Easter Egg Painting Ideas for the Point, the Base and the Equator
Three egg designs at a time, each with its colours or dyes, its tool and where it sits between the pointed end and the base. Keep the ones you have eggs for.
Easter Egg Painting Ideas for the Point, the Base and the Equator
Bee with stripes round the equatorYellow, black, white. Three black bands round the widest part, a face on the pointed end, white wings behind.
Carton family, one face per eggBlack, pink. A different expression on each egg, so a box of six reads as a family portrait. Paint pen.
Chalkboard egg with white doodlesMatte black, white. Black all over; dashes, crosses and spirals in white once it is dry. Chalk marker.
Chick with a triangle beakYellow, orange, black. Yellow all over, a small orange triangle on the front, dot eyes, a wing arc each side.
Colour-block halves with a bare beltTwo colours. Tape round the equator, paint each half, peel when touch dry to leave a clean bare band. Flat brush.
Confetti dashes on a white eggFive brights. Short single brushstrokes at every angle, evenly spread, none overlapping. Small flat brush.
Cotton-bud polka dots in three coloursThree brights on a bare shell. Press and lift in rows round the egg, a fresh bud for each colour. Cotton bud.
Daisy chain round the equatorWhite, yellow, green. A ring of daisies round the widest part: yellow dot, loop petals, stems linked.
Dipped-look gold baseAny matte colour, gold. Hold the pointed end and paint the blunt third gold with a slanted edge. Flat brush.
Fingerprint carrots pointing downOrange, green on a pale egg. Orange fingerprints with the narrow end down, three green dashes on top of each.
Free scribble in paint pensAny pens. One colour per turn, scribbled round and round; from a step away it reads as pattern. Paint pens.
Icing drips from the pointed endPink, white, five brights. Wavy icing edge round the top third, drips running down, sprinkle dashes last. Round brush.
Ladybird with a line down the backRed, black, white. Black cap over the pointed end, one line down the back, three spots a side. Cotton bud.
One initial on every egg in the boxOne colour, gold. A bold capital on the front of each egg, one per person, for place settings. Paint pen.
Rainbow rings from the point to the baseSix brights. One ring per colour starting at the pointed end; let each dry before the next one touches it.
Rice-shake speckleDry rice, drops of food colouring, a lidded tub. Colour the rice, add the egg, shake gently for a fine speckle.
Rings painted as the egg turns in its cupAny three colours. Hold the brush still against the shell and turn the egg in an egg cup; one ring per colour.
Robin's-egg blue with brown specklePale blue-green, brown. Blue all over, then flick thinned brown off a toothbrush, heavier at the blunt end.
Rubber-band stripes in two dipsYellow dye, then blue. Band the egg, dip yellow, dry, move the bands, dip blue: yellow, green and blue stripes.
Sleeping face with curved lashesBlack, pink on a bare shell. Two down-curved eyes with three lashes each, a tiny mouth, cheek dots. Paint pen.
Sponge-dabbed pastel eggTwo pastels, white. Dab the first colour all over with torn sponge, then the second, then white while damp.
Sticker-dot resist spotsOne dye, round stickers. Press the dots on, rub every edge down, dip, dry fully, peel to white spots.
Strawberry with the point downwardRed, white, green. Pointed end down: white seed flecks staggered over red, green sepals round the blunt top.
Surprised face on a brown eggBlack, pink. Wide dot eyes, raised brows, a small O mouth; the brown shell is the skin. Paint pen.
Thumbprint chicks on a blue eggBlue, yellow, orange, black. Three yellow thumbprints round the equator; pen on beaks, legs and eyes once dry. Thumb.
Tiny hearts from two dots eachRed or pink. Two cotton-bud dots side by side, pulled down to one point with a cocktail stick. Cotton bud.
White crayon zigzags under one dyeWhite crayon, any one dye. Draw firm zigzag rings round the egg before dipping; the wax lines stay white.
Your name in wax under pink dyeWhite crayon, pink dye. Write the name round the equator on a dry egg; it shows up in the dye bath. Crayon.
Wax resist and dye 7
Krapanka dots, light dye to darkWhite crayon, yellow dye, red dye. Dots only: dot the white shell, dip yellow, dot again, dip red. Crayon tip.
Oil-marbled eggTwo dyes, a spoon of cooking oil. Dye a pale base, dry, then roll once through a darker dye with oil floating on it.
One-dye ombre in three depthsOne dye. Dip the whole egg briefly, then two thirds, then the blunt third longest: three depths of one colour. Spoon.
Onion-skin egg with a leaf printBrown onion skins, one flat parsley leaf. Press the leaf on, tie tight in a stocking, simmer in the skins, unwrap.
Scratch-work spirals on a dark eggOne deep dye. Dye the egg dark, dry it fully, then scratch spirals back to the white shell. Pin or needle tool.
Tape-resist white cross bandsOne dye, narrow masking tape. One ring round the equator, one over both ends; dip, dry, peel to a white cross.
Two-dye halves meeting at the middleTwo dyes. Dip the pointed half in one colour, dry, dip the blunt half in the other; the overlap makes a third.
Animals 9
Bunny with ears drawn over the topWhite, pink, black. Pink nose mid-front, pen whiskers, two long ears running up and over the pointed end.
Fox with the pointed end as the snoutOrange, white, black. Egg on its side: white cheeks sweep back from the point, black nose on the very tip.
Frog with eyes on the upper curveGreen, white, black, pink. A wide mouth line round the front, eyes high on the curve, pink cheek dots. Fine brush.
Goldfish with the tail round the blunt endOrange, white, black. On its side: rows of U strokes for scales, the tail fanned over the blunt end. Fine brush.
Hedgehog with brushstroke spinesTan, brown, black. On its side, pointed end as the snout; short brown dashes cover the back two thirds. Flat brush.
Lamb in cotton-bud woolGrey, white, black. Dab close white dots over a grey egg for wool; black face and ears on the pointed end.
Owl with ring eyes and U feathersBrown, cream, yellow, black. Two cream discs high on the front, yellow rings inside, U strokes down the chest.
Penguin with a white bibBlack, white, orange. Blunt end down: white oval on the front, black everywhere else, orange beak and feet.
Whale with a spout over the topBlue, white, black. On its side, blunt end as the head: white belly, a tiny eye, a spout drawn over the top.
Faces 9
Cracked shell with eyes peering outBlack, yellow on a bare shell. Zigzag crack round the equator; two eyes in a dark gap, yellow fluff above. Pen.
Crying-laughing egg with blue tearsYellow, black, white, blue. Shut arc eyes, a big open grin with a white tooth band, one blue tear each side.
Egg in painted dungareesBlue, yellow, black. Blue from the equator down, two straps over the shoulders, one pocket, a face above.
Garden gnome with the hat on the pointRed, white, tan, black. Red hat over the top third, a round nose under its brim, white beard fanning below.
Heart-eyes emoji faceYellow, red, black. Two red hearts for eyes on the upper front, a wide open smile below them. Fine brush.
Humpty Dumpty in a bow tieRed, black, blue on a bare shell. Face on the upper half, belt at the equator, a red bow tie just above it.
Nesting-doll face and headscarfRed, cream, black, pink. The egg is already doll shaped: a face oval high up, scarf knot under the chin, flowers below.
Professor with half-moon glassesBlack, white, grey on a brown egg. Glasses low on the front, grey brows above, a neat moustache. Paint pen.
Winking emoji face on a yellow eggYellow, black, red. One arc eye, one dot eye, a grin, a small red tongue at one corner. Paint pen.
Botanical 10
Acorn with a cross-hatched capTan, brown. Blunt end up: brown cap over the top third, cross-hatched in darker pen, a stub stalk on the crown.
Blossom branch wrapping the eggBrown, pink, white on pale blue. The branch spirals once round the shell; five-dot blossoms along it. Cotton bud.
Blue-and-white porcelain floralsCobalt blue on white. One large bloom on the front, scrolling leaves round the sides, a band at each end. Liner brush.
Dandelion clock on tealTeal, white. A ball of fine white spokes on the front, five seeds drifting off round the side. Liner brush.
Fern frond up the long axisDark green on a pale egg. One frond from the blunt end to the point, leaflets shrinking as they climb. Liner brush.
Lavender sprigs leaning one wayPurple, sage green. Three thin stems from the base; stack short purple dabs up each one. Cotton bud for buds.
Olive-sprig wreath round an initialOlive green, gold. Two curved sprigs meet in a ring on the front, one gold initial inside. Fine brush.
Single leaf with scratched-out veinsGreen over a white egg. Paint one solid leaf, then pull the veins through the wet paint. Cocktail stick.
Tulips standing in a ringRed, yellow, green. Five tulips round the egg, cup shapes on straight stems, long leaves crossing. Round brush.
Wildflower meadow from the blunt endTwo greens, five flower colours. Stems start at the base and stop at different heights; top third left bare.
Galaxy and gold 9
Agate rings edged in goldWhite, three tones of one colour, gold. Wavy rings spreading from one side, the outermost edged in gold. Liner brush.
Aurora veils on midnight blueNavy, green, teal, violet. Drag three soft vertical veils down from the point with a damp flat brush; dot stars last.
Galaxy egg sponged over blackBlack, purple, blue, pink, white. Sponge three colours in a diagonal drift over black; flick white stars last.
Gold cracks branching from the pointBlack, gold. Hairlines fork downward from the pointed end, thicker at each fork, stopping short of the base. Gold pen.
Gold-leaf speckle on a deep colourAny deep colour, metal leaf, gilding size. Dab size in random spots, press leaf on, brush off the loose. Soft brush.
Moon phases round the equatorNavy, white, grey. Eight moons in a ring, new moon to full and back, each a disc partly painted out. Cotton bud.
One real constellation in goldNavy, white, gold. Plot the stars from a chart in white dots, join them with a fine gold line. Paint pen.
Planet set, one egg per planetOranges, blues, tan, white. Cloud bands on the gas giants, a ring drawn round one equator; eight eggs make the set.
Terrazzo chips on whiteWhite, four muted colours, gold. Small angular chips scattered evenly, none touching, a few of them gold. Fine brush.
How it works
An egg has no flat face and no edges: it has a pointed end, a blunt end and an equator. Each of these 72 Easter egg painting ideas says which one the design uses, with its colours or dyes and its tool. Decide first whether the eggs are for eating or display.
Read the full guide
A point, a base and an equator
An egg stands blunt end down, so a penguin or a nesting doll is already the right shape, and Strawberry with the point downward flips it. Four animals lie on their side, where the point makes a fox's snout. For rings, hold the brush still and turn the egg in its cup.
Wax resist: written, not painted
The name pysanka comes from pysaty, to write: the design goes on in beeswax from a small metal funnel. Dyes run light to dark and the wax comes off last. A white crayon does the same job. Krapanka dots, light dye to dark uses dots alone; Scratch-work spirals on a dark egg scratches dye back to bare white.
Paint one half, stand the egg in a bottle cap until touch dry, then turn it. Craft acrylic is usually touch dry in 10 to 20 minutes.
A brown egg is a free base coat: Surprised face on a brown egg uses the shell as skin.
For eggs to keep, an adult blows them through a hole in each end, then washes hands, tools and the table with hot, soapy water, as the FDA asks after contact with raw egg. An empty shell floats in dye, so hold it under with a spoon.
Questions and answers
Can we eat the eggs we decorate?
The US FDA says to hard-cook eggs you plan to eat, keep them in the fridge and not eat any left out for more than 2 hours, or any that were hidden or played with. Eggs decorated with craft paint, glue, glitter or metal leaf are for display, not for eating, and only the Wax resist and dye group avoids paint. For eggs you mean to eat, use food colouring or a dye sold for eggs.
Boiled, blown or wooden eggs?
Hard-boiled eggs suit small hands, and the FDA gives them one week in the fridge. A blown shell has nothing inside to spoil, but is fragile. Wooden and ceramic eggs take the same designs if the paint's label names the surface.
Which designs suit young children?
The Easy group holds 28 of the 72. Cotton-bud polka dots in three colours needs no brush, and White crayon zigzags under one dye is a drawing and a dip. Pins and simmering pans stay adult jobs: Onion-skin egg with a leaf print is one.