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Step 1: Using an electric kitksa, beeswax is drawn on the egg. The kitksa heats up the wax to melting point making it possible to draw with it. Traditional kitksa are heated up using a candle flame to melt the wax. Everything that you want to a white color is covered up or drawn on the egg with the wax. Once the wax is removed during Step 5, these areas will remain white.
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Step 2: The egg is then placed in the next lightest color that you want on the egg. It sits in the dye bath until it is the color that you want. You use a paper towel to dab it dye, never rub the egg. | |
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Step 3: More wax is applied with the kitksa to cover or draw on the egg to keep the color of the egg. Steps 2 and 3 are repeated until all the different colors are covered with the wax that you want to keep. A final dye bath is use to achieve the last color before removing the wax.
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Step 4: There are many ways to take the wax off the egg after the final dye bath. I prefer using a candle. You use a candle flame to heat up the wax to melting point; careful not to scroch the egg shell. Be careful not to burn your self since the heat of the flame will wrap around an egg and get your fingers if you don't pay attention to what you are doing.
Another way is to heat the egg up in a low-heated oven. Again be careful with the hot egg. Also note a hot egg with wax on it may be slippery in your hand.
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Step 5: Using a paper towel, you then wipe off the wax. You may need to heat the egg up in different spots to be able to wipe all the wax off. Be careful not to burn yourself on the flame or the egg itself. A hot egg may hurt you but it wont usually cause a burn on the skin. Many times, I have see students almost catch the paper towel on fire at this point due to them paying attention to the egg and not the candle flame so be careful.
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Step 6: Check your egg carefully to make sure all the wax is off. Sometime you can't see the wax but you can feel it with you fingers; a difference between un-waxed egg to one with wax still on it. After letting the egg get back to room tempature, I usually use a high-shine glaze on the egg to protect the color and help prevent it from fading.
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I use all sizes of domestically raised farm-based eggs from ostrich eggs down to quail eggs. Although traditionally the eggs used were raw and the inside would eventuallu dry out, my eggs are always blown out and cleaned before I design them. This prevents them from breaking or blowing up as the egg dries up inside and gases try to escape. Some wait to blow out their eggs until their eggs are dyed and finished but I prefer to do it before hand. 
