Hi friends! I’m so glad you landed on our “How To Make A DIY Sharpie Mug That Won’t Wash Away!” post! We are going to make some awesome creations together today!
How many of you have seen those Sharpie painted DIY mugs all over Pinterest? Where people take basic Sharpie markers and paint on ceramic dollar store pieces with them? It’s such a popular idea right now, especially around the holidays!
These coffee mug tutorials typically just say to write on your mugs with some regular Sharpie markers, bake and you’re done. It’s the ideal way to get a personalized gift without spending a ton of money.
But how many of you know that the regular Sharpie marker designs will actually wash off in the dishwasher? Yup! I’m super sorry to disappoint with that statement but unless you are gently handwashing those DIY coffee mugs, your artistic masterpieces will probably go down the drain, along with all that ink.
Even hand washing will probably make the design go away after time. It’s actually a very flawed concept that has taken over the internet!
But no worries! After doing some careful research, I have discovered the DIY Sharpie mug trick that does actually works! Oil based paint pens to the rescue!
Sharpie happens to make these type of OIL-BASED paint pens too and your local craft store will probably have them in stock. I happen to pick up mine in The Home Depot paint aisle, a few months back. They are a bit more pricey than a regular Sharpie, but if you weigh the pros {the whole not wasting your time for it to go down the drain} than it’s probably worth it. Invest in the right pens and grab your mugs from Dollar Tree ;) Plus I’m sharing a really cute way to monogram those boring mugs. Can we say stellar Christmas presents this year???
Now keep scrolling to see all the Sharpie dishwasher safe details below!
Happy crafting, my friends!!! Don’t forget to share pictures of your finished DIY mugs with us on our Facebook page to admire! #gluedtomycrafts
Here is what I did to make my DIY painted Sharpie mugs:
DIY Sharpie Painted Mug Craft Supplies:
This post contains affiliate links to Amazon for your shopping convenience.
* Plain White Mugs {I found mine for each for $1 at Dollar Tree}
* Oil Based Sharpie Paint Pens
* Scrapbook Letter Stickers
* Electric Oven
* Rubbing Alcohol
* Several Q-tips
FYI – if you can’t find a sticker like I used in my post, you can always invest in a Cricut maker machine and cut it that way :-)
How To Paint Your Mugs:
1. To do a monogram design you will need some letter scrapbook stickers. Pick the monogram/design you want and stick it on your mug. I did a “G” for our last name. You will want to make sure it’s in the right place/angle etc. and as FLAT as possible.
2. Next you will want to make dots ALL around the scrapbook sticker. Follow the directions on the marker packaging to get the paint going. Do some practice dots on some cardboard before hand. Once ready, start filling in the area around the sticker with dots. Really fill in the area. Add a second color if you like. If you mess up, wipe away with some rubbing alcohol on a q-tip.
3. Once you have the design you want and it’s dry – carefully peel off the scrapbook sticker to reveal your design. Do touchups if you need to.
4. Making sure your area is well ventilated – turn on your oven to 350. Set your mugs inside and let them bake for about 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, turn off the oven and let the mugs cool down inside the oven. I left mine in the oven for a few hours.
5. When done, remove from oven. Wash and then of course, fill and enjoy with your favorite beverage to enjoy.
Here are a few other DIY painted mugs I made the same day. I made another one similar to the monogram G but with the phrase JOY for Christmas. Instead of just filling a small area around the letters, I did the entire mug with Sharpie dots. Then my other two mugs, I free styled with a design made out of Sharpie paint pens.
P.S. – we ran my Sharpie painted mugs through the dishwasher the next day and my designs were unharmed. YAY! I’m loving this quick DIY mug idea and can’t wait to make some specials presents for friends this Christmas season. Wouldn’t this be great with some hot chocolate packets and a nice bow tied around the handle? You could even maybe even a coffee shop gift card! So many ways to make your DIY coffee mugs even more personal!
Let me know how your mug painting project goes! You can find us on Facebook or you can tag us on Instagram to show off your creations! I can’t wait to hear what you think!!! #gluedtomycrafts
passionatepaintedlady says
love this idea cannot wait to try
Kimberly A Meyer Wilhelm says
I did a ceramic coffee mug for my husband’s first father’s day, this past June. I let our daughter mark on one side and drew a design on the other. He uses it practically every day and while he did accidentally put it in the dishwasher once (he is too paranoid to risk losing it so always had washes it) it still looks perfect. Had no issues. Followed the directions and about six months later still great. Actually doing some for the grandparents this Christmas, right now! (Hoping it works out the same!)
Maybe those who are having flaking or chipping issues are putting the color on too thick or not thick enough?
Like I said, I just did what she said too and got a great, lasting result!
Holly says
I’ve made two so far. And so far, so good. I baked them for 30 minutes at 350*, putting them in the cold oven and letting them cool completely before taking them out. Wish I could post a picture! I washed them by hand and nothing came off. I took my fingernail and scraped pretty hard at one of the marks I’d made that was outside the design and it did come partially off but, like I said, I did it pretty hard. I LOVE THIS PROJECT! Only six more to go hahahaha
Leah says
Too cute <3
Suzan says
I have painted mason jars and wine glasses with acrylic glass paint using q-tips. I baked them starting in a cold oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I have put them in the dishwasher on the top shelf for over a year now and they come out perfect. I have never tried sharpies.
Crystal says
Here’s what I do. Bake them at 250 for 2 hours. Put them in the cold oven, leave them in there to cool. I have used all colors and never had them change. After a few hours, brush the dishwasher safe mod podge over the design, let the cup sit for 28 days. Then it will be top rack dishwasher safe.
Rachelle says
YES! I have now made 4 projects with oil-based sharpies, and most of the colors seem to change (some of them dramatically).
Here is what I have seen so far:
Light Blue- turn a minty green
Orange- turns maroon
Red- Darkens quite a bit
Pink- goes from bright bubble gum pink to a darker rose color
Yellow, Dark Green, White and Black all stay pretty true to color
Silver and Gold change a bit (gold looks more pewter when baked) but they are still metallic looking.
I have not tried the light green, purple or dark blue markers yet, and I do not own any of the pastel oil markers.
I have also found that I need to bake mine at a higher temperature for a longer time to get them to cure more effectively. When I baked my first set at 350 for 30 minutes, hand washing rubbed nearly all of the paint off in less than a month. After reading a ridiculous number of DIY blogs, I baked projects 2-4 at 400 for an hour. SO FAR these have not washed away, but I have not tested any in the dishwasher, only hand washing them.
Hope this helps!
Jen P says
This is my go-to gift for an inexpensive yet personal gift, great for coworkers. This year I’m doing stemless wine glasses for my girlfriends! Super easy, and fun to make. Thanks for posting this!
cindy says
this was a very cool idea i even thought it was a 100% cool!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gianna Phillips says
Without your brilliant idea I never wouldve thought of something this amazing! I’m only a tweleve year old and this is so much fun. This worked perfect thanks so much ~gianna
heather says
Just made this and it turned out so awesome!
Jan says
A friend made me the cutest coffee mug ever like this for Christmas! I run it through the dishwasher at least 3 times a week with no problem at all! She used this same technique. Make sure you are using the Sharpie Paint Pens! I got mine at Hobby Lobby about $3 a piece. I’m working on clear mugs tonight…wish me luck!
Mary says
Thank you for this tutorial. I made several of these for Christmas gifts this year (and one for myself!) and they turned out really cute. Fairly easy, except I did have a little bit of a problem with the pain leaking under the sticker. I love the idea, though, and will definitely be doing it again.
Dawn says
Just made a dozen of these! Ran a test mug through the dishwasher and it came out perfect! However, I would recommend hand washing to preserve your art! ;) Did anyone have an issues with a lingering odor in your oven? I have sweet potatoes roasting and praying they don’t taste like paint. Christmas is tomorrow!!
Morgan Machado says
I did this just recently for a holiday party and I followed the instructions here exactly. They came out wonderful! They were able to be gently washed fine and there was no color change! I used metallic and regular oil-based paint sharpies from my local craft store. After putting them in the oven for 30 minutes, I let them sit in there for nearly four hours to cool before taking them out. They made perfect little party favors and everyone used them for the whole night! Thanks so much for this amazing idea!
Erin says
I LOVED these when I saw them. I just made 2 mugs for my son’s teachers. filled them with a homemade ornament and chocolates. I also made a big soup bowl for an elderly client of mine who adores soup! They came out great. I am looking forward to making some of the kids crafts you’ve posted with my son. I am so glad I stumbled across your site. Definitely added to my favorites bar!
Marjolein says
I just did monogramed tealightholders, i am goning to be using them als place settings for christmas dinner. Love this idea, its dead simple and gives a great result!
Christie says
I love these! We’re doing them for family Christmas gifts this year. An idea for those who have a cricut- use 3 inch painters tape to make your own stencils. The tape is inexpensive, and easily sticks to your mug and then peels right off. I’ve really enjoyed making them. Thank you for this tutorial.
Krista says
Between last Christmas and this Christmas I’ve made over 50 mugs, wine glasses and plates. Its my absolute favorite go-to craft and is always a huge hit! Some pointers for those who I noticed were having some issues:
Run the blank glass through the dishwasher, handle with gloves as to not spread oils to the surface. I found cleaning the surface with rubbing alcohol first not only ensured a clean mug but also allowed the letter stickers to adhere better.
Nail polish remover on a q tip helps remove small smudges or errors and also helps pull the adhesive off the sticker.
I usually paint them, dry them overnight, peel the stickers and then bake.
When you go to bake them, PUT THEM IN THE COLD OVEN AND LET THEM COME TO TEMPERATURE. It’s very dangerous and compromises the integrity of the glass to rapidly increase the temperature.
Only OIL BASED markers are permanent.
I personally have not encountered the color changes after baking. Maybe the brand or ink batch was bad, Sharpie has always worked well for me. Also, try not to “double dip” your colors (use yellow right after black, etc.) It can stain the lighter color pens’ fibers and cause colors to run muddy.
And lastly the finishef mug should ALWAYS be hand washed, its a personalized piece of art, and should be treated delicately. Do not try to put it in the dishwasher.
Hope this helps everyone.
Jen says
Thanks so much for posting this. I made them for my coworkers, filled the mugs with candy. They were so easy, and a HUGE hit!
Emily says
i’ve done the same with porcelain dishes and porcelain paint pens…paint, bake and enjoy! i’ve had mine for years and the paint never chips or washes off!
Laurie Morrow says
Really cute idea!
Grace says
LOVE!!!!
Marie says
Thank you for this great tutorial. Very generous of you!