
" Starting with 150 grit sand paper, then 220, 300, 400, 600, 800, 1000 and finally 1200. This way the eggs become extremely smooth and the 1200 grit makes them shine. I use the same sand paper as I use for polishing my soap stone sculptures. It takes some time to sand an egg, but it's so much easier to draw straight lines on such a smooth surface."
Pieter recommends sanding the eggs outdoors being careful not to inhale the fine dust, which may cause serious lung problems. He normally places a wet towel on his lap while sanding the eggs out of doors. The wet towel catches a lot of the dust. He advises making the sand paper wet, which can make the sanding process a bit harder. Finally, after polishing with the 1200 grit paper, a water and vinegar bath removes any residue.
The Art of Sorbian Eggs have been kept alive by a tiny Slavic minority in Germany, a long and intricate tradition of hand-painting Easter eggs with the help of feathers and wax.
Pieter learned his craft from the Master Sorbian artist Bärbel Lange, from the little village called Lübbenau, in the east of Germany.
Her website is: www.sorbische-eier.de