Porcelain Paint Markers, Pens and Techniques

Written 10 May , 2010

One of the greatest benefits of hand-painting porcelain items as presents for birthdays and anniversaries is the fact that this is a gift which will be useful throughout the year. By taking note of the distinctive personality and interest of each recipient, you can personally customize the porcelain items for each individual.

You don’t have to be a modern-day Michelangelo to accomplish ceramic painting so don’t let this enjoyable task daunt you. You can get white mugs at your neighborhood discount store and you will need to go to a craft or art supply store to buy your painting materials. These should include stencils, assorted porcelain paint pens and markers.

Various brands of porcelain pens and markers are designed for the specific purpose of drawing on porcelain surfaces like tiles, dishes or mugs, which give a lovely enamel sheen that won’t wipe or wash off. Be sure to use porcelain paint pens and markers for a more long-lasting artwork on porcelain surfaces.

Paint markers come in many varieties. They come in oil-based, solvent-based as well as acrylic and they are all made specifically for painting on porcelain. Decide beforehand the particular type of paint you need to use as they are very specific.

Porcelain and glass are without a doubt the two hardest surfaces for any paint or marker to cling to. While you can get porcelain paint to stick to it, it wipes of very easily or doesn’t have the durability to stay for keeps. You can spend hours creating something really beautiful on porcelain or glass, but the first time you have to clean it, the paint will come right off.

Not so with porcelain paint markers. They have the ability to work on porcelain with a beautiful enamel finish and have the durability to stay on with either dishwashers or repeated hand washings.

If you’ve decorated the ceramic tiles in your kitchen, there’s the problem of back splash from your soap or from the sink, and you will need to wipe that down a lot. Most porcelain paint will wipe right off from the surface.

However, porcelain paint markers, while probably a little bit more expensive, and a little bit rare and harder to find, have the ability to stick and be durable on porcelain and glass.

Using porcelain pens and markers to create your own designs on porcelain is a great way to be sure that your enamel-finished artwork will last and be appreciated for a long time.