Marker Supply has encountered a variety of amazing artists over the years! We’re very happy and thankful to have so many loyal customers that love creating art with our markers.
To help highlight the works of these talented folks and the drawing tools they use, we are excited to have a series of Featured Artists here in the Marker Supply Blog!
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Artist: Samantha @ My Perk Me Up Cup
Project: Painted glass & dishware
Products: Pebeo Porcelaine 150 and Vitrea 160 Markers
One of our favorite Pebeo-painting mug artists is Samantha at My Perk Me Up Cup. She creates custom mugs with a LARGE variety of free-hand designs including characters, colors, and clever couples’ sets! Her work is a great example that whether your pieces are simple or elaborate, done as a business or a hobby, they will stand out either way as being special & unique works of art!
Samantha has been awesome enough to share with us some insight into her craft- about the markers she uses, as well as some tips and techniques:
What made you decide to get started with this mug-making hobby?
I saw a dragonfly mug on a TV show that I was watching, and fell in love with it, but could not find one like it anywhere. After searching everywhere for it, I found that it was a prop from a different TV show and they are not sold anywhere. I really wanted a dragonfly mug after all of my searching, but couldn’t find anything that I liked. So I thought to myself, maybe I could make one. And it took off from there.
You’ve got such a variety of designs! Do you have any favorites? Which have been the trickiest to paint?
I have enjoyed making each mug so far! They have mostly been special requests, but I would have to say I love the dragonfly ones the best.
I would have to say the watercolor horse mug that was requested was the trickiest to paint.
How do you prepare your mug surfaces before painting?
I wash the mug with soap and water first and then wipe the mug with a paper towel and alcohol to ensure a clean workspace.
Which markers are your go-to choices for mug decorating?
I really like using Pebeo 150 ceramic paint markers. I find myself using the black fine tip marker most frequently. The fine tip markers are great for detail and writing names or phrases on the mugs. If I am painting a larger area I prefer to use the medium tip. I have used both [the Pebeo Porcelaine 150 and Pebeo Vitrea 160] and found that they both worked fairly well on glass. I have just noticed that you may have to go over your work once or twice with the 160 markers to make the colors pop.
You’ve also used Sharpie Oil-based paint markers for decorating.. How would you compare them to the Pebeo pens?
The Sharpie Oil-based paint markers are slightly easier to work with, but if you want to microwave or put your work in the dishwasher, some of the colors do not hold up. The black Sharpie’s paint started to crack after going through the microwave.
Do you use any other tools to create special effects?
To get the water color effect I dipped a cotton ball into alcohol, then I pressed the Pebeo marker down until it released a small amount of paint. I dabbed it where I wanted the color, and also blew through a straw lightly as I dabbed the paint on the mug to spread the paint out.
If you make any mistakes while painting your designs, how do you erase and redo those spots?
Pebeo paints are so forgiving if you make a mistake. All I do is dip a Q-tip in alcohol and clean up the area. I have a two-year-old who climbs on me while I am working half of the time, so I had to learn this quickly.
About how long does it take you to finish decorating a mug?
The amount of time it takes to finish a mug depends on the design I’m doing. Some mugs have only taken me about 5 minutes to do, and others have taken me an hour or two. You have to let the mug dry 24 hours before baking, and then follow the baking instructions. You may need to adjust your baking time or temperature slightly, some appliances can vary.
Have you had any issues with the finished artwork coming off when the mug is used/washed?
I have not had any issues at all with the Pebeo paint coming off when used, microwaved, or washed. The main issues that I have had was the black Sharpie paint chipping, and the gold fading after going through the dishwasher and microwave. I made a test mug with all of the colors of the Pebeo, Sharpie, and Painted by Me brands to test how the colors held up through various types of washing and going through the microwave. Through doing this I found out that you should not use dish soap with bleach because it will clean your work off of your mug.
Any other tips or tricks you have learned from your experience with dish painting?
I enjoyed trying different surfaces to paint on. Definitely buy a few mugs and practice. I keep a paper towel handy when I am using the fine tip Pebeo markers, if they start to flow a bit too slow I just press down on the paper towel a few times to get the paint flowing again.
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Thanks for sharing your work and your knowledge with us, Samantha! 🙂
*Check out more of Samantha’s mugs HERE!*
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Do-it-yourself dish art is such a fun trend in the world of arts & crafts. Just take a plain ‘ol mug, plate, etc. and give it a unique design- great for personalizing your own items, or a wonderful gift idea!
Marker Supply always recommends using Pebeo Porcelaine 150 markers and paints for your dish designing. After being baked on in a regular kitchen oven, your artwork will be permanent- even through washing!
(See our related blog comparing the use of different markers on mugs!)
Try the Pebeo line of dish-decorating supplies at MarkerSupply.com!!
Have any dish art that you’d like to share? We’d love to see!
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With the holidays approaching fast, we’ve begun putting together a few lists of marker projects for holiday decorating! Whether you are entertaining guests for dinner, needing fun projects for the kids, or just wanting to make your house or office a bit more festive- keep your eye on the Marker Supply blog! We’ll be highlighting products from several different brands, and a few ways you can use them this holiday season!
Our holiday decorating series continues with new ideas from our Pebeo products!!
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Imported from France, our Pebeo line has some special products that work great for holiday décor!
The greatest feature about Pebeo paints is that when used on surfaces that can be baked in an oven, the painted marks will become permanent after baking- so items like dishes can be washed and your artwork will stay put!
(Click here to see our blog about comparing different markers on painted dishes and what happens to each after washing..)
Remember to be patient with your Pebeo projects.. If you are new to glass/porcelain painting, it can seem a bit tricky at first. Have some “practice” surfaces if possible to try out your ideas on! Thrift stores and dollar stores carry lots of pieces you can get for cheap! Try different paint brushes/applying techniques as you learn how the paint works on these smooth, glossy surfaces. And keep in mind that you don’t need to have a crazy, elaborate design for every piece. Even simple markings- lines, dots, etc.- can have a beautiful look to them!
The various forms of Pebeo paint- markers, bottled paint, and outliner tubes!
Each available in a variety of colors!
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A few tips as you begin:
-Clean your pieces thoroughly before painting. Use soapy water or rubbing alcohol to fully clean and degrease, and then let fully dry, giving you the best surface to paint on.
-If you get these paints in a spot they aren’t supposed to be (marks outside of your design or paint dripped onto your table, etc.) you can clean them up with a little bit of rubbing alcohol. Try to catch them before the paint has dried for too long! Use tape or stencils to help mask off areas on your dish that you don’t want paint to go.
-For dish art: Pebeo paints are non-toxic, but aren’t recommended for use on the parts of dishes that come in direct contact with food. So make sure to keep your artwork on the outside, handles, edges, etc. that won’t be touching your food or drinks.
-During the colder months of the year, be careful when transporting or storing your Pebeo markers. Letting them freeze can damage them quickly. Don’t leave them in a car when it’s super cold, and make sure a package doesn’t get delivered then sit outside for too long if it has Pebeo markers in it.
Simple directions for baking painted pieces:
(For ornamental items that won’t be washed, handled a lot, etc., you won’t need to use the baking method. The marks will remain on your item after just air drying.)
-After painting your design on a clean, dry surface, let the paint dry completely (around 24 hours).
-Make sure your entire piece can withstand hot temperatures. (Remove all stickers, tags, ornament strings, etc.)
-Place item in a cold oven so it can heat up gradually. Sudden drastic temperature changes could damage the item. Heat to 350°F and bake for 35 minutes.
-Turn off oven and leave your item inside until the oven cools down. Removing the item while hot could cause the heated paint to smudge.
-Your painted design is now sealed on and should be washable, even in the dishwasher! To ensure it lasts even longer, you can wash your pieces by hand using mild soap, and avoid abrasive scrubbing pads.
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DISH ART
*Chalkboard name tags for drink glasses
Getting ready for a gathering of family & friends? To avoid getting people’s drink glasses mixed up with everyone else’s, try these fun ways of marking your holiday cups!
Paint a spot on your glasses with Pebeo Chalkboard Paint. Bake them to heat set the paint. Then each time you use a glass, mark who it belongs to with chalk or a removable chalkboard marker like the Marvy Bistro Chalk Markers! The chalkboard paint section will stay on when you wash it, and only the name will wash off- leaving it ready to be labeled again for its next user!
Make a reusable checklist to label multiple drinks just the way each person likes them!
Use Pebeo paint to make the permanent background and checklist, and then use a temporary marker to mark on it.
*Making custom mugs
‘Tis the season to be enjoying hot beverages! Why not design your own mug? Custom coffee cups make great gifts for people too! Grab a plain mug and let it be a blank canvas for any kind of design you can think of.
Draw or letter your own design!
Use the fine or medium tip Porcelaine 150 markers for more controlled writing & drawing, or try the Porcelaine 150 paints for more freestyle painting, stamping or stenciling, etc.
The Porcelaine 150 outliners work well for embellishing fine details! These marks will also add a raised effect.
Try painting with stamps, sponges, stencils- or a combination!
Let the kids scribble a special gift for someone!
Lots of kids just LOVE to color! Let them try something different than a piece of paper- how about making a mug! Pebeo markers are water-based, non-toxic, and do not contain harmful chemicals like Xylene- making them safer for kids to use (with supervision, of course!). Have them enjoy creating a fun keepsake piece for you, or a treasured gift for family members!
Special thanks to Laura, who shared with us the results of an awesome project she did with her 2 year old and Pebeo markers! What sweet mugs!!
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PAINTED CANDLE JARS
Candles are very popular over the holidays, and during the winter season in general. Give your candles a special, colorful glow by custom painting jars for them! Grab some empty glass mason jars, widemouth cups, vases, etc. and paint with the Vitrea 160 markers.
You might need to make several layers of paint to get the color to look bolder.
Wait until the first layer dries before doing another, or the paint could smudge away.
You can also “pump” the valve-action tip of these markers several times on a surface to be used as a palette- pooling a bit of the paint so it can be applied with a paint brush or other tools!
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ORNAMENTS
Making your own ornaments and decorations can be a fun craft for the whole family! With glass & porcelain ornaments being popular (and easy to find at craft stores!), the Pebeo paints and markers come in handy for coloring these too!
Our Certified Zentangle Teacher, Jamie, showed us how to transfer some Zentangle designs done on paper with the Sakura Micron pens, onto a porcelain ornament using the Pebeo markers. The fine line of the Microns was a little hard to mimic with the Pebeo markers, but the results still looked great! Using the “Ahh” and “Hollibaugh” patterns, (which sounded the most in-season!) she created this beautiful Zentangle-style ornament:
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See our previous blog for holiday decorating projects featuring Marvy Uchida products!
Stay tuned for one more blog in the Holiday Decorating Series, coming up soon!!
Have any holiday marker crafts that you / your friends & family like to do? We love seeing what creative ideas you guys come up with! Post/tag us on our social media pages or email us!
Making a personalized mug, bowl, plate, etc. for someone (or for yourself!) using markers is a fun craft that creates a special, unique piece and can be a great gift! Here are some tips to ensure your artwork lasts..
A common mistake people make when creating artwork on dishes that will be used and washed is using the incorrect type of marker. Permanent ink markers like Sharpies are PERMANENT, right? On some surfaces, yes- but on things like glossy dishes, that get washed over and over, an ink marker’s marks can begin to fade quickly. It’s very important that you use markers that are designed for the surface you are decorating on.
DECORATING YOUR DISH…
-Make sure your dish is clean and dry before starting to paint.
-Using tape or stencils is a good way to keep the paint only where you want it to be. Sketching out your ideas and designs on paper first can be helpful! Even better is having an extra “practice piece” dish to try painting on first. Thrift stores are great places to pick up not only cheap practice dishes, but some good AND inexpensive dishes for your actual project!
-The paint can start to dry very quickly so keep some Q-tips nearby for doing little touch ups if you make a mistake as you are drawing.
-Markers give you great control for drawing details, or if you are using paint- get creative with what you use to apply it- different size/shape brushes, sponges, splatters, stamps, droppers, etc.
*Tips:
-Cheaper mugs sometimes can work the best because the glaze isn’t as expensive and while baking, the ink design will melt more easily into it and last longer.
-Many marker inks including Pebeo paints, even while being non-toxic, recommend that you don’t paint on the parts of your dishes that come in direct contact with food. If you are doing a design on the inside of a plate or bowl, use that dish for decoration only, or to serve wrapped food like candy or cupcakes.
-For decorating Glass, try the Pebeo Vitrea 160 markers! They give glass dishes great glossy or frosted effects!
-Try using the Pebeo Chalkboard Paint to create a chalkboard-like surface that you can re-decorate on again and again!
BAKING IN THE OVEN…
The process of baking your decorated item will seal on the artwork, making it dishwasher and microwave safe! (IF you use paint suitable for dish decorating!) After painting on your design, let it dry for 24 hours (and make sure all stickers on the bottom are removed!) and then put the dish in a cool oven, heat to 300° and bake for 35 minutes, then let it cool back down while still in the oven. (Doing it this way will avoid sudden temperature changes that can damage certain dishes.)
Use caution not to remove your dish right away from the hot oven-
not only will the dish be very hot, but the paint can still be soft and will smudge!
DISHWASHER TEST!
It’s never a bad idea to stick with handwashing your custom painted dishes, but lots of dishes these days tend to find themselves being put through a dishwasher. Here are a few mugs we made using several types of markers. We baked them all in the oven to set the ink. …And then this is what happened to them after being put through the dishwasher just one time…
Mug done with Oil-Based Paint Markers.
Most of the image has been washed away!
Mug done with Sharpie Permanent Ink Markers.
The ink completely washed off! Only a very slight “ghosting” of the image is left.
Mug done with Pebeo Porcelaine Markers.
Every bit of the artwork is still there and looks just the way it did!
So the winner by far is the mug decorated using Pebeo Porcelaine 150 markers! Have a look at the color selection with these paints and markers and find the right one for your project! Happy decorating!
Check out these Pebeo paints and more at Marker Supply!
Have you made a personalized dish with marker art? Let us know which markers you used and how well the project worked for you!
