Having fun with customizing eggs to represent fun characters.
For grins, I painted random characters on plastic reusable eggs. I thought I'd share some of my creations and a few simple tips for painting your own plastic eggs.
In case it's helpful, below are the topics covered in this post:
Finding Inspiration
Customizing Plastic Reusable Eggs
Quick Tips
Supplies and Stuff
These are the items I used to customize plastic reusable eggs:
Plastic reusable eggs
Scouring pad
Wet wipe (cleaner)
Paint markers*
Additionally, you may want to keep a damp towel or cotton swab for small area cleanup.
*I thought about using acrylic or tempera paints which would also work for customizing plastic reusable eggs. However, I just happened to have Posca paint markers that eliminated the need for a cup of water, palette, and paintbrush.
Finding Inspiration
I initially searched for "fun egg designs" online for design inspiration. There were so many creative ideas for food, animal, text emoji, and abstract designs. Yet, I was drawn to the character designs.
I noticed in my search results that many people designed their eggs to look like baby chicks. It seemed cliche since there were so many photos of this type of design, so I figured I needed to make one of my own.
There were so many Minion designs in my search. I thought I'd create a couple since they seemed like easy designs to recreate. I didn't decide to recreate any specific Minion characters like Kevin or Bob. Instead, I made a Minion with one eye and another with two eyes.
I eventually went down a "rabbit hole" that eventually led me to images of past Disney Parks Easter egg designs. I decided to recreate Figment and the Cheshire Cat.
After I found several designs to recreate as my own, I knew I wanted to create one Marvel-themed egg. I searched for "Marvel" emojis for inspiration. At first, I thought I'd make Captain America's shield or Spiderman, but then I noticed a simple Deadpool emoji that seemed too easy to recreate.
Customizing Plastic Reusable Eggs
The plastic eggs I customized were old and reused for many years. They had scratches and bite marks from my dogs past Easter egg hunts. I cleaned the eggs with a wet cloth before proceeding with the customization.
I've never painted plastic reusable eggs before. I hoped I could apply paint directly to the plastic surface, even though deep down inside I knew it shouldn't work.
Sure enough, the paint didn't adhere well to the surface. Lighter colors were too light to see well. Other colors separated creating beads of paint in random areas of the colored surface.
Juicier applications of paint caused it to drip down the side and to the bottom of the plastic eggshell. It turned out to be a messy situation I didn't want to deal with.
I roughened the surface with a scouring pad to create a surface paint would stick to. It didn't require a lot of time, pressure, or the use of a more abrasive item like sandpaper. Yet, a rougher surface was essential for a more pleasant painting experience.
Quick Tips
Below are a ten quick tips if you want to paint your own plastic reusable eggs:
Clean the eggs thoroughly. I recommend rubbing alcohol as it helps reduce the slickness of the surface.
Roughen the egg's surface. Use a scouring pad if rubbing alcohol isn't enough to do so. This will maintain the original color and allow for paint to adhere to the surface properly.
Save outlining for the end. Depending on the type of paint you use, lighter colors won't completely cover darker colors or outlines if applied later in the design process. However, darker colors do a better job of completely covering lighter colors.
Keep a damp towel or cotton swab nearby. Use one of these additional items to "erase" errors made while painting.
Lighter colors may need a second application to eliminate streaks. Applying another coat of paint may be necessary for full coverage and a better look.
If painting with paint markers like the Posca brand I used, wait for paint to completely dry before applying another coat of paint over it. Applying paint over wet paint will either cause the first coat to rub off the surface or create a crackled effect once dried.
If painting with paint markers, avoid touching the plastic egg. The paint may chip off easily before protective coat is applied.
Apply a protective coat when the design is completely dried. Do this to prolong the design of your eggs if preferred.
Wash the plastic eggs with soap and water to remove the painted design. I used a sponge to apply the soap and gently wipe the design off.
Scrub the plastic eggs with a scouring pad, soap, and water to remove a design that had a protective coat applied. While a protective coat prolongs a design, it's not a permanent solution with some scrubbing.
Tips #9 and #10 are options if you feel you messed up a design or want to have a "blank canvas" for your next egg decorating session.
My Thoughts
Painting plastic reusable eggs is a fun activity to do with children or as an adult looking for a simple creative outlet to preoccupy the mind.
I had fun painting two Minions, a chick in cracked eggshells, the Cheshire Cat, Figment, and Deadpool.
I recommend searching online for design inspiration. There are so many creative ideas that can be recreated as an art exercise or reinterpreted in your own unique design.
It's important to prep the surface before painting. Roughen the surface and clean it well for the paint to adhere properly. Otherwise, the paint would be too light or drip off as was the case for my first failed attempt.
Don't obsess over perfection and you'll have a great time painting and customizing eggs. Enjoy yourself and let out your inner creativity!
What's Next?
I'm attempting to create an epoxy resin egg using a plastic reusable egg and hollowed egg shell. Check back on Thursday to see is these were successful or failed attempts.
Comment below to share how you prefer to decorate eggs?
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam
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