On Friday, April 11, The Centre for Folk Art Production, known as ÚĽUV, kicked off the Easter season. The centre brought together 6 Slovak craftspeople who specialise in various egg decorating techniques and the making of objects and decorations that are a crucial part of Slovak Easter, such as the korbáč (braided willow whip), and presented their remarkable work. RSI’s Patrícia Polakovičová spoke with ÚĽUV’s Mária Farkašová, whose expertise is in the art and craft of decorating Easter eggs.
As Ms. Farkašová explained, “There are 7 basic techniques for decorating Easter eggs. At ÚĽUV we strive to preserve these them and it is also our mission to educate about them. We have 140 craftsmen in our database who are dedicated to making Easter eggs.”
Ms. Farkašová went on to describe the seven basic techniques for decorating Easter eggs as per the Slovak traditions. Though they are categorized as “basic,” each one is actually quite intricate and requires both great patience and great skill. Video clips of some of the techniques are available on our Instagram account @rsi_en.
1. The wax painting technique is known for the plasticity of the decor, and the motifs are created with colored or white wax. This technique is known in the areas of Bardejov, Humenný, and Svidník.
2. The tie dye technique (batikovanie) is one of the oldest techniques and is very rich in ornaments. It is a combination of dyeing and waxing, with the wax being removed in the final phase. The decor is then created with a pin. A maximum of 7 colors can be used. It originates from eastern Slovakia and has spread to the west.
3. The scraping technique (vyškrabovanie) is one of the most demanding techniques, requiring precision. Such eggs are characterized by a plant motif and their production consists of mechanically removing dried paint from the surface of the egg. This technique was known in the areas of Myjava and Trenčín. (VIDEO INCLUDED ON IG)
4. The etching technique (leptanie) is the rarest of them all. The egg is blown out and painted in onion skins. This technique also depends on whether your egg is homemade or purchased, as homemade eggs will be colored better. The surface of the egg is later etched with 8% vinegar and then the surface is uncovered. This technique comes from the village of Polichno in central Slovakia, where it is still very famous today.
5. The original appliqué technique (oblepovanie) consists of gluing marsh grass onto an egg, from which ornaments are created. Today, we can also use cotton threads, which are adhered onto the egg using glue. Straw can also be used, but it must be ironed before gluing to make it flexible. This technique comes from the Vajnory area. (VIDEO INCLUDED ON IG)
6. The wire-wrapped decorating technique (drôtovanie) is one of the traditional techniques for decorating eggs, and tinkerers who could wire an egg were considered true masters. The egg is wrapped in the shape of various ornaments with copper or blackened wire. (VIDEO INCLUDED ON IG)
7. Technique using metal fittings or studs (okúvanie) is a very interesting technique, practiced by only one manufacturer in Slovakia. Each part of the egg motif must be carved by hand for several hours while keeping a lot of attention to ensure that the egg does not crack during the process.
