Galaxy Mug

For this project you will need:

• a paintable coffee mug
• black paint
• galaxy color paint (blues and purples or your choice)
• white paint
• wide paint brush
• round, stiff paint brush
• old tooth brush
• masking tape/painters tape
• paint sealer (optional)

I decided to leave my handle white so I used masking tape to cover it so it wouldn't get paint on it. This is of course optional but it also made it easier to have something to hold onto while painting. Tape all the way around and then use the wider brush to cover the body in the black paint. You can do one or two coats but a lot of it will be covered by other paint so its not too important.

Use the stiff brush to dab on swirling patters of the different colors. After a section, dip your brush in water and go back over your color to disperse the paint. Do one color at a time so each color is spread evenly but don't be afraid to let the colors bleed into each other.

Put some white paint on a tooth brush and hold it close to your mug. Make sure you're wearing old clothes for this and remove any watches or jewelry if you haven't already. Aim the tooth brush at where you want the stars with the handle facing towards you and rake your thumb towards you across the bristles to make the paint spray the mug. Do this as you rotate the mug to cover all of it. The "stars" will be different sizes depending on how much paint is on your brush so you can play with making different sizes of stars. Once your galaxy is twinkling, let it all dry.

Once its good and dry you can take the tape off the handle. Depending on the type of paint and mug, the paint might seem to be fragile or come off easily. If this is the case you can use an acrylic paint sealer or varnish to cover the paint so that it doesn't come off when washing the mug. Usually 2 to 3 coats. Its up to you if you want to use a matte, satin, or glossy finish. Make sure to wash it before use. Now you're ready to enjoy your drink of choice thats out of this world!