So, I saw this cool constellation mug online the other day, and I thought, “I gotta make one of those!” I’m a sucker for anything space-themed, and I love a good DIY project. Plus, I needed a new mug for my morning coffee.
First, I gathered my materials. I already had a plain white ceramic mug that I got for super cheap. Then I needed:
- Porcelain paint markers (I chose black and gold)
- Rubbing alcohol
- Cotton swabs
- A printout of some constellations (just Google image searched it)
- Pencil
Getting Started
I started by cleaning the mug really well with rubbing alcohol. This is important because any oils or dirt on the mug will mess up the paint. You gotta make sure that surface is squeaky clean!
Next, I lightly sketched out the constellations on the mug with a pencil. I wasn’t going for perfection here, just a general guide. It was more like connect-the-dots, using the printout as a reference. I did a few of the easier ones, like the Big Dipper and Orion. I messed up a couple of times, but it’s okay since it is just a pencil sketch. It is easy to erase.
Painting Time!
Now for the fun part! I took my black paint marker and carefully traced over the pencil lines. My hand was a little shaky at first, but I got the hang of it. I found that shorter strokes worked better than trying to do one long, continuous * it smudged I quickly used a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean up any mistakes.
Once the black lines were dry, I went in with the gold marker and added little dots for the stars. I made some stars bigger and brighter than others, just to give it some * looks much cooler with various sizes.
Baking and Finishing
After I was happy with the design, I let the mug air dry for a few hours. It needs to dry to avoid smudging, which would be a disater! Then, I followed the instructions on the paint marker package for baking it. Mine said to bake it in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 30 minutes. This sets the paint and makes it permanent, well, dishwasher-safe, at least.I placed it inside a cold oven, and then turned on the oven. I set a timer, and took a break for a snack.
After 30 minutes, I turned off the oven and let the mug cool down completely inside. It is very important that the mug cool down in the oven, otherwise it may be broken due to the large temperature difference. Once it’s all cooled, it’s good to go!
I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out! It’s not perfect, but it’s handmade, and that’s what makes it special. Now I have a unique, personalized mug to enjoy my coffee in. And I can brag that I made it myself!
