Glass Painting Event: A Workshop Guide for Companies
How to paint glasses, how mugs differ from glassware and how to run a workshop at a company event: step-by-step technique, pen choice and budget factors.
A glass painting workshop is a short craft activity in which participants decorate their own glasses with glass or porcelain pens and take home a personal piece at the end. No drawing skill is needed: templates, sample patterns and pens in every colour are ready on the table; the rest takes a little patience and imagination.
In the video below you can see an outdoor glass painting workshop set up on wooden tables under canopies. Participants draw while holding stemmed glasses, taking inspiration from the sample pattern sheets beside them.
How do you paint a glass? Step by step
- Prepare the surface: wipe the glass with an alcohol wipe, since grease and fingerprints keep paint from sticking.
- Choose a design: pick a motif from the sample sheets or draw your own. A template placed inside the glass makes it easy to trace from outside.
- Start with outlines: draw the main lines with a fine-tip pen first, then fill in.
- Let layers dry: do not apply one colour over another before it dries, or the colours will mix and smudge.
- Make it permanent: dry or bake the glass as recommended by the pen's manufacturer. This step makes it hold up to washing.
What is the difference between painting a mug and a glass?
On glass the design lets light through; transparent, glossy colours stand out, so fine-line motifs and natural patterns such as leaves and flowers look great. On a ceramic mug the base is opaque; solid colour areas, lettering and logos read more clearly. On both surfaces the type of pen is decisive: choose a glass or porcelain pen suited to the surface and follow the recommended drying or baking step for permanence.
How do you set up glass painting at a company event?
Glass painting works very well as a calm break in the middle of a high-tempo programme or as a drop-in station at a festival-style company day. Pens, templates and paper towels are laid out on the tables, and an instructor demonstrates the technique and moves between tables. If you like, the theme ties back to the brand: corporate colours, company values or the event motto become the subject of the designs. The glass itself can be used at the event too, so participants drink from the glass they painted.
For more in-depth technique training, our Glass Painting Workshop is a good alternative, and for those who want to put a photo straight onto a cup, there is Cup Printing. We explained which workshop suits which group in our guide to choosing a workshop.
What does a glass painting workshop cost depend on?
The budget depends on the number of participants, the type of glass or mug, pen and template sets, brand personalisation on the glasses or packaging, number of instructors, duration, city and venue setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you would like to plan a glass or mug painting workshop for your team, contact us and we will prepare the theme and materials for your group.
Start with 5 short questions: we'll prepare a custom quote in under 24 hours.
