INCREDIBLE EGG ART HAPPENING RIGHT NOW

Taking something with iconic fragility, like an eggshell, and assaulting it with a power drill, might seem like a recipe for a shattered mess. But for a few extremely talented artists, it is the way to create incredibly intricate extraordinary sculptures.

The smallest finch eggs, right up to chicken, goose, and ostrich eggs, all turn into lace.

Egg decorating has been around for centuries, but the advent of high powered drills, outfitted with air compressors, has produced a whole new range of egg art.

While their techniques vary somewhat, to produce different styles and expressions, they all use reductive techniques, enabled by small drills fitted with tiny diamond and carbon bits.

It takes much practice, oceans of patience, laser-sharp attention, and fray-proof nerves.

We love Piotr Bockenheim’s intricately carved goose egg shells.

Some artists start by drawing patterns on the outer surface of the egg to guide their drilling. Others work more fluidly.

Slovenian artist Franc Grom drills 2,500 to 3,500 holes into his eggshells We covered his work last year in our post, The Most Beautiful Eggs Right Now. Here is a wonderful piece from his latest collection.

On one hand, the smallest eggs are particularly difficult because they are more fragile and the designs must be realized on small surfaces. On the other hand, ostrich eggs take more physical work -- their shells are about 2 millimeters thick. 

Known as eggdoodler, this artist carves extremely detailed animals—an elephant, a giraffe, and a rhinoceros -- out of ostrich eggs..

The artists’ drills are fitted with tiny diamond and carbon bits, to pierce and carve holes through eggshells, while leaving the remaining shell surfaces intact. Some holes are as small as 0.5 millimeters in diameter.

Some artists use scalpels to carve their egg shells.   

The International Guild of Egg Art is an association of more than 2,000 artists and artisans, such as Chinese artist Wen Fuliang, who work with real eggs as an art or folk art medium. 

New Zealand based sculptor artist Gary LeMaster creates EggZotica™ sculptures. He meticulously carves them by hand, using a dental drill handpiece, operating at over 400,000 rpms, powered by an air compressor. 

You can see more of Gary’s amazing egg sculptures at Gizfactory. And check out LeMaster’s Eggshell Sculptor Magazine.

Read more about Beautiful Eggs, as they relate to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including A Magnificent Clutch of New Egg Books Now, Watch Eggs Hatching New Beautiful Birds Now! and Extraordinary Fine Art Chocolate Eggs Now.

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IMAGE CREDIT:

1. Image: Courtesy of artist Wen Fuliang.
2. Image: Courtesy of artist Wen Fuliang.
3. Image: Courtesy of artist Piotr Bockenheim. Carved Goose Eggshell.
4. Image: Courtesy of artist Piotr Bockenheim. Carved Goose Eggshell.
5. Image: Courtesy of Artist Franc Grom.
6. Image: Courtesy of Eggdoodler. Africa.
7. Image: Courtesy of Eggdoodler. Africa.
8. Image: Courtesy of artist Franc Grom.
9. Image: Courtesy of artist Wen Fuliang.
10. Image: Courtesy of artist Gary LeMaster. Egg Sculptures.
11. Image: Courtesy of artist Gary LeMaster. Hearts & Tears.
12. Image: Courtesy of Artist Franc Grom.
13. Image: Courtesy of artist  Piotr Bockenheim. Carved Goose Eggshell.