You will need

• ceramic item (bowl, plate, mug, and so on)
• flower motif
• ceramic pens
• pencil crayons (optional)
• sharp pencil or ballpoint pen
• carbon paper
• masking tape
• white vinegar and cottonwool

 Marabu Porcelain Painter pens from The Deckle Edge.

To make
1 Copy our flower motif or your own design in the desired size. We had to make two copies for it to fit around the bowl. You can also colour in a separate one with pencil crayons, to use as a colour guide, if you prefer.

2 Wipe your bowl with vinegar to make sure it is grease and dust free.

3 Stick a piece of masking tape to the top edge of a piece of carbon paper and stick the paper over the rim of the bowl.

4 Stick a piece of masking tape to the edge of the copied motif and stick that over the carbon paper.

5 Cut notches in the paper (don’t cut into the motif) so that the motif lies nice and flat over the bowl’s curves. Affix the loose points to the bowl with pieces of masking tape.

6 Trace the motif on to the bowl by going over the lines with your pencil or ballpoint pen.

7 Remove the photocopied motif and carbon paper and repeat on the other side of the bowl, if necessary.

8 Colour in all the sections of the motif with your ceramic pens. We used pens that are suitable for both porcelain and glass, and that are dishwasher resistant.

9 Leave the coloured-in bowl to stand for at least 24 hours to dry. Wash off the carbon paper marks with soapy water, or use benzine if you struggle.

Text and images: Ideas magazine