12 Coffee Cup Art Ideas That Your Friends and Family Will Love
Everyone deserves to start their day the right way: with a cozy cup of hot coffee. And what better way to enjoy your morning cup of joe than with a personalized mug?
Whether you want to make a gift for someone special or spice up your own morning routine, there are plenty of ways to decorate a coffee cup that you can try at home. All you need are some plain white ceramic mugs, some paint or markers, and your imagination.
Continue readings for 12 coffee cup art ideas your friends and family will love.
12 DIY Mug Ideas for Everyone
These mug art ideas are perfect for a personalized gift or addition to your own kitchen shelves. Whether you’re decorating an unglazed ceramic mug or a paper coffee cup, here are 12 ideas to get you started:
1. Best Mom/Dad/Sister/Friend
Who doesn’t want to be told they're the best? Show your appreciation for the people in your life by writing this sweet message on their coffee cups.
Use a stencil or freehand to add “Best Mom,” “Best Dad,” “Best Sister,” “Best Friend,” or “Best ___” to the front of the mug. Then, feel free to add some hearts, stars, flowers, or other unique touches to make it pretty and personalized. This design will make your loved ones smile whenever they sip their morning brew.
2. Energy Level (Don’t talk to me until this cup is empty)
You're not alone if you can’t deal with other people before having your daily caffeine. For friends and family with the morning grumps, consider making a mug that warns others of their pre-coffee energy levels.
A funny way to do this is by drawing a gauge on the coffee cup that shows how much coffee is left. Then, write “Don’t talk to me until this cup is empty” or “I’m not awake yet” on the top of the mug. At the bottom, write “Okay, now you can talk” to show others you’re ready to function normally after finishing your coffee.
Some other funny pre-coffee grouchiness slogans to choose from are:
“But first, coffee”
“Grumpy before coffee”
“I’m sorry for anything I said before I had my coffee”
Some similar irritable-themed phrases you can pair with cute drawings include:
A cactus or hedgehog: “Prickly before coffee”
Grumpy the Dwarf: “Grumpy before my coffee”
Oscar the Grouch: “Grouchy before coffee”
Animal with a grumpy expression (i.e., an owl or crab): “I’m not a morning person” or “Crabby before coffee”
3. I’d rather be…(insert activity)
Sometimes, we wish we could escape from our daily responsibilities and do something more fun or relaxing. One way to express that is by writing “I’d rather be…” followed by your favorite activity on your coffee cup.
For example, you could write “I’d rather be reading,” “I’d rather be skiing,” or “I’d rather be hiking.” You can also draw icons or symbols representing your chosen activity, such as a book, skis, or a mountain. This reminds your loved one of their favorite thing every morning and shows them that you care about them and their interests.
4. Holiday Themed (Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc.)
Celebrate the current festive season by decorating your coffee cups with holiday-themed designs. Use colors and patterns that match the occasion, such as red and green for Christmas, green and gold for St Patrick’s Day, or pastels and eggs for Easter. Then, add a festive slogan to get them in the holiday spirit.
Some holiday-themed slogans to use on your coffee cup include:
Christmas: “Tis the Season,” “Meowy Christmas,” and “Grinchy Before Coffee”
Easter: “Hoppy Easter,” “Stay Eggcelent,” and “April showers bring May flowers”
St. Patrick’s Day: “Kiss me, I’m Irish,” “Pot o’ Gold,” and “This counts as wearing green”
Valentine’s Day: “Be Mine,” “I love you more than I love coffee,” and “Love Potion”
Halloween: “Trick or Treat,” “Witch’s Brew,” and “Ghouls just wanna have fun”
5. “Sleep When You’re Dead”
We all have that person in our lives who runs on coffee. Maybe they’re a workaholic, or perhaps they’re a night owl, but they definitely need caffeine to keep them moving. For these friends, give them a cup with a funny slogan like “Sleep When You’re Dead.” Add some skulls, bones, or coffins to pair with this slogan to make it more dramatic and humorous.
This is a funny way to show your loved ones you care about them, no matter how bad their sleep schedule is or how many late nights they spend in the library. Still, make sure to also remind your friend that sleep is just as important as coffee.
6. Birthday Themed
Make someone’s birthday extra special by giving them a personalized coffee cup with a birthday-themed design. You can write “Happy Birthday” or “It’s your day” on the front of the mug and add their name or initials on the back.
You can also draw some balloons, candles, or cupcakes to make it more festive. Whether they drink from this cup regularly or only pull it out once per year, this will make them feel loved and appreciated each time.
7. Favorite Animal
For the animal lovers in your life, add their favorite animal to their personalized coffee cup. Draw or paint a realistic or cartoon version of the animal on the mug. Then, add the animal's name or a cute nickname, such as “Cat Lover” or “Dog Mom.”
Depending on the type of mug, you could also make the whole thing an animal, such as by adding eyes, a nose, and whiskers for a cat-face mug.
8. “Be Bold”
For those in your life who could use an extra push, who you admire for being courageous, or who like their coffee extra strong, write “Be Bold” on their mug gift. This simple saying can encourage them to take risks, try new things, or even take that specific leap they’ve been afraid of. This slogan is also perfect for showing the bold people in your life that they inspire you.
To match this slogan, use bright colors like red, orange, or yellow to make it more vibrant. And feel free to add arrows, stars, or lightning bolts to make it extra aesthetically pleasing and empowering. Now, your loved one will feel ready to face the day confidently.
9. TV or Film Lover
Show your friend or family member how well you know them by adding something from their favorite TV show or movie onto their coffee mug. Write or draw a reference your media-lover will understand, such as a quote, character, or logo. You could also add colors or fonts that match the show or movie, such as the same font used in the title credits.
Some TV and movie-inspired coffee cup meme examples include:
Friends: Draw the logo of ‘Central Perk Coffee’ where these goofy friends hang out every day.
Gilmore Girls: Draw the ‘Luke’s Diner’ logo where the Gilmores get their coffee every morning.
The Office: Write “World's Best Boss” to copy Michael Scott’s iconic mug.
Harry Potter: Write “Butter Beer” or draw the ‘Sorting Hat’ with their Hogwarts house name.
Star Wars: Write “The coffee is strong with this one,” or “I like my coffee on the dark side.”
Garfield: Write "I hate Mondays."
10. Morning Affirmations
Help your mug's recipient start their day with a positive mindset by writing some morning affirmations on their coffee cup. Affirmations are statements that help you boost your self-esteem and confidence, such as “I am enough,” “I am capable,” or “I am worthy.”
Similarly, you can write some compliments, such as “You are beautiful,” “You are smart,” or “You are awesome.” Choose your words of positivity and write them in an aesthetically pleasing font on the front of the mug. Then, pair the slogan with some pretty flowers, plants, or other icons.
You could also add your phrase to the bottom of the coffee cup, so they’ll get a heartwarming reminder every time they finish their drink of choice.
11. Tea Lovers
Have someone in your life who prefers tea over coffee? Show them you appreciate them by making them an individualized tea mug. Some fun mug ideas for tea lovers include:
Write slogans like “Tea Time,” “But first, tea,” or “[Don’t] Spill the Tea.”
Write their favorite tea type (i.e., Earl Grey, chamomile, chai).
Draw cute tea-related icons, such as tea bags, tea leaves/flowers, or a frog sipping tea.
12. Keep it Simple
Our last coffee mug art idea is to keep it simple. Some of our loved ones may even prefer a simple, elegant design to go with their home decor.
Examples of this style include:
Watercolor coffee cup: Use watercolor paints or markers to make an ombre effect on the mug or create a simple painting.
Simple icon: Paint or draw just one icon on the front of the mug, such as a heart, smiley face, or flower.
A single word or short phrase: Write a simple word or phrase in an elegant font, such as “Coffee,” “Tea,” “Joy,” or their name. Perhaps add a splash of watercolor paint to the background.
Get Crafting
As you can see, there are many ways to design a personalized coffee cup for someone you care about. Use these ideas as inspiration, or create your own designs that will make your friend, family member, or loved one smile. And consider including a handmade note card from Pirozzi Print as part of your gift.
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and unleash your inner artist!