DIY Mug Design

I was out shopping one day and found some gold Sharpies at Walmart. I immediately thought of a pin I saw where someone drew on a mug with a Sharpie and then baked it in the oven. 

So of course I got the Sharpies, they were like $4. Then when I was at the dollar store I found a crappy brand of permanent markers in gold and silver and they were only a buck. So I'm putting them to the test to see if there is a difference.

I also got 2 mugs from Walmart for 3 bucks each. I could have gotten them for like a buck each but I was already at Walmart and they were right there. 

I don't drink coffee so I don't usually use mugs, but I got these really big ones (they are just over 4 1/2 inches across the top) so I could put snacks and maybe even ice cream (so my hands don't get cold) in. OHHH I could even put a ball of yarn in one so that it won't roll away.

For the first mug I put letter stickers as reverse stencils.

Then using the Sharpie marker I dotted around the letters, starting thick and lightening up the further out I went. (Left below) A few notes for using stickers:

1. Make sure they are straight! Use a ruler to measure or use a piece of tape along the bottom rim. Once you stick them on and take them off again they curl or rip and it makes it harder to put them back on.
2. Make sure they are really stuck on around the edges. For me I can see some spots where the Sharpie ink ran under the sticker and messed up my design. (if this does happen try using a q-tip with nail polish remover [with acetone], on the trouble spot.) 
3. Test the sticker on the bottom of the cup to make sure you will be able to get it off. This is a good project to use your not so good stickers.

Using the Studio metallic marker (from the dollar store) I did a large poka-dot pattern on the mug (right mug below). Before putting them in the oven I really like the Sharpie one, the color and design are way better. The other one is not a nice color, it's kind of a barf yellow color.

                                       

Sharpie:

• Finer tip - which was good for control and precision.
• Good color - It's gold and in the right light it's shinny!

Studio metallic:

• Not dark enough.
• Not gold.
• Really liquidy - works fine for paper but for mugs it wasn't to nice, I could see where I started drawing and where I lifted the pen. 

If/when I do this again I will only use Sharpies. I like the shine that the gold and most likely the silver give, so I would use those colors but you could use any Sharpie color and there are a lot out there.

After 20 minutes in an over at 400 degrees, they look the same. After letting them cool for 20 minutes, they still look the same. I tried scratching them both and the Sharpie cup wins again. I wasn't able to scratch the marker off but it was really easy to scratch the other mug. I don't have a dishwasher so I can't test if the Sharpie will hold up through that but I'm sure it would.

This is a great project for kids, just make sure they are wearing one of dad's old  shirts, (sometimes the marker just gets away from you.) They would make a great "one of a kind" gifts for mother's day or father's day. Or you could put someones initials on a mug and fill it with little goodies and give as gifts for any occasion. *don't forget to put the date on the bottom.

Enjoy!