I’m so in love with how these mugs turned out!
We teamed up with Keurig® to give your morning cup a playful upgrade with these 3D graphic clay mugs. We’ve been enjoying The Original Donut Shop® Coffee at home on the weekends and wanted a few fun mugs for the studio, too. With commutes getting longer and longer around here, a textured, colorful mug filled with the team’s favorite brew is a welcome sight when we finally arrive. The raised clay pieces add dimension and a fresh take on patterned mugs — I’m totally into it.
I’ve teased my friend Samantha forever about her leaky travel mug — she happily claimed one of these and joined The Donut Shop Coffee® crew with the rest of us. If you really want to go all out, you could even make a donut-themed mug. Ready for the tutorial? Here’s how to create your own 3D graphic clay mugs.
DIY 3D Graphic Clay Mugs
Total Time: 1 Hour (+ Dry Time)
Supplies
Mugs
Polymer clay in desired colors
Craft knife
Ceramic glue
Directions
For the bananas:
1. Knead a ball of yellow clay to soften it.
2. Roll a small piece into a crescent shape using your thumb and pointer finger.
3. Repeat until you have enough bananas to cover the mug.
For the rainbows:
1. Knead three small balls of different colored clay.
2. Roll each color into a thin “snake” using your hands and a flat surface.
3. Place the three snakes side by side and curve them into a rainbow shape.
4. Trim the ends with a craft knife so they sit flat.
5. Repeat until you have enough rainbows.
For the ice cream cones:
1. Knead brown clay and a color for the ice cream to soften them.
2. Shape a small piece of brown clay into a triangle cone using your thumb and pointer finger.
3. Roll a small piece of the ice cream-colored clay into a snake and curl it into a swirl.
4. Attach the swirl to the cone.
5. Repeat until you have enough cones.
Assembling and finishing:
1. Lightly press the clay pieces onto the mug in your chosen pattern, leaving about one inch at the top clear for sipping.
2. Bake the mug with the polymer clay pieces attached according to the clay manufacturer’s instructions (we used 275°F for about 10 minutes — exact time varies with thickness).
3. Allow the mug to cool completely.
4. Gently pop each piece off and reattach it permanently with a small amount of ceramic glue.
Note: These mugs are hand-wash only.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
If you need a little pick-me-up on busy mornings, a colorful 3D mug like this is a quick way to brighten your routine. Which design would you try first?
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