Reading time: 5 minutes
The mismatched mug at the back of the cupboard. The stainless steel water bottle you don't really like. The tote bag picked up at a trade show, with a logo you could do without. Three objects you keep without loving them, and that an hour is enough to transform.
It's no coincidence that creative hobbies for adults now drive most of the sector's growth: the urge is no longer to buy one more object, but to make the ones you already own your own. The acrylic marker is the tool that makes this accessible with no studio, no brushes and no cleanup step.
Here are six objects in order of difficulty, and what you need to know before you start.
Why acrylic and not something else
An acrylic marker lays down pigmented paint that forms a film as it dries. That's what lets it do three things no ink can: cover a dark background, stick to something other than paper, and stay opaque.
It's also what sets it radically apart from the alcohol marker, whose ink soaks into the fibers and won't hold on any smooth surface. We explained this difference in our comparison of alcohol and acrylic markers. For everything that follows, it's acrylic, no debate.
Preparation, which decides everything
It's the step everyone skips, and it explains most of the failures.
Degrease. A handled object carries an invisible film of grease. Paint sticks to it poorly and peels off in flakes a few days later. A wipe with rubbing alcohol or 70% alcohol, then letting it dry completely, is enough.
Test underneath. On the underside of a pot, inside a hem, on a hidden area. In two minutes you'll see whether the paint grips, whether it bleeds, and what color it really is once dry — often a little different from the cap.
Prime on scrap paper. An acrylic marker is shaken, then primed by pressing the tip until the paint flows. Do it on paper, never on the object: the first flow is always too generous.
Six objects, from the simplest to the most technical
1. The terracotta pot. The best one to start with. Terracotta is porous, so the paint grips immediately and forgives hesitation. Geometric patterns, flat blocks of color, a simple band along the rim: everything works. It's also the object where a mistake costs nothing.
2. The pebble or decorative object. Same logic, with an uneven surface on top. A pebble picked up on vacation, a plain vase, a wooden frame: these are low-stakes surfaces on which to learn how much pressure to use.
3. The tote bag. The first technical surface. Fabric soaks up paint, so plan to go over it in two thin coats rather than one thick one. Slip a piece of cardboard inside to stop it bleeding through. And above all, how well it holds up in the wash depends on heat-setting — see below.
4. The mug or glass. The most rewarding visually, and the one that calls for the most precautions. The surface is smooth and non-porous: the paint stays on top and scratches until it is set.
Important: never paint the rim where the lips go, or the inside. These markers are not food-contact products. Stay on the outer wall, below the drinking edge.
5. The water bottle. Same constraint as glass, plus the rubbing of the bag. A protective varnish isn't optional here, it's essential. And the object will need to be hand-washed.
6. The phone case. The most exposed of all: handled a hundred times a day, rubbed in pockets. A plain, slightly matte case will hold up much better than glossy plastic, on which paint barely sticks.
Setting it so it lasts
This is what separates an object you keep for two years from one you wash once.
Full drying. Allow twenty-four hours before handling, even if the surface seems dry after twenty minutes. The film keeps hardening.
Varnish. On any smooth surface — glass, metal, plastic — a coat of acrylic spray varnish multiplies scratch resistance. It's the step people skip and then regret.
Heat, for textiles. Fabric paints are generally set with an iron, on the reverse side and through a cloth. Always check what your marker's label says: not all of them are made for textiles, and a product that can't be set will come out in the first wash.
Washing. By hand, in lukewarm water, without rubbing the design. The dishwasher defeats almost every homemade finish.
Five mistakes to avoid
Painting on a greasy object. The number one cause of flaking, and the easiest to avoid.
Loading too much paint at once. Two thin coats are better than one thick one, which cracks as it dries.
Going back over an area that is starting to dry. You tear off the layer underneath. Let it dry completely, then paint over it.
Choosing a glossy surface to start with. Smooth plastic and polished glass are the hardest surfaces. Start with something porous.
Putting the object through the dishwasher "just to see." You'll find out.
Want to transform something this weekend?
A pot, a mug, a tote bag.
Updated on 30/07/2026