from time immemorial, but most of them can be read, because even very strange signs at their core express objects that are close and understandable to us. We, like our ancient ancestors, rejoice at the first spring leaves, listen in surprise to the singing of a lark, admire the flow of the river. To express the eternal, our ancestors created symbols. Let's take a look at the main ones.

The sun

The life of ancient people was very difficult. It was difficult to survive the cold winter, to wait for the new harvest. The arrival of the long-awaited spring was perceived as the birth of a new sun, the liberation of the heavenly body from the forces of darkness. Therefore, all the best in human life is associated with the symbol of the sun. Among the pagan gods Dazhbog - the sun god - was one of the main ones. In Christianity, the sun has also become a symbol of God, since God is light.

Cross

One of the solar signs, a symbol of the universe, four cardinal points, four winds, four seasons. It comes from a schematic representation of a bird, in ancient times the sun was represented as a bird flying across the sky.

In Christianity, the cross is a symbol of suffering, death and resurrection, with which the church begins everything, blesses and sanctifies.

Swastika, swarga or broken cross

Sign of holy fire, sun and eternal motion. One of the oldest symbols in general. For the first time, his images are found on the products of primitive hunters, and this is about thirty thousand years ago. According to popular belief, a broken cross foreshadowed good and protected from dark forces. Varieties of the swastika are widely used not only in painting eggs, but also in embroidery, ceramics, and woodcarving.

Rose, rosetta, star

Symbolizes the sun and morning dawn. It contains an oblique cross, a straight cross, as well as left and right swastikas. In folk symbolism, it is an invariable symbol of love. To give an Easter egg with a star meant to confess your love.

Endless or crooked

The sign of one of the main elements is water. Essential for all living things, water could be both evil and unforgiving at the same time during the spring flood. Wondering at the strength and tirelessness of water, our ancestors signified eternity with its sign. The wavy line is the predecessor of the cruciform symbolism. Rooted in Trypillian culture, this symbol of eternal movement and continuity of life is still an indispensable attribute of Pisankara art. "Meander" is interpreted as a symbol of water, fertility and life cycle.

Rakes, combs, triangles with combs

They belong to the symbols that are associated with water. They represent clouds and rain. Easter eggs with rakes wrote in a drought, believing that by writing this sign, you can call the long-awaited heavenly waters.

Deer

A symbol of prosperity, wealth. It has existed since the days of primitive hunters, when the meat of this animal was the main food, leather was needed for sewing clothes and building housing, and weapons and jewelry were made from bones and horns. In folk mythology, the heavenly deer carries the sun on its horns. The running deer was the prototype for longevity and good health.

Horse

The horse symbol is also associated with sun worship. According to ancient legends, the sun rides across the sky in a chariot drawn by fiery horses. In Christianity, a horse is an image of a fearless soothsayer of faith, unrestrained, ready for self-sacrifice. The horse meant strength and love for work.

Bird

A symbol of the birth of life, fertility, offspring, prosperity, semi-earthly, semi-heavenly being. The rooster was considered a guide of God's sun and a guard against evil, the dove - a symbol of love, fidelity and harmony. In Christianity, a bird is a symbol of ascension to God.

Duck's feet, God's handle, glove, grandfather's fingers

The bird's footprint was also a talisman, like the handprint of the pagan Sun God, which in ancient times was associated with a bird. Such signs symbolized power, patronage, integrity - everything that was associated with respect for the hand.

Tree of life or flowerpot

According to popular beliefs, in the middle of paradise there is a large tree - the Tree of Life. It covers the entire paradise, has the leaves and fruits of all trees. It is on it that there are three brothers - the Sun, the Moon and the rain, or their Christian substitutes - the Lord and Saints Peter and Paul. Designates the axis of the universe, which unites in itself three worlds - underground, earthly and heavenly, the so-called fairytale "three kingdoms". A symbol of nature, forever renewed.

The tree of life also symbolizes the development of the clan - father, mother and child. Therefore, as a rule, the tree has three branches. In Christianity, it is a symbol of God's wisdom.

One of the most common symbols on Easter eggs, as well as towels, wall paintings, carpets, dishes, is the symbol "Tree of Life", or as it is also called - "flowerpot". The oldest Ukrainian carols brought to us the ancient ideas of people about those times when there was no sky or earth, but there was only an open sea, and on it there was a green sycamore. So, in the form of a tree - poplar, willow, oak, birch, apple, pear - the core of the universe was presented, around which the balance of opposites was established. The world tree is always depicted not natural, but stylized, i.e. simplified, generalized. In such images, it is necessary to divide into three tiers vertically and observe a clear system of right and left sides. The lower part is the roots, entering the ground, often represented in the form of a triangle, a pot. It contains snakes, fish, water birds and animals, therefore part of the tree is not only the underworld, but also the sea, river, all water. Also, the lower part of the World tree is the world of the underground god, the lord of the underground fire and untold riches, the embodiment of ideas about the world otherworldly, bygone days. The middle tier personifies the earth, the real world, the world of the present. It features large animals - bulls, horses, deer, wolves, bears - and humans. The upper part of the World Tree rises to the boundless heights - to God. Birds, bees and celestial bodies settle in the upper reaches. It often happens that the sun is at the top of the tree. The tree of life is also a tree of the genus, where each flower denotes a relative, and all together - the embodiment of the pedigree of a particular person. A simpler three-member designation of a tree-family. This is a trunk with three branches: father, mother, child.

An amazing property of the Tree of Life is its ability to transform into a Woman-Shore with her hands raised to the sky. By the way, in the ancient myths of some peoples of the world, a woman was formed from a tree. The image of the World Tree is an image of embodied fertility, is associated with the Mother Goddess, is her symbol and attribute.

The great goddess was considered the mistress of not only the sky, but all nature. Often, the sign of the earth was depicted on her legs (while the legs of the goddess turned into roots) or she was drawn as a serpentine, since the earth is the seat of the Snake. A similar image of the female progenitor was widely known among other peoples: among the Egyptians - Isis, among the Babylonians - Ishtar, among the Greeks - Hera, among the Thracians - Semele, among the Scythian farmers - Tabitha.

In Ukrainian ornaments, the "Tree of Life", as a rule, is depicted very realistically. The trees of unsurpassed beauty were embroidered on huge towels of the Kiev and Poltava regions. And on Easter eggs, they gradually acquired the laconic form of the now well-known "flowerpots", "three-leafed". At the same time, even in antiquity, an abstract image of the "Tree of Life" - "trident", which later became the emblem of Ukraine, began to dominate.

Oak leaves

Oak in Ukrainian traditions has always been associated with strength and power. Oak leaves are a favorite motif in men's shirt embroidery. According to pre-Christian beliefs, the oak was the world's tree. Oak trees are more often struck by lightning, and therefore it is also a symbol of God's thunder.

Trirog or trinog, triquetr

One of the oldest symbols of the sun, as well as the sign of the holy number "three".

On many folk Easter eggs there is an image of Fire, Sun, Dawn. Fire, next to water, is a factor in the universe, a symbol of male power. Since Fire and Water are brother and sister, and, having united, they formed love, the earth and everything that is on it, then in many rituals Fire is a symbol of love, which is the messenger of the Sun on Earth and gives people light, warmth, bread and any food helps in crafts (forging), but, like the sun, it can be good or dangerous depending on the attitude of people towards it. Therefore, Fire, like the Sun, must be respected and not anger - because then it can severely punish. There are strict prohibitions on spitting on fire, throwing trash, etc. Triquetra- a symbol of fertility, fire, masculine strength.

On Easter eggs, Fire is denoted by the sign "Troyer" (other names for this sign are "triquetr", "tripod"). It is believed that the triune is a sign associated with the Neolithic (Stone Age) god of the earth, and fire was one of his attributes. Also, this sign is a symbol of fertility, since the God of the earth was the carrier of the male, fertilizing factor. The triple crochet consists of three rounded or broken hooks extending from a common center, or from a circle or triangle.

Pines, ate, Christmas trees

They are considered symbols of eternal youth, health, growth and immortality.

Symbols-amulets

The exhibit, kept in the Kiev Historical Museum, has a symbolic name - "Bereginya". As we know, in pre-Christian times, our ancestors believed in the Great Goddess - Bereginya or Makosh. This symbolic image - a stylized female figure with arms raised upwards - later turned into a plot reproduction of the Mother of God.

Sigma- the symbol of the snake. Found on ceramics of the Tripoli culture. Means water, thunder, lightning. The snake guards the hearth.

Symbols of strength and endurance

In the old days in Russia, as soon as a girl was born, she was washed in a font from a decoction of viburnum and willow leaves. They gave feminine strength, a woman then becomes a good wife and gives birth to healthy children. When a boy was born, an oak tree was planted in his honor and the baby was bathed in an infusion of oak leaves. Oak leaf - so that the strength is not exhausted.

Love symbols

Since ancient times, a dove has been considered a symbol of love. If you want to have a happy family, then draw doves on an oak tree. Fir-tree also symbolizes love (smereka). In order to find out how many years the girl will marry, they ask the cuckoo about it. Therefore, the cuckoo is a symbol of love. And to be always paired with a loved one, they paint flowers with paired petals.

Symbols to promote the birth of children

Health and longevity symbols

So that no one gets sick, a sun, a rose, a fish, a deer are drawn on the testicles. And the endless contributes to the fact that people live long, so that misfortune comes to them and that beekeepers have a good honey harvest.

Symbols favorable to a rich harvest

The rhombus is the symbol of the earth, the dots are the seeds, and the rakes are the symbol of rain.

Square and rhombus

Four elements, four seasons, four life stages (birth, youth, maturity and old age), four cardinal points and time of day - were successfully encrypted in the sides of the square. The mesh "square" ornament "sieve" symbolized the eternal separation of the concepts of good and evil.

Spiral

This symbol represented the primitive ideas about the structure of the universe. The spiraling line also denoted water or a coiled snake, personifying the feminine. In addition, the spiral was identified with a labyrinth, which "entangles" evil forces on the way to a pure soul.

Symbols that heal

Warning Symbols

To reduce the occurrence of disasters, take care of your farms. Easter eggs with warning symbols will also help you. The "teeth of a wolf" and "bear paws" will remind about predatory animals, "bunny ears" will remind you that you need to protect vegetables, and the "beak of a raven" on an Easter egg will remind you of the danger of birds of prey. If such eggs are kept at home, then they will protect pets and remind of danger.

Christian symbols

These were Christian symbols. On one was a beautiful church, on the other - 40 wedges, and there were also Easter eggs with crosses surrounded by an endless, and with the words "Christ is Risen".

The triangle is often found on Easter eggs and denotes the trinity of the world: heaven, earth and water, father, mother and child.

The triple principle - earth, man and sky - found its expression in this symbol. In our ancestors, a triangle filled with mesh or linear shading meant a plowed field. In the Christian interpretation, forty triangles have acquired the meaning of forty days of fasting or forty martyrs.

Plant and animal motives

Pysankarkas constantly drew inspiration for their patterns from the natural world, depicting flowers, trees, vegetables, leaves and whole plants in a very stylized way. Such symbols reflected the renewal of nature and life.

The most popular floral design is a flowering potted plant or a tree that symbolized life. Cherry, a symbol of girlish beauty, was supposed to bewitch love. On Hutsul Easter eggs, you can often see a stylized pine branch - a symbol of eternal life and youth. There is a belief that the one who wash his face with sacred water, in which there were eggs, will always be young, healthy and beautiful. The grape motif symbolized brotherhood, benevolence and long-term, faithful love.

The ornament of apples and plums was supposed to bring wisdom and health. Among the flowers depicted on the Easter eggs were roses, periwinkles, lilies of the valley, sunflowers, tulips and carnations. All of them were supposed to help the plants ripen.

Pine is a symbol of health.
Oak is a symbol of strength.
Plums are a symbol of love.
Hops are a symbol of fertility.
Any berry is a symbol of fertility; mother.
Flowers are a symbol of girlhood.

Wishing to add to the family, the Easter egg was decorated with images of flowers: bells, periwinkle, lilies of the valley, and carnations. Viburnum leaves meant strength, endurance, faith in justice. Oak leaves symbolized faith in the forces of nature and worship of the gods.

Although animal motifs are not as popular on Easter eggs as plant motifs, we still find them, especially on Hutsul products. These symbols had a double meaning: to provide their owners with the best signs of animals, such as health and strength, and to assure a long and fruitful life for animals. Animals such as deer, rams, horses, fish and birds were drawn in abstract terms; sometimes Easter eggs reproduced only parts of animals - duck necks, hare ears, chicken legs, ox eyes, ram's horns, wolf teeth, bear paws.

The rooster and the dove were considered a bird of God that would awaken the sun and the human conscience, keeping everyone living in the house under its wing, the latter were written as a symbol of the soul and the Holy Spirit.

The dove is a symbol of the soul.
The swallow is the long-awaited arrival of spring.

Types of painting Easter eggs. Colorful easter eggs

Krashenki

Krashenki - from the word paint. You can paint eggs in different ways.
Some housewives boil eggs hard-boiled, and then immerse them in a solution of warm water with food coloring for 10-15 minutes, which can be bought at the store.
Other housewives like to paint eggs in a decoction of onion peels. For this, raw eggs are placed in a pot of water, the onion husks are added and boiled for 15-20 minutes until the eggs acquire the desired color.
And earlier eggs were painted in a special way: they were wrapped with dry leaves of oak, birch, nettle, tied with threads and boiled. It turned out beautiful "marble" eggs.

Drapanki

For drapani it is better to take brown eggs. The shell of these eggs is stronger than the white ones.
First, eggs are boiled, then dyed in a darker color, then dried. The pattern is applied to the shell with a sharp object - a knife, an awl, scissors, a thick needle, a clerical knife. But before scratching out the pattern, it must be applied to the egg with a sharp pencil. During work, the egg is held in the left hand, and a sharp object in the right.
An openwork pattern on drapunk looks good on brown or other dark paint.
The pattern on the drapunk can be anything, in contrast to the Easter egg with its strictly traditional geometric patterns. Scratch out the contours of the drawing with the edge of a clerical knife To create shades within the contours, we scribble the drawing not with the tip, but with the entire surface of the knife blade. Erase the pencil sketch with an eraser. The drawing is ready. For shine, you can rub the egg with a cotton swab and a drop of oil. Easter eggs are elaborately painted Easter eggs. Ukrainian Easter eggs are real works of folk art.
For drawing Easter eggs, elements of flora and fauna, geometric shapes are used. Each region of Ukraine had its own characteristic ornament and color. In the Carpathian region, eggs were painted yellow, red and black, in the Chernigov region - in red, black and white, in the Poltava region - in yellow, light green, white.
The pysanka was not painted, not painted, but written on a raw chicken egg. Every line on the egg is an arc. The arcs form circles and ovals and, crossing, divide the surface of the egg into fields, the name of which is the Easter egg baptismal shirt.
Easter eggs were supposed to be painted with the first blow of the bell. At first, the egg was dipped in yellow paint - "apple tree", and kept in it for three "ottenashey". Each color of the pattern was protected with wax. By the end of the work, the eggs turned into black gloomy koloboks. They were immersed in hot water or brought to the fire. The wax melted, and an Easter egg was born, as the sun is born out of the blackness of the night.
To make the pysanka shine, it was greased. They put a whisk around the cake - for God, on a dish with grain - for people, and dyes on sprouted oats - for parents. And three candles burned in honor of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Currently, the art of painting Easter eggs is being revived. Forgotten technique is being restored, new masters appear. In the city of Kolomiya, Ivano-Frankivsk region, an Easter egg museum has been created.

Malevanka

Malevanka - an egg painted with its own invented pattern.
They have no symbolic meaning, they can be painted with paint (not wax).
The name "Malevanki" comes from the word paint, Easter eggs are painted with invented patterns using paints.
Painters, painting Easter eggs, often, in addition to patterns, draw plot pictures, flowers, landscapes, and landscapes.

Eggs

Eggs - eggs carved from wood and stone, made from porcelain and clay were made in Russia in the 13th century.
Later, eggs were decorated with beads, lace, knitting, etc.
The most famous in the world "Yaychata" were made by the imperial jeweler Carl Faberge.

Many years ago, preparing for Easter, we visited an Orthodox exhibition, the program of which included master class on "Easter eggs"... I have always wondered how these amazing ornate easter symbols... In general, I passed the master class. And now every year before the Feast of the Holidays, I draw several Easter eggs. Last year, little Ksenia joined this magical business.

Multicolor Easter Eggs

What do you need to paint Easter eggs?

• empty blown eggs;
• candle;
• wax (paraffin);
• scribblers;
• dyes for eggs or aniline dyes for fabric;
• pencil;
• lots of rags or paper towels
• several half-liter cans;
• spoons;
• threads for pendants;
• a large needle or a homemade wire needle.

Where to buy a scribbler?

1. I found this tool before Easter in the market where they sell all kinds of materials for needlework.
2. In Kiev, in fabric stores, such as "Textile-contact" or "Svitanok".
3. In handicraft shops, such as "Azur".
4. At all sorts of Easter exhibitions or master classes.
5. In online stores of goods for needlework.

How to blow eggs?

We used to make 2 holes in the egg with a needle and blow out the egg. But at the same time, the holes turned out to be wide and with cracks. The year before last we came up with the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking holes with a very thin drill and a tool that is called differently: engraver, dremel. I think that a similar shenanigans can be carried out using a conventional drill and the smallest drill.

How to paint an Easter egg?

1. First you need to cook everything, everything:

• remove the table, cover it with oilcloth, newspaper or tablecloth, which you do not mind getting dirty;
• find jars;
• put eggs in the tray (so that they do not suddenly roll away);
• set the candle vertically (in a candlestick or stick with hot wax to a plate);
• cut a part of a candle or another candle into thin pieces for a scribe;
• prepare paper towels or soft rags.

2. Prepare dyes. Professionals use special aniline dyes for fabrics so that the drawing will never fade or float. I am also good at working with regular egg dyes. Each bag must first be filled with hot water in a separate jar. I take 2 300 ml dye sachets. water. Add 1.5 tbsp. false. vinegar 9%. The coloring solution must cool completely before dipping eggs in it!

I usually cook: yellow, orange, red, blue and green. I once had aniline black dye. But I have never seen this again. Eggs with black color are very stylish and graphic!

3. Prepare a jar of diluted vinegar: 250 ml of water, 1 tsp. 9% vinegar.

4. Now we take the egg in our hands and start it sketch out pencil. First, draw auxiliary lines. This is necessary in order for the pattern to come out even. Then we inscribe the pattern into these lines.

5. We light a candle... We put a piece of wax in a scribe and warm up the scribblers over the fire. When the wax melts in it, you can start working.

6. Gently move the scribe along the hole in the egg, gradually increasing the amount of wax to completely close the hole with wax... We also close the second hole in the egg.

7. When 2 holes are closed with wax, lower the egg for 10-15 seconds in a vinegar solution... Tiny air bubbles will begin to appear on the surface of the egg. We quickly remove the egg from the solution and wipe it dry with a cloth or paper napkin.

8. Now we start drawing with a scribe along the lines that should remain white. Gently lead the scribblers along the line while the wax is hot. When the wax has cooled down, we reheat the scribblers on the fire and draw again.

9. If all the necessary lines are filled in, you can dip the egg in the paint for 30-60 seconds.

If you decide to draw a multicolored Easter egg, be sure to remember the rule for working with dyes: paint the egg from light to dark!For example, if you decide to paint a white-yellow-red-orange Easter egg, then first you paint the white details with wax, then paint the egg yellow, paint the yellow details with wax and dip the egg in orange, paint the orange parts with wax, and finally dip the egg in red. Only in this order can you get the desired result! You will not make the places painted in a dark color lighter.

10. When all the layers are ready, pick up the Easter egg and keep it above the fire at a distance of about 10-15 cm... The wax will begin to melt at the place where it is heated; it must be quickly wiped off with a cloth or paper towel. Thus, in a little way, we clear the whole egg of wax. We also remove the wax from the tapered holes. The pysanka is ready!

11. To turn a pysanka into a pendant, preparing pompom tassel... To do this, you need to wind a thread around your hand, grab the top of the winding with another thread and tie it tightly. Cut the bottom of the winding with scissors. Tie a pompom with a thread. Insert it into a long needle and pass the needle through 2 holes in the egg. A great Easter gift is completely ready!

What to draw on an Easter egg?

I often want to repeat vintage traditional patterns, but sometimes pulls to invent something of their own. For example, last spring our project “Grow Smart!” with a symbol in the form of a fox. We decided to draw this little fox on an Easter egg for good luck :)

And to make it easier for you to find a suitable pattern, we have opened our collection of Easter eggs in an album on Pinterest.

For more ideas, follow our link on Pinterest.

If you liked our master class, share it with your friends on social networks - perhaps they dare to draw their first in life traditional Slavic Easter egg! ;)

Christ is risen!

PISANKA is a unique work of folk art, it is a symbol of the Universe. The making of Easter eggs is associated with the pre-Christian folk custom of greeting the spring, with the awakening of the earth, the beginning of agricultural work, and later with Easter.

Pisankarstvo is present among many Slavic peoples, however, it became widespread only in Ukraine, turning into a vivid original phenomenon.

The "grandmother" of the Easter egg can be considered a "dye" - an egg painted in one color: yellow, red, green, blue, purple and even black. It was eaten and used in Easter fun. It was replaced by "speck", covered with specks and droplets of wax. Then there was "Malevanka" - a boiled egg painted with a brush. There were also "dryapanki" - one-color, with a scratched ornament. And the final version is, of course, a pysanka, whereby wax is applied to the surface of the egg with a thin tube - "scribble" (hence the name).

Pysanka is considered a symbol of life, sun, immortality, love and beauty, spring rebirth, goodness, happiness and contains a deep meaning. It is given as a sign of a truce, wishes of health, beauty and strength, used as a talisman against disaster and the elements, to treat various ailments, from fright and slander. Pysanka is also given to a girl as a testimony of love, and buried in the ground for a good harvest. It is presented at Easter as a sign of honor, friendship and joy, with the words "Christ is Risen!"

Ornaments and colors of Easter eggs are also not accidental. There are more than 100 symbolic drawings, each of which has its own purpose. Krivulka, for example, or endless - a symbol of life, solar movement, beginning and end. The trinoga symbolizes heaven, earth and air. There is another interpretation: this sign can mean fire, water and air. Regarding colors, the red symbolizes the joy of life, love; yellow - moon and stars, harvest; green - wealth, richness of the plant world; blue - clear sky, health; bronze - mother earth; black and white - respect for deceased relatives.

I invite you to join this amazing art.
You can draw Easter eggs with the whole family! Even simple patterns can be handled
children (of course, under your careful guidance). And believe me this
they will LOVE the process.

Today I want to tell you about how I make Easter eggs
In this short tutorial I will try to cover the basic techniques and
Easter eggs coloring techniques, understanding which you can create
your little masterpieces

For work we need:
- prepared egg
- wax
- simple pencil
- candle
- a scribbler or a brush (you can make it yourself by rolling a strip of a tin can with a cone)
- napkins
- food or aniline dyes

1. So, first you need to prepare the egg. We take a white egg, wash it well with soda, dry it with a napkin.
Now we take a small clove and make from the thicker side of the egg
a small hole (we press the carnation to the egg and scroll in different
directions).
Then we take the syringe, draw in air, insert the needle into the hole and VERY
slowly begin to blow air into the egg. We hold the egg with the hole down,
over the container where its contents will drain.
When all the contents of the egg have spilled out - wash it well, we collect it in
syringe water and rinse the middle of the egg with it, blow out the rest of the water
air.
Such an egg is called that - blown out.

Place the egg on a napkin with the hole down to drain the remaining liquid.
I recommend preparing the eggs in advance so that they dry out thoroughly.

2. Next, apply a simple pencil drawing to the egg. This requires
sit comfortably, elbows should be supported. We hold the egg in our left hand and
rotate slowly but evenly. Those. if you need to draw a straight line -
you need to rotate the egg, and not draw with a pencil, as on paper
You choose the pattern yourself.
First, you can divide the egg into "zones" in which the pattern will form:

I got the following pattern:

3. Now we take a scribbler, heat up the candle over the side flame:

We collect wax into it:

Warm it up again and carefully, wax the hole in the egg. it
you need to do so that paint does not get into the egg during staining.

4. Now we start the painting process.
First, we draw a scribe along those lines that should later remain white:

Here is our egg ready for the first coloring.

We begin to paint with a lighter paint and gradually move on to dark colors:

Here we painted the egg with yellow paint. Naturally, the waxed spots remained white.

Now we need to put wax on the places that should be yellow:

The egg is ready for the next painting. This time it's red paint:

And now I will have the last stain - blue paint:

At this stage it is completely unclear what the final result will be.
The more interesting and exciting the last stage becomes.
Now we need to remove all the wax from the egg.
To do this, gently gradually warm up the egg, without touching the candle flame and immediately erase the melted wax with a napkin:

this photo shows the difference between the erased piece and the waxed one:

P.S. I will also add a few words about how to make a scribbler yourself.

You need to find a piece of dense foil or thin sheet metal (so that it does not burn on
fire) about 6 cm by 6 cm in size, cut out a circle with a tail
for fastening and from this circle, making a slot in it - twist the cone,
to get such a watering can with a thin spout, so that hot wax
stood out in a very thin trickle. Attach to a stick or pencil by the tail. Here's a schematic:

For those who live in Kiev, I want to say that on Saturdays in the Potter's Museum there are MKs for painting Easter eggs. You can also buy scribblers there.

I wish everyone a wonderful spring mood and creative inspiration!

Everything around us has its own special meaning. And even if even our ancestors were not as educated as people in modern times, their perception of the Universe as a fragile egg is a vivid example of the ability to "mature at the root"

Our pagan ancestors also attributed special magical properties to the egg. A blown raw egg with an ornament "written" on it served as a powerful amulet in pre-Christian times. Each element of the ornament necessarily corresponded to a deep concept, but the whole composition was, in the end, a single harmonious whole.

With the advent of Christianity, the egg, as a symbol of reviving life, found its place of honor in religious rites. Also later, many legends appeared, explaining the semantic connection of the painted egg with the history of the Resurrection. Here is one of them.

ORIGIN OF WRITING

When Jesus was crucified. His wounds were bleeding. Drops of blood in front of everyone turned into dyes. The Mother of God, standing nearby, sobbed and prayed in grief. Drops of maternal tears spread over the dyes in unprecedented patterns, turning them into Easter eggs. Having collected all the dyes and Easter eggs, the Mother of God went to Pontius Pilate with a request to give her the opportunity to bury her Son. On the way, she handed out Easter eggs with wishes of peace and harmony.

Easter eggs in Russia have never been made for themselves, but only for a gift. If you have how many relatives a person had in those days and how closely people communicated with each other, then the whole family sometimes was engaged in painting eggs, just not to forget anyone, not to offend. Giving the Easter egg, the man seemed to say: behold, I wish you well-being and health. There were also masters of painting on eggs, they were called Easter eggs and had their own secrets.

Knowledge of color.

Red - joy of life, fire, solemnity, positivity.
4rd - the earth, the afterlife. (Used as an element of a picture or as a background on which a pattern will be applied.)
Brown - fertility, a symbol of wisdom.
Yellow orange - sunshine, rich harvest.
Blue - air, sky, wishes of health.
Green - resurrection of nature after a long winter sleep.
Connection Black and white - respect for ancestors, holiness.
Multicolor - a wish for love and family happiness.

Knowledge of symbols.

WOOD
The "tree of life" is one of the most popular ancient Slavic symbols. The repetition of this symbol, along with respect for nepotism - "family", was the wish for longevity. Depicting cherries, they attracted love, veto4s of pine trees symbolized youth and long life. The vine motif was faithful. Apples and cream is a wish for wisdom and health.

"BEREGINYA"
The image of a female figure with arms raised up is a traditional pre-Christian symbol of the goddess of fertility and the foremother of all living things. A woman from ancient times to this day is the protector of the o4aga, and a wise keeper of destinies.

A FISH
Before the fish became one of the main Christian symbols, its image was a talisman of prosperity, as well as a metaphorical image of vitality, clarity and clarity of thoughts.

RAKE
Agricultural symbol, representing rain, fertility. With the advent of Christianity, I received an additional interpretation of the descended divine grace.

PAU4OK
Such an outwardly unpleasant and even repulsive spider, thanks to the observation and wisdom of ancestors, received a semantic load as a graphical symbol of hard work and perseverance, became the patron saint of artistic crafts.

BABO4KA
The symbol of goodness, lightness and carelessness - was most often used to decorate Easter eggs intended for donation to children.

P4ELA
In addition to her great diligence and commitment to family values, P4ela also personified a pure soul and ingenuity. Easter eggs with the image of the p4ela were hidden under the hives, so that the eggs would swarm well.

TO4KI
Outwardly, the eggs, randomly scattered on the surface of the Easter eggs or forming a lace ornament, symbolized the stars in the sky. With the advent of Christianity, they began to recognize the tears of the Mother of God mourning over the Son.

HORSE AND DEER
Symbols of endurance and fortitude, personifying male sex. On its branchy lu4ah horns, the hard worker deer brings the sun to the sky every morning. The horse is an image of fearlessness and reckless faith in goodness.

BIRDS
Birds, harbingers of spring, are a popular ornamental motif. For example, a rooster is the herald of the coming morning, praising the sun's light and protecting against the influence of evil forces. Lasto4ka is the long-awaited arrival of spring.

SQUARE AND RHUMBUS
4 four elements, 4 four seasons, 4 four life stages (birth, youth, maturity and old age), 4 four cardinal points and time of day - but they were encrypted in the sides of the square. The set "square" ornament "sieve" symbolized the correct separation of the concepts of good and evil.

SPIRAL
This symbol represented the primitive ideas about the structure of the universe. The spiraling line also denoted water or a coiled snake, personifying the feminine. In addition, the spiral was identified with the labyrinth, which "entangles" evil forces on the way to the 4th soul.

FLOWERS AND LEAVES
Wishing to add to the family, the Easter egg was decorated with images of flowers: bells, periwinkle, lilies of the valley, carnations. Viburnum leaves signified strength, endurance, faith in justice. Oak leaves symbolized faith in the forces of nature and worship of the gods.

BESKONE4NIK
The wavy line is the predecessor of the cruciform symbolism. Rooted in the Trypillian culture, this symbol of good movement and continuity of life is still an indispensable attribute of Pisankara art. "Meander" is interpreted as a symbol of water, fertility and life cycle.

THE SUN
The sun symbol is one of the most ancient. Varieties of this symbol are octahedral stars, "broken crosses" and "cool horns", "running sun". The Easter egg decorated with a solar symbol protects from diseases, the evil eye, misfortunes and attracts joy and well-being.

TRIANGLE
The triple na4alo - earth, human and heaven - is expressed in this symbol. A triangle filled with setata or linear shading, in our ancestors, represented a plowed field. In the Christian interpretation, forty triangles have acquired the meaning of forty days of fasting or forty mu4enics.