I made mugs for my friends, coworkers and family this holiday season and everyone seemed to really enjoy their gifts! I wanted to find the best way to draw on a mug with marker and make it last, so I obviously took my search to pinterest. I combined the tips I read on multiple blogs and ended up with pretty nice results (hopefully they withstand the test of time).>>
I used a paint marker (DecoColor) and drew illustrations, quotes and typography by hand and then let the mugs sit overnight.
After letting dry for a full 24 hours, I placed the mugs into the oven while the oven was still off. Then I set the oven to 425°F and once it reached that temperature, I set the timer for 40 minutes. After the 40 minutes I let the mugs cool down for over an hour before taking them out of the oven.
A day later, I covered the top of the mugs (where you drink out of) with tin foil and then sprayed artwork area with an acrylic sealant spray, to ensure the marker would stay put. The sealant is toxic so it’s important not to spray on any areas that may come in contact with your mouth.
Although I think the mug could withstand a dishwasher, I still recommended hand washing the mugs.