Nanette Thorell

How To Decorate an Egg Using Vinegar Etching (tutorial)

Vinegar etching is easy to do, and can produce dramatic results. Native American pottery and petroglyph designs are particularly adaptable to this method, as they use minimal colors and depend largely on pattern and design.

Here are the materials you will need:

These are some of the tools you will need

A regular pencil (medium or hard graphite is best).

A white, non abrasive, eraser (Pentel makes these).

A Kistka wax pen, either electric or manual (candle heated), and beeswax strips.

A section of measuring tape for mapping the egg design.

A toothbrush, for removing surface.

An egg blower (Blas-fix is shown).

Not shown: White vinegar, naphtha (for removing the wax), Kleenex. And a clean brown chicken egg.  Leave the insides in the egg for weight – you will empty it later.

Step 1: Lightly, with pencil, draw lines dividing the egg in eight sections.  Vertically (top to bottom) in quarters, and then horizontally around the middle.  This will help to keep your design organized and centered.  Make more divisions as desired.  Lightly sketch in your design.

Mapped lightly with pencil

Step 2: With your kistka (wax pen), fill in the design.  You will be waxing over the parts that you want to remain the brown color of the eggshell.  The negative (non waxed) space will be very light, almost white when you are finished etching.

Partially waxed in

Step 3: When the design is completely waxed in, set the egg in a jar of white vinegar.  Assure that the egg is submerged completely in the vinegar.

Soaking in white vinegar bath

Note: Bubbles will form on the surface of the egg because of the reaction of calcium to vinegar.  These bubbles will float the egg like a lifejacket. You’ll want to spoon the egg out a few times during the etching process so the bubbles can disintegrate and allow the egg to sink to the bottom again.

Step 4: The egg should take anywhere from 15-30 minutes for the brown surface to dissolve.  Remove the egg and brush the surface lightly with the toothbrush to remove the residue. Sometimes, the bubbles that have formed will prevent the etching and you will have a spotted surface.  You may re-submerge the egg in the vinegar if you want to remove more surface.

Unwaxed surface is etched off

Step 5: Now, you can remove the wax.  Lower the egg into a glass jar of naphtha, and let it work for about 5-10 minutes.  Spoon the egg out carefully and grasp it with a Kleenex.  The egg will be very slippery, so support it with the spoon until you have a good hold on it.  Wipe the surface with the Kleenex, rolling it around in the palm of your hand, until the wax is removed.  Give it a second dunk, and wipe with a clean Kleenex to remove any residual wax.

Wax is removed to reveal the design. The brown areas are the natural shell color.

Note:  I use naphtha (available at hardware stores) because it works quickly.  But it is harsh on your hands.  And extremely flammable.  You may also remove the wax by heating it with a candle and melting off the wax.  Be careful not to cook the egg inside, or you will never get it emptied.

The egg is now ready to empty and varnish.

I am working on a batch of eggs and writing this tutorial at the same time, so I can take pictures of the process.  I am now at the point of removing the wax from the batch of eggs.  Watch for another tutorial when I get ready to empty and varnish the eggs!

Hahaha – this little Dark Eyed Junco flew in the open door to check out what I was doing.  He must be wondering what kind of bird lays THOSE eggs!

A birds eye view of my eggs in process.

You can purchase the supplies online. I order my supplies from the following stores:
The Ukrainian Gift Shop
The Polish Art Center

Here is a book available at Amazon, which includes a chapter on Vinegar Etched Eggs:
Artful Eggs: Six Dozen Extraordinary Ways to Decorate an Egg

Questions? Feel free to post them in the Comments section below (click on the Comments link).

~Nan.