Okay, so I’ve been obsessed with Art Nouveau lately. The flowing lines, the nature-inspired motifs… it’s all so dreamy! I decided I wanted to try making my own Art Nouveau-style teacup. I had zero experience with this, so it was a bit of an adventure.
Finding a Base
First, I needed a plain white teacup. I rummaged through my cupboards but didn’t find anything suitable. I ended up going to a thrift store and scored a simple, slightly curved teacup for like, two bucks. Perfect!
The Design Process
Next, I spent ages looking at pictures of Art Nouveau stuff online. Seriously, I was down a rabbit hole of Mucha posters and Tiffany lamps. I finally settled on a design inspired by irises – lots of long, flowing stems and delicate petals.
I lightly sketched the design onto the teacup with a pencil. This was tricky because the surface was curved, and my drawing skills are, uh, “enthusiastic” at best. I erased and redrew the lines, like, a million times.
Painting Time!
I picked up some porcelain paints from the craft store. I chose a deep purple for the iris petals, a mossy green for the stems, and a shimmery gold for some accents. This was the scary part!
- I carefully outlined the design with the green paint, trying to make the lines as smooth and flowing as possible. My hand was shaking a bit!
- Then I filled in the petals with the purple, using a thin brush to get into the pointy bits.
- I added some gold highlights along the edges of the petals and on some of the stems, for that extra Art Nouveau touch.
The Finishing Touches
After letting the paint dry, I had followed the paint instructions to make it all permanent. I carefully hand-washed the teacup, held my breath, and… it worked! The design didn’t smudge or wash off.
I’m pretty darn proud of my little Art Nouveau teacup. It’s not perfect, of course, the lines aren’t as smooth as a professional * it’s unique, and I made it myself. Now, every time I have a cup of tea, I feel a little bit fancy.
