I have been building dragon eggs for a couple of years now, but I recently took on the challenge of crafting a giant one. I originally wanted to build an egg so that I could use it as reference in a book I’m working on (not the MAIN book I’m working on, but a side project).
I realized that my eggs were all too small—I wanted a model that would be the exact same size as the one my characters would have to deal with in the book.
So, I hunkered down over spring break and set to work . . . Here’s all the stages, starting with the raw materials: a giant plastic Easter egg shell, acrylic jewels, and plaster.
I started by plastering. This is the same type of material that doctors use for casts, but you can buy it at most art stores. I cut the plaster sheets into manageable strips then begin forming designs on the shell.
The plaster dries quickly, but can snap off if you’re not careful. A coat of mod-podge does wonders to keep it intact.
Once I was done with the plastering, I began the bejeweling phase, using a variety of different sizes and colors—the color variation doesn’t actually matter, because everything gets painted over at the end.
I like to start with a black coat of paint, then build up color afterwards.
I chose metallic greens for the final color, so started dry-brushing over the black undercoat.
Here’s the final product, sitting in my studio and shown next to an average hen’s egg, to show scale!
And here’s four of my dragon eggs, showing the different sizes, colors, and patterns.
Between the Cracks of Here and There 
One thought on “A new addition to the dragon’s nest”