(Newswire.net — July 11, 2019) — Personalized mugs are a great option for a stress-relieving hobby and they double as the perfect personalized present for friends and family. Whatever decoration or design you choose for your mug, you’ll be able to create something truly unique with your personalized mug.
Making Personalized Mugs
Mugs are one piece of pottery that everyone uses on a daily basis. As you get in the habit off designing your own, you’ll gain a new sense of appreciation for them. Read on for seven ways to create your own personalized mug.
1. Start by Choosing the Mug
Begin this process by choosing a plain ceramic mug. Ideally, this mug should have no other designs on it to make it easiest to decorate. Whether you use one from your kitchen or you buy one from a thrift shop or home goods store, the best mug for this project is a light colored, plain mug that will make it easier for your design to stand out.
In the event that you want to DIY this entire project, you can create your own mug from scratch. If you’re a ceramicist that is talented with the potter’s wheel or you have a pack of clay at home, go ahead and create your mug by hand.
2. Create Your Design
Start by coming up with your design. Try sketching this design on a piece of scrap paper before you transfer these lines to the mug itself. If the mug is light in color, you can go ahead and use a pencil on the mug to stencil out your design.
Your design can be something completely unique or patterns, images, phrases, or words that you’ve seen that inspire you. If you are going the freehand route, be sure to keep your pencil lines dark enough to make it easy for you to see them.
3. Use Stencils on Your Mug
To perfect your design, try using stencils. With a small piece of thin cardboard and an x-acto knife, you can create your own stencil. Similarly, you can buy adhesive stencils that you can easily draw onto, then peel off and apply to the mug.
As you trace your design, feel free to freehand in some additional lines as well. Whether you draw all over the mug or just at the front of it, try to envision how it will look when you’re finished with it. Some people prefer to keep their designs away from the top of the mug as a precaution in case the paint begins to wear off.
4. Paint in the Design
One of the easiest ways to fill in your design is to use an oil-based paint marker. These paint markers are easy to use and glide along the surface of the mug, making quick work of any painting job. These markers work as any marker does, however, these dry thicker and are a bit more fluid. As the paint in the markers dries quickly, it’s important to remove any mistakes as soon as possible with water or nail polish remover.
If you actually want to paint with a brush, use acrylic paint. As acrylic paint is made of plastic, your design will dry safely and quickly. However, be sure to buy acrylic paint designed for glass or ceramic surfaces to ensure that your paint of choice will work on the mug.
Using a small paintbrush, start painting in your design. Feel like switching up the texture? Consider using glitter paint to add a unique touch to your hand-painted mug.
5. Use Glass Etching Cream
With glass etching cream, you can quickly create an etching effect on the mug. Start by squeezing some of the cream into a cup or bowl, then apply liberal amounts of the cream over the artwork using your paintbrush. The cream works to dull the area where you’ve painted your design, making it look as though your drawing has been etched into the mug itself.
After you let the cream sit for up to 10 minutes, remove your tape or stencils. Then, rinse the mug off with cool water.
6. Use an Oil-Based Sharpie
Not familiar with the oil-based markers and prefer to write it out instead? Oil-based sharpies are the perfect way to create promotional drinkware quickly and easily. Though sharpies come in multiple colors, you can stick with the standard black for a more traditional feel. Whether you freehand it or use a stencil, you’ll see how easily the sharpie is to use on the mug.
If you already have your oil-based markers, consider creating your design with a mix of the sharpies and the markers. Similarly, if you want to add in paint, use a brand of ceramic paint that sets by heat, as the oil-based designs will be set that way as well. Avoid mixing oil-based mediums with acrylic as the two don’t mix well together and acrylic paint doesn’t require heat for it to set.
7. Bake Your Mug in the Oven
If you used the oil-based markers on your mug, heat must be used to set the oil paint. Put your mug in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes. Do this by placing the mug onto a cooking sheet. After 20 minutes, remove the mug with oven mitts. Thanks to the oven, your design should be permanent. It is important to note, however, that the mug should always be hand washed as it won’t be dishwasher safe.
Though you may be excited to try out your new mug, give it a chance to cool off to allow the paint to really set. If you don’t have access to an oven, try leaving the mug in the sun all day. The heat should bake your design to the point where the oil is permanent.
Once you understand the basics of making your own mug, you’ll likely embrace this as your new favorite hobby. Let this guide inspire you to unleash your creativity on your new mugs and have fun while doing so.