Painting on porcelain

[emelsea]

I was going to get some porcelain paint marker for my kids to use to decorate mugs as gifts. Can I use plain cups and plates that I find at the thrift store? Or do I need to buy some kind of unfinished dishes?

If anyone has experience with an art project like this, I'd love your input.

I was going to buy the Pebeo paint pens at Blick.

[AllisonR]

I think the pens suck. They are translucent, so would maybe work if you want blended water color like effects, but for actual drawings and opacity, I think they are really lame. But the Pebeo ceramic paint jars (opaque - can't remember exact name) are awsome. Use any glass or ceramic cup, bowl.... It goes right on top of the glass or glaze, and if you bake it in the oven it is permanent. If you scrape a fork or knife across it, of course it will scrap off in that area. But if you use it normally, they can last a good long while. I have some I did years ago that I hand wash and they still look great. Others I put in the dishwasher. They did not last as long, but all the paint didn't fall off just because it was in the dishwasher. Have fun!

[AllisonR]

sorry, scratch that

[emelsea]

Originally Posted by AllisonR

sorry, scratch that

Scratch what? Your opinion of the pens?

[AllisonR]

No, the pens info stands. I replied to a different topic on your thread.