The ceramic mug is the morning companion of early risers. These early morning individuals see their breakfasts as incomplete without their ceramic coffee carriers. Who could blame them with the sleek designs and the heat-protecting features of ceramic mugs?
Ceramic mugs come in various sizes and designs. They are easy to maintain and even easier to purchase. However, ceramic mugs are also easy to make.
It’s a given that ceramic mugs are pretty cheap. To tell you the truth, it is even more convenient to actually purchase a ceramic mug than to create one. So what’s the point of creating a ceramic mug? Simple! Ceramic mugs are popular items for customization.
A lot of people go to specialty stores to get customized ceramic mugs. These stores offer complete customization. They alter the shape of the mug and create customized designs for a relatively high price. If you have all the right materials and equipment, you can make your very own customized mug free of charge.
Making a ceramic mug is fun since it is just like working on your own sculpture. You have a world full of all the possible designs for your ceramic mug. You could form odd-shaped items. You could paint pictures and carve stylish contours. You could even write your name on the surface of the mug. You will feel like a modern-day Michaelangelo when creating your own ceramic mug.
Materials Used:
ceramic clay
kiln/oven
glaze
brush
To begin creating your ceramic mug, take a generous piece of ceramic clay. Form several models of your ceramic mug, since there is a chance that your creation might later be crumpled by the kiln’s high temperatures. Make sure that each part of your mug is well-reinforced so that it can withstand the conditions inside the kiln.
After shaping the structure of your mug, place it inside the kiln and set the temperature to about 1000 – 1200 degrees Celsius. Wait for your mug to harden, and then soak it in water. Now here comes the fun part, glazing.
Glazing is probably the mug-maker’s favorite stage since he gets to place designs on his ceramic mug. When your mug dries, apply glaze onto the mug to give it color and a glossy texture. You can now paint pictures or designs on your mug if you have glaze of various colors.
When you are done styling your ceramic mug, place it inside the kiln again for secondary-heating. Set the kiln’s temperature to about 1000 degrees Celsius and wait until the glaze hardens. When it is done, soak your mug in water. Wait for about five minutes then you can pull your new ceramic mug out.
At this point, you have a ceramic mug that is worth placing on pedestals and behind fiberglass windows. Be proud. Be proud!