Eggshell Painting - Kolkata
In nature, it is mostly the female animal that possesses the ability to bear a child and reproduce to keep the generation going. Among them, species like birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish that lays eggs to give birth to their offspring. An egg is a result of the fertilization of an ovum, and it is an organic vessel that carries a zygote, allowing the embryo to develop into an independent life. Once ready and adequately developed, the egg hatches, allowing the baby out. Eggs make a major part of the human diet and are a rich source of proteins; hence, humans have been eaten for thousands of years. The most popular choice here is chicken eggs, while duck, goose, caviar, and quail eggs are occasionally used, especially in the western part of the world. Now chicken egg production is a global industry branching out to various areas of the modern food industry.
The eggs possess a thin but strong outer shell made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) crystals. It is a semi-permeable membrane with pores that allows the passage of air and moisture through them. Therefore apt and used for decoration purposes as it holds watercolors, acrylics, oils, etc., when painted. Eggshell paint is a newly found craftwork where the shells are painted to a satin finish and low luster after the egg is emptied. Here special care is taken in the last touchup stage with precise bordering, merging layers, and other visual effects for making the main patterns stand out. For the craft, though any bird egg can be preferred, larger and stronger eggs are favored for ease of use and broad finishing. Painting is a creative expression that involves the usage of paint, pigment, color, or other medium applied to a surface using a brush, knife, sponge, or airbrushes. Kolkata is a place from the state of West Bengal, located along the banks of the Hooghly River. This second-largest city of the country is often regarded high in the world market for its handlooms and handicrafts. Mrs. Sonia from New Alipore of Kolkata is a trained painter, now running workshops on fine arts especially painting for young girls from the locality. She is an active participant in art exhibitions hosted across the country. Her collection of natural and recyclable products includes eggshell paintings and paintings on paper, wood, glass, etc.
